From Maurice Okafor, Enugu, Adaeze Atuegwu, Morocco
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Team Nigeria,known as ‘Star Eagles’ is among the five national blind football teams[Male] that competed in the just concluded 2022 IBSA Blind Football,African Championships,held from September 14 to September 26 in Bouznika,Morocco.
Other teams that took part in the competition were Mali national blind team,the Egyptian side, Cote d’Ivoire national blind team and the host country,Morocco.
The championships ended in favor of Morocco who were defending their title after defeating seven other African countries (Nigeria, Cameroon, Mali, Niger,Côte d’Ivoire,Egypt,and Libya) in the Nigeria 2019 IBSA Blind Football Men’s African Championships hosted by Bina Foundation in Enugu, Nigeria.
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Blind football, which is a relatively new sport in Nigeria, has rules similar to regular football but with some modifications. It consists of a 5 -man squad with 4 blind players and one sighted goalkeeper per team.
The Star Eagles are trained in the Football Academy at The Resource and Recreational Centre for the Blind at the Bina Foundation for People with Special Needs, a non-profit organization that works for improved personal development, economic empowerment, social inclusion, and human rights of people with special needs in Nigeria.
The Star Eagles were represented by a team of players, goalkeeper, guide, team manager, coaches, technical assistant, physiotherapist, and doctor. Team players include Oba Azubuike (captain), Innocent Charles Enag, Ekene John, Okpalanze Izuchukwu, Ndubuisi Victor, Kwaghtsule Abraham, Biega Jeremiah, ChukwuebukaUgwuoke (goalkeeper) Chukwuebuka Uzoewulu (guide/coach).
Special delegates from Bina Foundation to Morocco who volunteered in different capacities include the Founder and President of Bina Foundation, Lady Ifeoma Atuegwu; the immediate Past President of the Nigeria Para athletic Federation and the new President of the Nigerian Para Swimming Federation, also the Director of Para sports at Bina Foundation, Dr. Amobi Chikwendu; and author Adaeze Atuegwu, Director of International Affairs at Bina Foundation and a prolific writer whose works of fiction has been transcribed into audio and Braille by the foundation for the visually-impaired.
The Star Eagles were proud to represent Nigeria in their first international championships, a historic moment in the development of blind football in Nigeria, Africa, and the international community.
Nigeria also made history in Morocco by producing the first and only African female IBSA referee in the championships, Ms. Agatha Obeta, a former goalkeeper and coach of the Star Falcons, the Nigerian female blind football team nurtured by Bina Foundation.
Obeta made her international debut in the world of blind football in February 2019 when the Star Falcons, co-sponsored by Bina Foundation participated in the 2019 Saitama City Female Blind Football Normalization Cup in Tokyo, Japan.
At the end of nearly two weeks of team collaboration, visiting a blind resource center in Senegal, camping with teams from other countries, experiencing Moroccan food and cultures, meeting Moroccan and IBSA dignitaries, and great sportsmanship, the great Star Eagles had this to say about blind football -:
The Star Eagles players were happy to have participated in the 2022 IBSA Blind Football,African Championship,stating they are gaining the experience and exposure. The Team Captain,Oba Azubuike described Blind football as an interesting game with potentials for blind people.
One of the players Innocent Charles Enag said,“I feel so grateful to be a player in such a special sport” Okoye Ekene John stated,“It’s awesome as a special sport for the blind; I feel happy to be part of it”.
Other players who acknowledged the exposure they gained from the championship are Okpalanze, Ndubuisi Victor,Kwaghtsule Abraham and Biega Jeremiah
The goal keeper, Chukwuebuka Ugwuoke stated,“Awesomely!!! I feel very grateful to be a goalkeeper of blind football” The Star Eagles guide/coach, Chukwuebuka Uzoewulu equally expressed gratitude to the management of Bina Foundation for their initiative in nurturing the team to limelight and participating in the African championship.
His words,“I feel great to be part of the team in the blind football
We wish the Star Eagles continued success with their training at Bina Foundation and in all future championships’.
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