{
  "id": 16546507,
  "title": "Nigeria ready for Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship debut",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/26/nigeria-ready-for-commonwealth-kabaddi-championship-debut",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-26T01:21:46.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Daily Trust",
    "slug": "daily-trust",
    "url": "https://dailytrust.com/nigeria-ready-for-commonwealth-kabaddi-championship-debut/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Nigeria is preparing to compete in the 2026 Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship, which will take place in India next week, according to Daniel Damola, the country's kabaddi leader. During a visit to Cross River State Governor Bassey Otu in Calabar, Damola emphasized the importance of the competition for the growth of the sport in Nigeria. Kabaddi is a high-energy contact sport played between two teams of seven players, with the goal of a single offensive player, or \"raider,\" to tag out as many defenders as possible without being tackled within a single breath. Participation in the tournament would provide Nigerian athletes with exposure to international competition, enhance their skills, and inspire more young people to take up the sport. Damola praised Otu for his support in introducing and developing kabaddi in Cross River State, noting that he is the first Nigerian governor to endorse the sport. The technical head of the team, Collins Eko, also commended the governor's interest in sports and expressed confidence that the athletes would represent Nigeria and Cross River State well at the championship. Governor Otu pledged appropriate support for the Nigerian athletes as they prepare for the competition, reaffirming his administration's commitment to sports development and youth empowerment.",
  "summary": "Nigeria is set to participate in the 2026 Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship scheduled to hold in India next week, the country’s kabaddi leader, Daniel Damola, has confirmed. Damola disclosed this during a visit to Cross River State Governor Bassey Otu in Calabar at the weekend, where he highlighted the importance of the competition to the development […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}