The newly elected President of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF) and Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Dr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, has charged Nigeria’s wrestlers to uphold integrity, discipline, and excellence as they prepare for the 2025 Islamic Solidarity Games in Saudi Arabia.

During his visit to the team’s camp on Saturday at Package B of the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja, Dr. Adeniyi encouraged the athletes to “soar high, compete clean, and make Nigeria proud both on and off the mat.”

He emphasized that discipline remains the foundation of true success in sports and in life, warning against doping and other unethical practices that could tarnish Nigeria’s image.

 “We do not want to achieve glory through foul means,” he said. “I would prefer a disciplined athlete to an undisciplined winner. Go out there, do it clean, and win clean.”

As part of his first official assignment since assuming office, Dr. Adeniyi also donated a brand-new bus to the Federation to ease the transportation and logistics challenges of the athletes.

He explained that the gesture was inspired by the tragic accident involving the national wrestling team last year while returning from a tournament in Bayelsa — an incident that claimed lives and left the team’s vehicle completely damaged.

“Since that incident, I made up my mind to replace the vehicle,” he noted. “This bus is a token of our appreciation and support for the hard work and sacrifices of our athletes.”

The NWF President commended the dedication of the coaches and wrestlers in camp, expressing confidence in their readiness for the Games. He also praised the rise of a new generation of wrestlers ready to build on the legacy of champions like Blessing Oborududu, Mercy Genesis, and Odunayo Adekuoroye.

He pledged that the new NWF leadership would be “bold and intentional” about improving athletes’ welfare and creating career pathways beyond active competition.

“We will take full responsibility for their development and future,” he assured. “Our goal is to help them transition into other areas of the sport — coaching, officiating, administration, and even sports journalism. We want to show that Nigeria truly appreciates its athletes.”

Dr. Adeniyi also revealed plans to extend similar corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives to other sports bodies, including the National Sports Commission (NSC) and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), as part of broader efforts to promote youth development through sports.

Meanwhile, Assistant Coach Blessing Oborududu expressed satisfaction with the team’s discipline and preparation, assuring Nigerians of a strong performance in Saudi Arabia.

 “All the athletes in camp are training well and responding positively. With just two weeks to the tournament, we’re focusing on refining existing techniques rather than introducing new ones,” she said. “The President’s visit is a huge motivation — it shows the athletes have someone who believes in them.”

Oborududu confirmed that four wrestlers will represent Nigeria at the Islamic Games, with some currently training abroad.

“The team will travel on November 14, and Coach Purity will join us before departure,” she added.

Team Captain Rueben Hannah (68kg) also expressed determination to make the nation proud.

“My expectation is to go there, give my all, and bring glory to Nigeria,” she said. “The President’s visit really motivated us — his words are both a push and a challenge to give our best. We, the wrestlers of Nigeria, are known for excellence, and we’ll keep that standard at the Islamic Games.”

The wrestlers are set to compete in various categories later this month, with the NWF confident that the team will deliver impressive performances while upholding the spirit of fair play, integrity, and national pride.