October 10, (THEWILL) – Nigeria’s Minister of Sports and Youth Development, John Enoh, has welcomed home the national deaf football team, known as the “Deaf Eagles”, back to Abuja.
The team had recently returned from the 4th World Deaf Football Championships in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, marking Nigeria’s first-ever participation in the global deaf football tournament. Finishing 11th out of 19 competing countries, the Deaf Eagles successfully put Nigeria on the international deaf football map.
In a post on X, Enoh praised the squad’s dedication and for proudly flying Nigeria’s flag: “It is a thing of absolute joy and pride to see these valiant sportsmen hoist the Nigerian flag for the first time at the Deaf Football Championship.” He remarked that their participation shows the inclusivity of sports, where disability does not hinder greatness.
As a result, the Minister outlined plans to further develop deaf sports including pushing for inclusion in the National Sports Festival and National Youth Games. “As a country, on behalf of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, H.E. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we celebrate this uncommon love and sacrifice for our nation,” Enoh said.
The Deaf Eagles received a warm welcome home, with Enoh posing for pictures with the athletes. He commended the 11th place finish against elite global deaf squads, expressing optimism for an even stronger showing at future championships.
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Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
