{"id":104607,"date":"2025-11-29T07:34:39","date_gmt":"2025-11-29T07:34:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=104607"},"modified":"2025-11-29T07:34:39","modified_gmt":"2025-11-29T07:34:39","slug":"historic-west-africa-para-games-open-in-style-at-mko-abiola-stadium","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=104607","title":{"rendered":"Historic West Africa Para Games open in style at MKO Abiola Stadium"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n \t<\/i> Read Time:<\/span>1 Minute, 17 Second <\/div>\n\n <\/div>
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The maiden edition of the West Africa Zone A & B Para Games officially began on November 28 with a colourful opening ceremony at the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta, Nigeria.<\/p>\n

Ten of the 15 expected ECOWAS member states took part in the ceremony, including Nigeria, Ghana, Benin, Niger, Ivory Coast, Togo, Cameroon, Sierra Leone, DR Congo, and Cape Verde.<\/p>\n

The remaining countries \u2013 The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, and Mali \u2013 are expected to arrive ahead of their competitions.<\/p>\n

The ceremony featured delegations of para athletes, marching around the stadium\u2019s tartan track and hoisting their national flags.<\/p>\n

Team Ghana presented over 65 para athletes who will compete across nine sporting disciplines.<\/p>\n

\"Historic
Team Ghana<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Historic
Team Nigeria<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Several high-profile dignitaries attended the event, including African Paralympic Committee President Samson Deen, President of the Paralympic Committee of Nigeria Sunday Odebode, and Local Organizing Committee Chairman Victor Achakpo.<\/p>\n

\"Historic<\/figure>\n

During the ceremony, Deen expressed his delight with the successful start to the Games.<\/p>\n

\u201cI stand here as the president of the African Paralympic Committee [and] let me say that I am very happy to see what is happening here. <\/p>\n

\u201cI would want to congratulate Nigeria for taking the baton from Ghana. Africa need to do more [and] what we are seeing is to show that, yes, Africans can do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

The competition opened with amputee football, where hosts Nigeria recorded an emphatic 11\u20130 victory over Benin Republic. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\"Historic<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n

Events continue on Saturday, with more than 700 para athletes set to compete in over 10 sporting disciplines until December 4.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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