Stakeholders Call For Paradigm Shift In Nigeria Badminton, Blames NBF Board For Pursuing Selfish Agenda

Stakeholders Call For Paradigm Shift In Nigeria Badminton, Blames NBF Board For Pursuing Selfish Agenda

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By Ebube Dike

A group of concerned stakeholders Nigeria Badminton have called for holistic change in system in the sports to restore badminton to the glorious days of global and continental reckoning.

The Group, Nigeria Badminton Stakeholders Forum, NBBF stated this in Abuja during a press conference.

Lead speaker at the conference, Mr Danjuma Fatauchi, an ex badminton player decried the sorry state of the game in the country and called for concerted efforts to reposition badminton in the country to regain its lofty heights.

Mr Fatauchi recalled that the glorious days where badminton was ranked first in Africa have been lost in recent times due to consistent and continued neglect by successive administrators and boards of the Nigeria Badminton Federation, NBF.

“I want to tell the world that the game of badminton in Nigeria has fallen to the lowest ebb in the last four years.

“The current board has made Nigerians to forget that there was a time that we were the best in Africa. All hands must be on the deck to bring back this game and develop it. The athletes and officials are not happy. During our time, we have so many competitions to expose the players and get them ready for international competitions.

“Let me take you back to 1977 during the Thomas Cup in Indonesia. I want to tell that, Nigeria came tenth in that competition and again in Australia Open, we got to the quarter finals. At the World Championship in China, we got to the quarter finals. Also, in Commonwealth Games in 1982, Nigeria played at the quarter-finals but since then, there’s nothing like that again.

An ex international and coach, Mr Babatunde Badru who also spoke at the briefing alleged that the immediate past NBF board abused office and paid little or no attention not the development of badminton.

“The president of the Federation lacked the power to sign and withdraw money without the Secretary’s consent. All the monies made through sponsorship were not properly documented and the money supposed to be paid into federation account and not in private account. The signatories to the Federation account are the Secretary and the treasurer.

“None of the board members is qualified to withdraw money. But today many things are wrong, if there’s national championship anywhere in Nigeria, the state association is always the one taking charge while the Secretariat is left behind because the board don’t want to abide by the rules.

“And if the Secretary complains, he would be removed. If not, why do we have six secretaries in four years?

“All these anomalies must be probed and anyone found wanting must be brought to book.”

Diaspora members of the forum who spoke via Zoom from United States of America, accused past leaders of the federation for pursuing selfish interest but called for all hands to be on deck to save the game of badminton from abandonment.

Other members who were at the press briefing include Muhammed Bako, Enoch Bernard, Afees Ibrahim, Atiku Abubakar, Adana Joseph, Michael Columbus, Ola Fagbemi, and Orobosa Okaughae.

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