President of the Nigeria Boxing Federation, Wale Edun, has urged Nigeria’s boxing contingent to uphold national pride and deliver strong performances when they face Ghana in a friendly tournament scheduled for Thursday at the Accra Sports Stadium, The reports.
The former minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy delivered the charge during a visit to the national camp in Lagos, where he encouraged the boxers to remain disciplined in training and represent the country with pride as they prepare for the high-profile West African encounter.
Emphasising the weight of national representation, he reminded the athletes of the significance of competing under the Nigerian flag, noting that even in a friendly setting, the historic rivalry with Ghana demands intensity and commitment.
“Firstly, I want you all to be conscious of our national flag which you carry, you must do so with pride, the rivalry between Nigeria and Ghana has no exception, despite being a friendly match you must fight for the pride of our nation,” Edun said as quoted by the NBF on Tuesday.
The 17-man Nigerian delegation to Ghana, comprising boxers, coaches and officials, is scheduled to depart Lagos via the Murtala Muhammed International Airport at 7:00 am today, ahead of the bout in Accra.
The friendly tournament forms part of both nations’ preparations for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, with organisers using the fixture to assess athlete readiness and competitive sharpness.
Speaking on the importance of the encounter, the chairman of the NBF technical committee, Babatunde Laguda, described the fixture as a vital step in preparing the team for international competition, stressing that exposure to competitive environments would be more beneficial than training alone.
“The Ghana friendly tournament is truly the way to go at a time like this,” Laguda said.
“Our boxers are currently camping in Lagos ahead of the Commonwealth Games, and this international friendly will further expose them to a more competitive atmosphere.”
Meanwhile, NBF vice-president Omonlei Imadu confirmed that the federation is in advanced discussions to arrange additional international friendlies with two other countries as part of preparations for the Games.
“As part of our camping for the Glasgow Games, we are in the final stages of discussions with two other nations on friendly matches,” Imadu said.
“Our aim is to ensure that our boxers get the best preparation before July when the Commonwealth Games begin.”
The 2026 Commonwealth Games are scheduled to take place in Glasgow, Scotland, from July 23 to August 2.