First Wheelchair American Football Exhibition Kicks Off in Lagos

Nigeria is ready for its first Wheelchair American Football exhibition. Four teams are set to compete on Thursday at the National Institute for Sports (NIS), located at the National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos.

The exhibition is organized by American Football Elite Development (AFEDEV). The teams participating are Lagos Dynamos, Iron Invicta, Liberty Pioneers, and Atlantic Chargers. They will compete in a knockout format, with the winners of the semi-finals moving on to the final.

The event comes after over two months of training for the athletes involved. It aims to showcase wheelchair American football to more people in Nigeria.

AFEDEV explained that this exhibition is more than just a competition. It marks the start of efforts to create a way for athletes with disabilities to join, improve their skills, and find careers in sports.

Lawrence Ojaide, the founder of AFEDEV, spoke at a media orientation in Lagos. He said they chose wheelchair American football to create chances for disabled athletes. "There are so many disabled athletes, there are many people out there who are looking for these opportunities. Life seemed very hopeless to them because there’s no opportunity to showcase what they have," Mr Ojaide said.

He added, "This is a platform we believe that you as journalists, the media, can help us to bring these people out of their hiding, to bring them out of their shells, to be able to take this opportunity. There’s room for them to make a better life, not only in a sport that tends to be one of the richest spots in the world, but also in a country where this has never happened before."

Nina Agwuna, the Executive Director of AFEDEV, talked about their plans to partner with others to help athletes who often get overlooked. "We are looking forward to partnering with different communities out there who are willing to be part of this amazing thing for people who have been neglected, especially in the sports field," she said.

She believes there are talented athletes who are also entrepreneurs in various fields. "Of course, they have their own little stories while they’re on the wheelchair. My partners and I have decided that we can actually bring out the best talent out of these people."

Future Plans for American Football in Nigeria

While the focus is on the exhibition, AFEDEV has bigger plans for American football in Nigeria. They aim to set up a structured wheelchair league and an academy. They also want to create a tackle football program for able-bodied athletes. AFEDEV plans to introduce E-AIDS, the Elite Athlete Identification and Development System, to manage player data from identification through to drafting.

Josiah Orie, a board member of AFEDEV, shared details about the tackle football project. He said it will focus on technical development, international competition, and player safety. "When they wear protective gear, the helmet, the pants, and all those other uniforms, it becomes a tackle. That is a tackle football. Their aim is to physically interfere with the player carrying the ball and progress towards the opponent’s touchdown area," Mr Josiah explained.

He added, "Our focus with the tackle league is threefold. One, rigorous technical execution so that these players can actually understand the techniques of the game. Secondly, uncompromising player safety, which is very important to us."

Mr Josiah also mentioned that AFEDEV has invested in a multi-million naira software solution called E-AIDS. This system will help identify and manage player data from identification to drafting. "As players get identified, get developed, perform in different camps, all of these data are duly captured."

With the four teams ready for Thursday’s exhibition, this event is set to be the first major public display of wheelchair American football in Nigeria. It may also lay the groundwork for a structured adaptive league in the future.