The President of the Nigeria Kabaddi Sports Association, Mr. Godfrey C. Osakwe, has called on corporate organisations, sports enthusiasts, and well-meaning Nigerians to support Team Nigeria as preparations intensify for the 4th Africa Kabaddi Championship/World Cup Qualifier scheduled to hold in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, from June 20 to 28, 2026.
According to Osakwe, Kabaddi remains one of the emerging sports with enormous potential to positively engage Nigerian youths, promote physical fitness, discipline, teamwork, and create opportunities for international exposure and national development.
He noted that sports continue to serve as a powerful tool for youth engagement in productive ventures, peace building, intercultural dialogue, and cooperation among nations of the world.
Osakwe explained that Kabaddi is a traditional contact team sport that originated in ancient India and has evolved into an internationally recognised game played across Asia, Africa, Europe, and other parts of the world.
In the game, two teams compete on a rectangular court, taking turns to send a player known as a “raider” into the opponent’s half. The raider must tag opponents and return safely to their side while continuously chanting “kabaddi, kabaddi” in one breath, while defenders attempt to stop and tackle the raider before returning.
Raiders score points by successfully touching opponents and returning safely, while defenders earn points by stopping the raider. The team with the highest points at the end of the contest emerges victorious.
He described Kabaddi as a unique blend of wrestling, rugby, and tag, combining strength, speed, agility, endurance, teamwork, and tactical thinking, making it one of the most exciting and physically demanding sports in the world.
“Sports remain a veritable instrument for national unity, youth empowerment, and global integration. Kabaddi, in particular, offers young people opportunities to channel their energies positively while representing Nigeria with pride and honour on the international stage,” he stated.
The Nigeria Kabaddi President therefore appealed to corporate organisations, private sector stakeholders, philanthropists, and lovers of sports to support Team Nigeria through sponsorships, partnerships, logistics, training support, travel assistance, sporting kits, and other forms of corporate social responsibility and social investment. NKSA can be reach on: nigeriakabaddi@yahoo.com
He emphasized that such support would not only boost the morale of the athletes and officials but also contribute meaningfully to national development, youth empowerment, and Nigeria’s growing presence in international sports.
Osakwe further assured that Team Nigeria is fully committed to making the nation proud at the continental championship and World Cup qualifier in Kinshasa.
He reiterated the association’s commitment to the growth and development of Kabaddi in Nigeria and Africa, while calling for collective support to enable Nigerian athletes compete favourably with their counterparts across the continent.
Signed:
Godfrey C. Osakwe
President
Nigeria Kabaddi Sports Association
+234 8038931120