The President of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, has charged Team Nigeria wrestlers to approach the 2026 World Wrestling Championships with patriotism, commitment and determination.
Adeniyi, who is also the Comptroller-General of Customs, gave the charge on Thursday during a visit to the national team’s training camp in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, as preparations intensify for the global showpiece scheduled for October 24 to November 1 in Astana, Kazakhstan.
The NWF President commended the athletes for remaining in camp on October 1st Independence Day holiday, describing their sacrifice as a true reflection of national service and the patriotic spirit required to excel at the highest level.
He noted that the wrestlers had been in camp for about two weeks fine-tuning strategies ahead of the competition, which also serves as an Olympic qualification event.
“It is also Nigeria’s Independence Day, so I felt this was an opportunity to identify with our athletes. They have been in camp for about two weeks now, preparing for a very important competition. They will be representing Nigeria at the World Championships in Kazakhstan, and they have been working hard to get themselves ready for the challenge,” Adeniyi said.
“We want to support and motivate them to achieve the best possible results for Nigeria in Kazakhstan. Olympic qualification tickets will also be at stake, so this is not just another World Championships,” he added.
The Customs boss said the Federation was determined to use the World Championships to make a bold statement about the progress and potential of Nigerian wrestling, assuring the athletes of necessary support and a conducive training environment.
He urged the team to remain united, disciplined and confident, with the mentality of champions capable of upsetting the world’s best.
“For the women, where we have a very big chance, we’re going with about 10 of them. For the men, we’re going with three. We want to wish them well, encourage them to remain focused and ensure that they have the support and motivation they need to perform at their best,” Adeniyi stated.
He expressed confidence in the quality and determination of the wrestlers, calling on them to seize the opportunity to take the wrestling world by surprise and further strengthen Nigeria’s reputation internationally.
Dignitaries present during the visit included UWW Bureau Member, Hon. Daniel Igali, NWF Board Member, Alhaji Saleh Ahmadu, OON, and the Acting Comptroller, Federal Operations Unit Zone C, Deputy Comptroller Adaniya Farouk, among other officials.
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