In a big present of regional solidarity and dedication to inclusive sports activities improvement, the President of the African Paralympic Committee (AfPC), Mr. Samson Deen, paid an official go to to Nigeria on Thursday, thirty first July 2025, forward of the historic 1st West Africa Para Video games, set to happen in Abeokuta, Ogun State in September 2025.
The go to kinds a part of the AfPC’s strategic mission to impress African governments, political stakeholders, and enterprise communities to speculate meaningfully in incapacity sports activities infrastructure, empowerment packages, and inclusive improvement.
An Inspiring Venue, A Historic Alternative
President Deen’s itinerary included a radical inspection of the M.Okay.O. Abiola Sports activities Enviornment in Abeokuta, the place he visited key services together with the athletics oval, soccer pitch, swimming pool, tennis and basketball courts.
The tour was geared toward assessing Ogun State’s state of readiness to host what shall be West Africa’s first sub-regional para sports activities occasion, anticipated to welcome a whole bunch of para-athletes and officers from throughout the ECOWAS area.
“We have to change our mentality from being vacationers crossing the borders of the African area to Europe and America by investing in video games that can see us give sufficient alternative and publicity to our athletes right here in Africa.
“It’s cheaper, simply subsequent door, and appears like house — relatively than queue for visas, get denied, and shut the door on the athlete. We regularly spend hundreds of {dollars} on tickets, lodging, and feeding overseas, solely to be confronted with chilly climate circumstances that cut back our groups’ confidence to carry out.”
As well as, Mr. Deen engaged in high-level deliberations with the Ogun State Commissioner for Sports activities, Hon. Wasiu Isiaka, the place each events mentioned operational technique, accessibility upgrades, and the long-term legacy potential of the Video games.
AfPC’s Full Endorsement and Rallying Name
Talking to the media after the power inspection, Mr. Deen formally introduced the endorsement of the Video games by the African Paralympic Committee, describing it as a “continental turning level” for inclusive sports activities diplomacy and empowerment.
“The West Africa Para Video games isn’t just a event — it’s Africa’s declaration that means has no restrict, and incapacity will not be incapacity. Ogun State now stands on the cusp of creating historical past for a complete technology.” — Mr. Samson Deen
He lauded Ogun State’s proactive imaginative and prescient and infrastructure improvement, encouraging His Excellency, the Governor of Ogun State, to make use of his affect and political platform to rally each nationwide and regional help for the occasion’s success and sustainability.
A Message to African Enterprise Leaders
The AfPC President additionally used the event to name upon the personal sector and African enterprise leaders to grab the second and again incapacity sports activities as a high-impact funding in dignity, youth, and social innovation.
“When African companies put money into incapacity sports activities, they put money into hope, in unity, and within the energy of human potential. That is our second to construct arenas of fairness throughout Africa.” — Mr. Samson Deen
Legacy Past the Video games
Past competitors, the West Africa Para Video games is anticipated to spark new incapacity inclusion insurance policies, increase regional sports activities funding, and strengthen collaborative frameworks amongst West African nations. It goals to reshape how African societies understand and help individuals with disabilities, creating sustainable pathways for participation and management in all sectors.
Preparations proceed to speed up, with the AfPC working in shut partnership with the Authorities of Ogun State, the Nationwide Paralympic Committee of Nigeria (NPC Nigeria), and different regional and improvement stakeholders to make sure a world-class inaugural occasion.
Dignitaries in Attendance Included:
- Mr. Sunday Odebode, President, NPC Nigeria
- Mr. Suleiman Issah, Secretary-Basic, NPC Nigeria
- Mr. Ignatius Elletey, Head of Secretariat/Administration, AfPC
- Mr. Foster Kwarteng, Head of Protocol Companies, AfPC
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DISCLAIMER: The Views, Feedback, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform don’t essentially symbolize the views or coverage of Multimedia Group Restricted.
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