The Deaf Eagles of Nigeria have emerged champions of the 12th edition of the West Africa Deaf Football Championship on 18 October 2024.
The Deaf Eagles of Nigeria won Niger Republic 4-0 in the final to lift the trophy.
Organized by the West Africa Deaf Sports Union, the grand finale which took place at Mobolaji Johnson Arena popularly known as Onikan Stadium, saw the Nigerian team starting very strongly from the blast of the referee’s whistle to register the first goal within minutes of kick-off through their utility playmaker, Salaudeen Saley in Jersey No 9.
He was on target again twenty-five minutes later registering the second goal for Nigeria before the interval to give the Deaf Eagles a two-goal lead in the first half.
Not done yet, Salaudeen scored again in the early minutes of the second half to make it 3 goals for Coach Kamiludeen Banjo tutored the Deaf Eagles side thereby recording a hattrick in the match. Emeka Ikechukwu scored the 4th goal for the Deaf Eagles to keep the game beyond the reach of the visitors.
The victory makes it the 5th time Nigeria will be lifting this trophy, the last being in 2017 in Mali.
Impressed by the perfect organization of the Championship, the representative of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Mr. Sadeck TChagnaou who handed the giant trophy to the Nigerian team, praised the President of the West Africa Deaf Sports Union (WADSU) Mr. Ibrahim Amuda, the Nigeria Deaf Sports Federation (NDSF) and the Main Organizing Committee for putting up a good show and vowed that the Championship has come to stay as an annual event.
