Former DG Stock Exchange seeks support for Baseball, Softball devt

The former Director-General of the Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE), Ndi Okereke-Onyiuke, has called on sports lovers to support the development of baseball and softball.

Okereke-Onyiuke, who made the call in an interview with our reporter in Lagos, expressed her determination to ensure that baseball and softball were major sports in Nigeria.

”It is a fact that football is widely supported all over the country, and Nigeria, over the years, has won a lot of laurels in football.

”However, we want baseball and softball to attain that height as well, and that is why we are working round the clock to see that this dream comes to reality,” Okereke-Onyiuke said.

She added that she had been a long-time follower of the sport in her secondary school days when she was in the U.S.

”I have been a fan of the sport during my youth in the U.S. and now looking forward to sponsoring the sport in Nigeria, where we can nurture and develop young athletes,” Okereke-Onyiuke said.

Similarly, Elvina Ibru a fan of the sport, said that her company was involved in developing baseball and softball from the grassroots level.

”It’s a great sport and we as a company are determined to support the sport from the grassroots to the elite level.

”We are confident that if it is well funded it will develop in Nigeria and would be a major sport that can produce many young players,” Ibru said.

In the same vein, the President Nigeria Baseball and Softball Association, Monisola Makanjuola, called on Nigerians to support the development of baseball and softball.

She said that though baseball and softball were widely accepted by Nigerian youth, the sport required huge funding from the corporate world and other passionate fans.

It was reported that Nigeria defeated Benin Republic 2-1 to place third in the just concluded Western Africa Regional Qualifiers held in Lagos, while Tunisia beat Ghana 2-1 to emerge champions of the competition.

The event held at the National Institute of Sports Gymnastic Hall, National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.