AbdulRazaq Hails Para-badminton Star, Bolaji, on Historic Victories in Spain  

Hammed  Shittu  in Ilorin 

Kwara State Governor who also doubles as Chairman of Nigeria’s Governors Forum(NGF), Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, at the weekend lauded Kwara-born Nigeria’s star, Mariam Bolaji, on her gold medal win at the Spanish Para Badminton International 2024 in Toledo, Spain.

After a streak of superlative performances through the tournament, Bolaji walloped world’s fifth best badminton player, Mandeep Kaur of India, 2-0 to clinch the gold medal.

Bolaji is also due to play at the Paralympic Games in Paris in July.

A statement issued in Ilorin signed by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Rafiu Ajakaye, Alhaji AbdulRazaq  said the win has cemented the towering status of Bolaji as a global para badminton sensation with impressive records over the past years. 

The statement  stated that, “These successive feats of Bolaji again underline the fact that disabilities exist only in our imagination. 

“We are excited about the deserving successes of Bolaji whose talents, hard work, and focus have rightly earned her a choice place in global badminton community”.

Asking Bolaji not to relent in her determination to be at the top of her career, Governor AbdulRazaq also congratulated her coaches as well as the Badminton Federation of Nigeria on the success. 

The Governor said Bolaji’s feats send the signal to everyone, especially persons living with any form of disability, that hard work and determination can take them to the height of the world. 

The Governor said the win brought to mind the death of another great talent Bello Oyebanji, a staff of the Kwara State Sports Commission who was Bolaji’s coach. Oyebanji, one-time Nigeria and Africa champion, lost his life on his way from Lagos after collecting visas for himself and Bolaji to travel to Spain in 2021.