By Tosin Ogunrinde
Nigeria’s amputee football team made a spectacular start to the 1st West Africa Para Games, thrashing Benin Republic 11-0 in their opening match at the MKO Abiola Sports Arena in Abeokuta. The Nigerian team dominated the game from start to finish, controlling possession and leaving the Benin Republic team struggling to keep up.
Ahmed Usman was unstoppable, scoring four goals, while Michael Joel added a brilliant hat-trick. Super-sub Ahize Daniel delivered his own three-goal haul, and Ibrahim Ndako also got on the scoresheet in the one-sided 50-minute encounter. The Nigerian side asserted their superiority right from kick-off, striking five times in the first half and adding six more after the break.
The fans at the stadium were thrilled by Nigeria’s performance, cheering the team passionately from start to finish. The team’s coach, Gbenga Dosunmu, appreciated the team’s brilliant performance, saying, “The boys are well motivated and that showed in their seriousness and performance today.
The 1st West Africa Para Games kicked off on November 28, 2025, and will run until December 4, 2025, featuring over 700 athletes from 16 countries competing in 12 sports. The games aim to promote para-sports development, regional cooperation, and cultural exchange among West African nations.
President of the African Paralympic Committee, Samson Deen, declared the games open, praising Nigeria’s commitment to para-sports development. He emphasized that the games would foster regional unity and promote disability inclusion.
Nigeria’s next match is against Cameroon, another highly anticipated fixture with regional bragging rights at stake. With their dominant performance against Benin Republic, Nigeria is looking strong and confident heading into the tournament.
