- The opening ceremony of the 2nd Ilaji Resort/NIPSN (Network for Inclusion of People with Special Needs) Sports Championship kicks off today Friday, 15th October 2021
- People with disabilities, who are under the care of NIPSN, band together in the spirit of sportsmanship and display incredible sports skills and character
- Founded by Hamid Sekinat in April 2019, NIPSN makes efforts to create a positive platform for inclusiveness and to promote self-esteem for people with disabilities in Oyo State and beyond
- The disability-centred Sports Championship is an annual event founded and organized by the Network for Inclusion of People with Special Needs (NIPSN). This one is the second championship held. The first-ever had begun in 2020
- Sponsored by Chief Sanusi, Oyo State’s renowned sports enthusiast, Ilaji Resorts/NIPSN Sports Championship aims to foster sportsmanship and inclusion of athletes with disabilities in Oyo State
- VIPs from the State political and social arenas, including the Special Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde on Youths and Sports, SA on Disabilities, and Oyo State Commissioner for Youths and Sports, and significant others are prepped to grace the 3-day, actions-stuffed disability championship event at Ilaji, Ibadan, Oyo State
Network for Inclusion of People with Special Needs (NIPSN) holds its second Disability Sports Championship in Ilaji Resorts, Ilaji, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. Founded by Hammed Sekinat Afolashade in April 2019, NIPSN makes efforts to create a positive platform for inclusion to promote the psychological milieu of persons with special needs in Oyo State and beyond.
The event which began Friday, 15th October 2021, will end on Sunday, 17th October 2021. The arrival and opening ceremony has begun today. Today’s event featured a white cane day rally, tug of war, and traffic race among other activities.
On Saturday, the Ilaji Resorts’ Stadium will be a host to several competitive events, including Blind football, para-lifting, sack race, Wheelchair Race, and Go ball.
Trophies and cash prizes will be presented to winners on Sunday, by Chief Sanusi, a famous sports enthusiast and philanthropist, and disability rights advocate—who will present trophies and cash prizes to deserving winners.
Dignitaries will attend the event, including Special Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde on Youths and Sports, Barrister Ayodele Adekanmbi, Special Adviser, Executive Assistant to Governor Seyi Makinde on Disability Matters, Local government Chairman, Ona Ara, and very important people.
“This year’s event will be unlike what we had last year”, Yetunde Jimoh, a volunteer at NIPSN gushed. “From my time at the Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo, I’d had unconditional love for the Deaf and blind, including other students and individuals with disabilities, added Yetunde.
“But this year, we are going to have teams in much better sports gears than they had last year,” Yetunde concluded.
The trio of Adebayo Gafaru, Yanda, Abiodun, and Oladapo Ibrahim who are all sportspeople with a visual impairment from Ibadan, Oyo State largest city by population, said they were all looking forward to taking gold home.
The host and founder, Hammed Sekinat has been super busy during the whole opening ceremony. When asked a quick question, she had this to say “These people (Athletes with disabilities) do, in terms of their incredible potentials, scaling the hurdles of their challenges to unleash and showcase their talents that are now beneficial to all and sundry is something that amazes me and will never fail to lend my supports to an exercise of this nature”.
Fans and advocates, as well the disability community in Nigeria and beyond can confidently look forward to an even fabulous event at Ilaji Resorts and Hotels this weekend.