Former Nigerian squash professionals living abroad have renewed their commitment to developing the sport at the grassroots level, calling for increased investment, more competitions and greater international exposure for young players.
The former professionals made the call during the closing ceremony of the seventh Squash in Diaspora Under-11, Under-13 and Under-17 Boys and Girls Junior Championship held in Abuja.
The tournament, which was held in Lagos for its first six editions, attracted more than 100 young players from the Federal Capital Territory, Plateau, Kaduna and other parts of Northern Nigeria.
Vice-President of the Nigeria Squash Federation (NSF) and sponsor of the championship, Haniel Hadison, said the involvement of former professionals based outside Nigeria demonstrated the importance of stakeholders contributing to the continued growth of the sport.
According to him, competitions of this nature provide young people with a constructive avenue to develop their skills while creating a foundation for producing future national and international athletes.
Hadison also welcomed the relocation of the competition from Lagos to Abuja, noting that expanding major squash events beyond the South would help expose the sport to more players across the country.
The NSF Technical Director and Vice-Chairman of the African Squash Federation, Jonah Attah, said the Abuja edition recorded encouraging participation, particularly from Northern states.
He disclosed that 33 junior players came from the FCT, while Plateau and Kaduna contributed 13 and 11 players respectively.
Attah said the large turnout in the Under-11 category was especially encouraging, describing it as evidence that the federation’s development efforts were beginning to produce results.
He added that the standard of play indicated that the championship was not merely introducing children to competitive squash but was also helping to improve their abilities.
Visiting junior player Sonia DeRosesa also praised the determination displayed by the Nigerian participants, expressing confidence that the country’s squash programme had a promising future.
Former North American and Nigerian champion Segun Maku said ex-professionals had a responsibility to support the next generation of players by contributing to the development of the sport that shaped their own careers.
Maku expressed optimism that consistent grassroots investment could help Nigerian squash players achieve stronger results on the international stage over the next five to 10 years.
Another stakeholder, Iniobong Jacob, called for increased access to sporting equipment, quality coaching and strategic partnerships.
He noted that several young players who previously struggled to compete at a high level had shown considerable improvement after participating in tournaments such as the championship.
Adekunle Adebiyi, Secretary of Nigerian Squash Players in the Diaspora and one of the organisers and sponsors, disclosed that more than N10 million was spent on the tournament.
Adebiyi said the organisers were pleased with the outcome and planned to strengthen future editions.
He added that the championship could be taken to other parts of Nigeria, including the South-East and Kano, as part of efforts to identify and develop new squash talents.
According to him, moving the competition away from Lagos was deliberate because the city already has considerable access to squash activities, while other regions require greater attention.
The tournament concluded on Saturday at the Squash Courts of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja after commencing on Tuesday.
