Date: 2017-09-30

Zuma Badminton Club, Suleja at the weekend emerged champions of the two-day 2nd Kwara Stadium Badminton Veteran Club Championship tagged "Ilorin 2017" with three gold and three silver.

Hosts Kwara Stadium Badminton Veteran Club placed second with three gold, two silver and four bronze medals. Police College Badminton Club, Ikeja finished third with one gold, one silver and five bronze medals while Bida Sports Club was fourth with one silver.

City Gate Badminton Club, Abuja won three bronze to claim the fifth spot. Lagos Country Club, Ikeja and Unilorin Badminton Club ?were joint sixth with one bronze medal each.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, President of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) Mr. Francis Orbih pledged to reposition the game to sustain the interest ?of the people with the aim of taking its to greater height The BFN president said the federation would create enabling environment to improve the game among the Youth and Veterans across the Country.

He ?charged governments to make sporting sector attractive for corporate bodies and private individuals to invest in it.?

Orbih stressed the need for adequate maintenance culture of facilities in the country's stadia to secure the confidence of would-be private investors and corporate bodies.

The BFN president stated that the federation had mapped out strategies to make badminton popular among Nigerians. He commended the commitment and passion exhibited by members of the seven clubs that participated at the championship.

Orbih also praised the Kwara Stadium Badminton Veteran Club for the smooth organisation of the championship calling on the members to sustain the tempo.

Kwara State Director of Sports, Mallam Tunde Kazeem thanked the veteran for their support imploring them to organise tournament for junior badminton players to rekindle their hope and talents in the game.

The Captain of the Club, Alhaji Sambo Magaji thanked all the clubs ?for exhibiting the spirit of sportsmanship adding that the Championship was organised to promote the game and expand friendship and relationship among the participants.

Alhaji Magaji who congratulated the winners urged the losers to put in more effort pledging that the tournament would be an annual event?. Chief Press Secretary to the Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulwahab Oba, who was the chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC), said he was happy with the turn out of participants.

He said the Kwara Badminton Veteran club, will soon map out strategies to see how it can encourage and promote the game among the youth.