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We’ll make wheelchair basketball popular in North – Federation President

The President of Nigeria Wheelchair Basketball Federation, Seyi Johnson,  has said that the federation would popularise the sport in the northern part of the country as part of efforts to develop the game.

Johnson disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Thursday in Abuja.

He said that the federation had organised the first edition of the Wheelchair Basketball League that aimed at exposing more players to the sport in the northern region.

He said the event was the first edition of BetKing sponsored championship for the Savannah Conference League held at the Indoor Sports Hall of Sani Abacha Stadium in Kofar Mata, Kano City.

Johnson said wheelchair basketball would soon become one of the biggest para sports in Northern Nigeria after para soccer.

He said the league was an opportunity to break into the different cadre of the national teams and ultimately get foreign clubs for the players.

“A unique opportunity has presented itself for teams based in the North to expose themselves.

“Championships always take place in the Southern part of the country but this current board deemed it fit to take the Savannah Conference to Kano State.

“I  want to inform you that wheelchair basketball is ready to give para soccer a big fight.

“This is going to be the beginning of greater things for wheelchair basketball in Northern Nigeria,” he said.

The president said the league would also serve as a platform to select players for the National Teams.

”The Technical Director of the Federation, Tunde Popoola and other technical officials will be monitoring every of our event.

‘We have been doing Atlantic conference, now we want to concentrate more on Savannah because we want the game to be well known in the north,” he added.

NAN reports that only two teams (Kwara and Kano) participated in the maiden edition of the competition in Kano two weeks ago.

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