{"id":236154,"date":"2025-10-01T09:16:05","date_gmt":"2025-10-01T09:16:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/abiaradiostations.name.ng\/news\/abia-state-makes-history-as-governor-otti-declares-first-para-badminton-international-championships-open\/"},"modified":"2025-10-01T09:16:05","modified_gmt":"2025-10-01T09:16:05","slug":"abia-state-makes-history-as-governor-otti-declares-first-para-badminton-international-championships-open","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/abiaradiostations.com.ng\/news\/abia-state-makes-history-as-governor-otti-declares-first-para-badminton-international-championships-open\/","title":{"rendered":"Abia State Makes History As Governor Otti Declares First Para-Badminton International Championships Open"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Abia <\/a>State made a historic leap into the global sporting spotlight on Tuesday as Governor Dr. Alex <\/a>Otti officially declared open the First Abia <\/a>Para-Badminton International Championship and the All-Africa Para-Badminton Championship at a grand ceremony held at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia.<\/p>\n

These twin championships, the first of their kind in Abia <\/a>State and the entire West African region, are sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation and organized under the auspices of the Para Badminton Confederation Africa.<\/p>\n

The event has drawn participation from over 30 countries, showcasing elite para-badminton talent while promoting values of inclusivity, unity, and resilience through sport.<\/p>\n

\"<aAbia <\/a>State Makes History As Governor Otti Declares First Para-Badminton International Championships Open” width=”790″ height=”527″ src=”https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/nationalambassadorngr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-09-30-at-10.09.36-PM-1.jpeg?resize=790%2C527&ssl=1″ srcset=”https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/nationalambassadorngr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-09-30-at-10.09.36-PM-1.jpeg?resize=1024%2C683&ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/nationalambassadorngr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-09-30-at-10.09.36-PM-1.jpeg?resize=300%2C200&ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/nationalambassadorngr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-09-30-at-10.09.36-PM-1.jpeg?resize=768%2C512&ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/nationalambassadorngr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-09-30-at-10.09.36-PM-1.jpeg?w=1080&ssl=1 1080w” data-sizes=”auto” data-eio-rwidth=”790″ data-eio-rheight=”527″\/><\/p>\n

Represented by his Deputy, Engr. Ikechukwu Emetu, Governor Otti described the event as a \u201ccelebration of resilience, unity, and the unbreakable human spirit.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPara sports remind us of a profound truth: that ability is not limited by disability,\u201d the Governor said. \u201cThey challenge stereotypes, break barriers, and inspire us to dream bigger.\u201d<\/p>\n

Governor Otti emphasized that inclusivity remains a cornerstone of his administration\u2019s agenda, reaffirming his vision of an Abia <\/a>where inclusion is not an afterthought, but a guiding principle.<\/p>\n

He expressed gratitude to sponsors, partners, media organizations, and the organizing team for their dedication in making the event a reality. He also encouraged the athletes to compete with pride, integrity, and determination.<\/p>\n

In his remarks, the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Sir Nwaobilor Ananaba, highlighted that this is the first international sporting event in West Africa dedicated specifically to para-badminton, calling it a significant milestone in both sports tourism and inclusive development.<\/p>\n

\"<aAbia <\/a>State Makes History As Governor Otti Declares First Para-Badminton International Championships Open” width=”790″ height=”527″ src=”https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/nationalambassadorngr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-09-30-at-10.09.37-PM.jpeg?resize=790%2C527&ssl=1″ srcset=”https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/nationalambassadorngr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-09-30-at-10.09.37-PM.jpeg?resize=1024%2C683&ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/nationalambassadorngr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-09-30-at-10.09.37-PM.jpeg?resize=300%2C200&ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/nationalambassadorngr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-09-30-at-10.09.37-PM.jpeg?resize=768%2C512&ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/nationalambassadorngr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-09-30-at-10.09.37-PM.jpeg?w=1080&ssl=1 1080w” data-sizes=”auto” data-eio-rwidth=”790″ data-eio-rheight=”527″\/><\/p>\n

\u201cThis championship is more than a sporting event, it is a symbol of progress, inclusion, and global recognition for Abia,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Sir Ananaba also noted the event\u2019s potential to boost the state\u2019s economy by attracting international visitors and generating business for local enterprises, including hotels, restaurants, and vendors.<\/p>\n

President of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria, Barr. Francis Orbih, and CEO of the Badminton Confederation of Africa, Mr. Jeff Shigoli, commended Abia <\/a>State for its leadership and commitment to inclusive sports.<\/p>\n

\u201cAbia <\/a>State has made history,\u201d said Orbih. \u201cThanks to His Excellency Dr. Alex <\/a>Otti, we are witnessing the first-ever international para-badminton championship in West Africa.\u201d<\/p>\n

With the Abia <\/a>Para-Badminton International Championships scheduled to run until October 5, preparations are already in motion for the All-Africa Para-Badminton Championship, which will commence immediately afterward. More African countries are expected to participate in the continental tournament, further establishing Abia <\/a>as a rising hub for adaptive and inclusive sports.<\/p>\n

Abia <\/a>State\u2019s bold step onto the global sports stage not only marks a significant milestone but also reinforces its vision of leadership through inclusion, innovation, and international collaboration.<\/p>\n

Charles Ogbonnaya
Reporter<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Abia State made a historic leap into the global sporting spotlight on Tuesday as Governor Dr. Alex Otti officially declared open the First Abia Para-Badminton International Championship and the All-Africa Para-Badminton Championship at a grand ceremony held at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia. These twin championships, the first of their kind in Abia State and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":236155,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[176],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-236154","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-abia"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/abiaradiostations.com.ng\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-09-30-at-10.09.35-PM.jpeg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/abiaradiostations.com.ng\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/236154","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/abiaradiostations.com.ng\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/abiaradiostations.com.ng\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abiaradiostations.com.ng\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abiaradiostations.com.ng\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=236154"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/abiaradiostations.com.ng\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/236154\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abiaradiostations.com.ng\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/236155"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/abiaradiostations.com.ng\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=236154"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abiaradiostations.com.ng\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=236154"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abiaradiostations.com.ng\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=236154"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}