A former board member of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) and Vice Chairman of Kwara United FC, Alhaji Abdulrazaq Adebayo Wopa, has been elected Vice President of the Nigeria Aquatic Federation (NAqF).
The election, held on Saturday at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, brought together delegates from across the country to elect new leaders to steer the affairs of the Federation.
Wopa, who also serves as Chairman of the Ilorin West Local Football Council, is a respected sports administrator and grassroots developer in Kwara State. His elevation marks a notable transition from football to aquatic sports, highlighting his versatility and commitment to sports growth.
Speaking to www.owosports.com.ng after his election, Alhaji Wopa expressed gratitude to key figures who encouraged his participation in the Federation’s leadership race.
“I want to thank the Executive Chairman of the Kwara State Sports Commission, Bola Magaji, who supported and encouraged me to contest for the North Central representative of the Nigeria Aquatic Federation (NAqF). After I won, he also encouraged me to contest for President or Vice President of the Federation. I wanted to go for President, but the people I was to come up against were ex-swimmers, so I decided to go for Vice President so I can use my first four years to understudy the terrain,” he said.
Wopa also hailed the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, describing him as a genuine supporter of sports development.
“The Executive Governor of Kwara State, His Excellency Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, is a sports lover and has invested a lot in sports in the state. For that, I will repay him by ensuring that I use my office to develop and nurture young talents to represent the state,” he stated.
The new NAqF Vice President further appreciated the former Director of the Kwara Sports Commission, Coach Tunde Kazeem, for his mentorship and guidance throughout his sports administration journey.
“I also want to thank the former Director of Kwara Sports Commission, Coach Tunde Kazeem, who encouraged me and gave me advice based on his engagement with badminton,” he added.
Looking ahead, Wopa pledged to channel his experience from football administration into developing swimming and other aquatic sports in Nigeria.
“I want to assure you that I will be bringing every bit of my experience from football to swimming. Everything I did with football, I will do in swimming,” he concluded.
Wopa’s election has been widely celebrated within Kwara’s sports community, with stakeholders describing it as a testament to the state’s growing influence in national sports administration and a boost for the development of aquatic sports in Nigeria.
