By TOM CHIAHEMEN, Abuja –
The maiden edition of the latest annual Badminton competition ended in Abuja at the weekend with the sponsors, Impex Air, promising to sustain the tournament as part the new airline’s contribution to the growth and development of the game in Nigeria.
Speaking during the closing ceremony of the two-day high profile ranking competition held at the MKO Abiola National Stadium in Abuja, the Managing Director/ CEO of the Impex Air, Dr Abel Ozigi, also expressed satisfaction with the quality of organization, the players and officials that participated in the tournament, tagged ‘Impex Shuttlemania 2021.’
Impex Air is one of the new entrants into the Nigeria’s aviation sector with an eye on getting a chunk of the market by exploiting the great potentials that abound in the industry and the nation’s economy.
Explaining his interest in Badminton sponsorship, Ozigi, an engineer, said his dream was to enthrone Badminton as a leading game because of its global rising prominence and Nigeria’s feat in the game.
Nigeria featured in two Badminton events at the 2020 Olympics which ended earlier this year in Tokyo Japan, with a Men’s Double Team and a Lady’s Single Team.
Nigeria has been the leading country of the game in Africa with many players dominating the came as African Number Players over the decades.
Ozigi announced plans by the airline to commence flight operations in the first quarter of 2022 adding, with commencement of operations, his competition would strengthen its partnership with the management of Badminton in the country.
“Love Badminton, Fly Impex Air”, a banner adorned at the hall stated indicating the partnership to be seen in the nearest future.
The maiden edition of the competition, organized in collaboration with the City Gate Badminton Club Abuja, attracted participants from about 10 Badminton Clubs around the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and its environs, including the host, City Gate, Mambilla Barracks, Aguiyi Ironsi Barracks, Kubwa, Suleija, Nina, Kubwa 3 and QPC.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Organising Committee and Chairman of City Gate Badminton Club, Alhaji Sani Aminu, commended Impex Air Management for the financial sponsorship of the tournament and called on other corporate bodies and organisations to emulate the example of Impex Air and come to the aid of the game.
The competition featured 16 fixtures in each category, including Professional/ Active players; Women’s Doubles; Men’s Mixed Doubles and Veteran Men’s Doubles.
Although Mambilla Barracks’ teenage Player, Emmanuel Femi, defeated City Gate’s Mike Uke 2-0 in an action -packed finals match to win the Gold in the Professional/Active Players category, the hosts, City Gate Badminton Club carted away most prizes and medals in the tournament.
