The President of the Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN) Mr. Jibril Saidu Ojih,(FNIQS) has said the continued growth of Handball in Nigeria will take a new dimension from the grassroots through the zonal representatives in the Federation.
Ojih, who said this over the weekend at the finals of the Lions/Grasshoppers Handball Legends Under 15 Boys And Girls Handball Championship in Enugu, stated that the goal of the board of the Handball Federation of Nigeria is to increase the discoveries of players from the grassroots and nurture them from each zones of the Federation.
The Secretary General of the Commonwealth Handball Association also seeks collaboration with states in organizing grassroots competitions just as he praised the organizers led by the Southeast Zonal Representative on the HFN board Chief Emmanuel Asogwa for the foresight in coming up with the competition.
“I want to thank the organizers of this competition led by Dr. Emmanuel Asogwa the Zonal Representative of the Southeast for the foresight to make this competition a reality. This is our goal in the HFN board to ensure that we decentralize grassroots development and make it a key action plan by each of the zonal representatives” Ojih said
“The essence is to ensure that we do not stop producing players and we nurture them to represent the country at all levels in the future ”
“This is why we seek collaboration with states and even corporate organisations to host competitors for the grassroots to maximize our plans in ensuring that we have a pool of young and well trained handball players ” Ojih said
Ojih also appreciated the presence of the Honourable Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Hon. Lyod Ekweremadu and noted that his participation signaled renewed government interest in handball development in the region.
He also urged South East handball legends to form a veterans’ handball club to foster continuous engagement and contribute further to the sport’s progress.
The Zonal Representative of the Southeast in the HFN board Chief Emmanuel Asogwa thanked the president of the HFN for his support and show of encouragement to the Southeast handball family while also expressing gratitude to the organisers for their dedication to the game.
He promised to host a special award night to honour South East handball legends for their commitment to the sport’s growth.
Hon. Ekweremadu, the Honourable Commissioner of Sports and Youth Development commended the HFN President for making Enugu his first official engagement since assuming office.
He also lauded Chief Emmanuel Asogwa for his continuous contribution to the development of handball in the state and the South East region.
The Commissioner urged the young players to see the championship as an opportunity to build a bright future for themselves and announced an undisclosed donation on behalf of the Enugu State Ministry of Youth and Sports to support handball development.
The HFN president was conferred with the ASSOCIATE MEMBER OF LIONS/GRASSHOPPERS INTERNATIONAL HANDBALL LEGENDS by the group
At the end of the keenly contested championship, Team Enugu dominated both categories, emerging champions in the Boys’ and Girls’ events. Imo and Abia States finished second and third respectively in the boys’ category, while Abia and Imo swapped positions in the girls’ division.
Trophies and certificates were presented to the winners, rounding off what many described as a befitting finale to another successful edition of the Lions/Grasshoppers International Handball Legends U15 Championship.
