The Wadada Tennis Championship officially drew to a close at the Lafia Tennis Club in Project Quarters, Lafia on Sunday featuring competitive final matches in both the junior and senior categories.
The grassroots tournament has served as a platform for discovering young athletic talents, fostering unity, and promoting sportsmanship within Nasarawa State.
Speaking at the closing ceremony held on Sunday, the Senator representing Nasarawa West Senatorial District and the All Progressives Congress ( APC ) governorship candidate, Senator Aliyu Wadada highlighted the unifying power of sports, describing it as an indispensable tool for social cohesion and community development.
”Put liberation sports as a vehicle of consolidation. Put liberation sports as a vehicle of celebration. Put liberation sports also as a vehicle of joy.
“This is all informed as a result of your kind of stewardship which has manifested glaringly in every facet of our livelihood as a people. We cannot thank you enough for that,” Senator Wadada declared.
He expressed deep appreciation to the organisers and supporters of the championship, emphasizing the need to embrace leisure and relaxation even amidst political and social obligations.
”The least we can do is to continuously pray for your continuous blessings from the Almighty, continuous guidance and protection in every endeavor you find yourself. Without play makes a child dull.
” The fact that we are gathered here to play tennis, to watch tennis, at this material time that some people are getting confused over what is ahead, we are implicitly telling the world that: whatever the situation is, we relax,” he said.
Reaffirming his commitment to sports and physical fitness, the lawmaker lightheartedly added:”I would have liked to play side-by-side; I am a tennis player. Please, I need you to know that I am a player. That since I am a player, any game, any sport you bring, I am a player. Any which way you want it done, I am a player.”
In his remarks, Governor Abdullahi Sule who participated in a novelty match as part of the event lauded the organisers and local tennis stars, noting that young athletes from Nasarawa are fast rising through the ranks to compete nationally in Lagos and Abuja, with international representation glaringly on the horizon.
Governor Sule urged the party faithful to be patient in the face of provocation and political detractions.
He drew a sharp line between endurance and vulnerability, recounting how he chose legal channels rather than harassment to counter false accusations.
Referring to a recent court remand involving a persistent critic who failed to substantiate claims made against him, the Governor said: ” For me, all the insults in the past, I have forgotten and I have forgiven him. But the one that I cannot forgive is where you say I have said something that I know I didn’t say. In situations like that, definitely I will go to court.”
He recalled with happiness that the APC recently received a vote of confidence from an entire local government and announced a N5,000,000 cash donation directly to the tournament organisers for distribution among all participating athletes and medalists.
The sponsor of the tournament and Accountant General of Nasarawa State, Dr. Musa Ahmed, while welcoming dignitaries, sports administrators, and guests to the grand finale, noted that the two-month competition tagged the “Barade for Wadada Tennis Competition, “brought together key stakeholders across the state.
Dr. Ahmed expressed appreciation to the management of the Lafia Tennis Club, the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Nasarawa State Chapter, the Maya Tennis Club, and local tennis enthusiasts for their support.
The Voice reports that in the
junior category of girls U-16, the winner was Honey Arinze and runner-up was Leah Wando while in the boys U-16 the winner was Ismaila Shuaibu and runner-up, Abdullahi Mohammed.
Meanwhile in the boys U-12: winner: Isyaka Mohammad, runner-up: Mu’azu Mohammed; in the senior category winners: Prof. / Sani, runners-up: Dukakis / Ogah.
The event witnessed the presentation of trophies, certificates, and prizes to the winners and runners-up across all divisions.
