By Maxwell Kumoye

The President of the CAVB Beach Volleyball Commission, Engineer Musa Nimrod, has described the successful hosting of the African Nations Cup Zone 3 Beach Volleyball Qualifiers in Badagry, Lagos State, as a major boost not only for the sport but also for tourism and grassroots development.

Speaking after the competition, Nimrod said staging the tournament in the historic town gave participating teams and visitors the opportunity to experience Badagry's rich cultural heritage alongside top-class beach volleyball.

"I am very happy because Badagry is a historic town. This event was never just about volleyball. Visitors also had the opportunity to see historic landmarks such as the Land of the Slave and the Gate of Return. It shows that sports can also promote tourism and preserve our history," he said.

He commended the enthusiasm of the local community, noting that the large crowds throughout the tournament reflected the growing popularity of beach volleyball in the area.

"We are proud of Badagry. You can see the crowd that came out to watch the matches. The fans have been fantastic, and everyone wanted to see quality competition. Their support has been overwhelming."

Nimrod also highlighted the impact of the event on grassroots development, revealing that Badagry has become a regular destination for volleyball development programmes involving young players.

"There are major volleyball stakeholders who regularly come to Badagry to run development and educational programmes for children. That is why you see so many young people at this tournament. They have been actively involved in volleyball, and we are happy to see the sport growing at the grassroots."

Looking ahead to the African Nations Cup in Morocco, Nimrod expressed confidence in the Zone 3 representatives, while stressing that preparations would intensify in the coming weeks.

"Zone 3 is very strong. We will organise training matches with some of the qualified countries, including Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire, because we know our opponents will also be preparing. We are not going to Morocco just to participate, we are going there to compete and to win."

He added that Nigeria would leave no stone unturned in its quest for continental success.

"There is no time to relax. We will continue to train seriously because we want to improve on our previous performances. Our goal is to compete for the title, and we are encouraging every qualified country to prepare well for what promises to be a highly competitive championship."