Seye Obatolu, Vice President of the Nigeria American Football Association (NAFA), says the association is fully focused on building a formidable Team Nigeria ahead of the upcoming African Flag Football Tournament in Egypt.
Speaking during the ongoing 22nd National Sports Festival, Gateway Games Ogun 2024, where American Flag Football is being showcased, Obatolu reaffirmed NAFA’s commitment to developing a competitive team capable of making the country proud.
“Our expectation is to win, and our aim is to bring back the trophy to Nigeria,” Obatolu said. “We’re preparing—we’re going to be camping for the rest of the weeks before we travel.”
He explained that the association had spent the past two months scouting and evaluating players across multiple leagues in the country.
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“We’ve just gone through a two-month process of selecting the players that we feel are ready to represent Nigeria,” he said. “Now, we are going to go through another few weeks in terms of telling these players exactly what we want them to do, representing us.”
Obatolu emphasized that NAFA’s focus on Flag Football is strategic, both in terms of safety and accessibility, especially for young and new players.
“There are many misconceptions about American Football being overly physical and tackle-focused. This is an opportunity to highlight the safer aspects of the sport,” he said. “Spectators will be able to see these athletes in action while we identify potential new talents.”
“Flag Football aligns with our broader strategy for growing the sport. It involves less physical contact, making it easier for anyone to pick up,” Obatolu added.
“The cost of running a tackle football program is significantly higher. Tackling requires helmets and extensive protective gear, with startup costs ranging from $2,000 to $3,000. In contrast, Flag Football only requires a ball and flags, making it much more accessible.”
NAFA President Babajide Akeredolu also weighed in on the significance of the Egypt tournament, describing it as a stepping stone to the global stage.
“Beyond the U-13 category, adult players will also be competing in Egypt. The tournament serves as a crucial step toward qualification for next year’s World Games,” Akeredolu said.
“Our priority is creating as many match day scenarios as possible to foster team synergy. We’ve already started building chemistry through training camps, and playing together consistently is essential.”
He also highlighted the strategic importance of the National Sports Festival in preparing the players for continental and global competitions.
Obatolu added that training camps have already been held in both Abuja and Lagos, providing players with platforms to demonstrate their skills and build chemistry.
“To establish Team Nigeria, we first formed a committee that included representatives from all existing leagues, and we received strong support,” he said. “Most leagues are part of the steering committee for Team Nigeria.”
He also acknowledged key stakeholders helping to push the vision forward.
“We must also recognise the role of Mr Bobby Okereke, the General Manager of the team and his NGO, the Nigeria American Football Outreach, through which critical support has been mobilized for the overall operations of Team Nigeria. Similarly, a lot of appreciation goes to BROWNS NIGERIA for supporting the women’s team and NAFA as a whole.”
Following months of evaluation, NAFA has finalized its roster for the Egypt tournament.
“Through this process, we initially selected 50 male and female athletes. After nearly two months of rigorous training, we narrowed the group down to 25 male and 25 female athletes,” Obatolu said. “The leagues have been highly supportive, not only in releasing their players but also in monitoring their progress and adjusting their schedules to accommodate training camps.”
As the Egypt tournament approaches, both Obatolu and Akeredolu are optimistic that Nigeria will make a strong impression.
“We’ve built this team carefully, and our goal is clear—go to Egypt, represent Nigeria proudly, and return with the trophy,” Obatolu concluded.
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