By Aderonke Ojo
The President of the Nigeria Baseball and Softball Federation (NBSF), Uche Odozor sees opportunities in Baseball5, a sport playable anywhere, promoting values and lifestyle.
He said plans are underway to position Nigeria as the powerhouse of baseball and softball in Africa.
Odozor believes Nigeria has potential, having lost opportunities in other sports, but baseball seeks growth.
Odozor, who is also the President of the World Baseball and Softball Confederation (WBSC) Africa,
Nigeria has the potential to host the Africa powerhouse of baseball and softball, positioning itself as a key player in the sport’s growth on the continent.
With world-class facilities, talented athletes, and government support, Nigeria is an attractive location for the sport’s development.
Hosting the powerhouse could bring numerous benefits, including increased investment, international tournaments, and opportunities for Nigerian athletes to compete globally.
Nigeria’s new continental role presents a major opportunity to promote baseball, softball, and the emerging variant known as Baseball5.
He described Africa as a growing hub for baseball, adding that the continent has become a source of quality and resilient athletes for Major League Baseball (MLB).
“Africa has become the strongest fertile ground for the development and supply of Major League Baseball players.
“What you find on the continent are quality players, very resilient, very tough, and very fast,” Odozor said.
He, however, noted that lack of proper leadership had hindered the full development of the sport in Africa.
Odozor said baseballers were among the highest-earning athletes in global sports history.
“Take for instance Shohei Ohtani, a Japanese player with the Los Angeles Dodgers, who signed a record $760 million deal.
“Another player from the New York Giants who moved to the Toronto Blue Jays earned over $513 million.
Baseball is fashionable, it’s a lifestyle, and it’s a global phenomenon,” he said.
According to him, regions such as Arabia and Asia are already investing heavily in baseball, adding that Africa has the potential to build a strong economy around the sport.
Nigeria’s leadership role in WBSC Africa would also involve developing Baseballw, a fast-growing, accessible version of the sport that can be played anywhere.
“It’s a culture, it inspires values, and it is a social lifestyle that should be inculcated.
“This position for Nigeria means we can do much more, including establishing the African headquarters of baseball and softball here,” he said.
Odozor identified the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja and the Ilorin Baseball Facility in Kwara as world-class centres that could serve the purpose.
He expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu, Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Shehu Dikko, and the Director-General of the National Sports Commission, Bukola Olopade, for their support in securing Nigeria’s continental leadership role.
“It wasn’t an easy contest, but we won. We are now steering the leadership of baseball and softball in Africa,” he said.
Odozor said the federation’s next major activity would be the introduction of baseball and softball at the 27th Nigeria University Games (NUGA), scheduled to hold from November 6 to November 16 at the University of Jos, Plateau.
According to him, the approved sports for the event include rugby, tennis, table tennis, athletics, badminton, basketball, chess, cricket, handball, judo, taekwondo.
Others are scrabble, swimming, football, volleyball, hockey, boxing, e-sports, rowing and yachting, karate, beach volleyball and squash.
Odozor emerged as the president of World Baseball and Softball Confederation (WBSC) Africa Congress, held in Bangkok, Thailand in October.