Customs CG, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi Emerges President of Nigeria Wrestling Federation
The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Dr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, has been elected as the new President of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF), following an election held at the Gymnasium Hall, Package B of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja.
Adeniyi emerged unopposed after securing all 14 votes cast by the Executive Board Members of the federation, marking a unanimous show of confidence in his leadership. His election will see him lead the wrestling body for the next four years.
In his acceptance speech, the Customs chief pledged to reposition wrestling in Nigeria by expanding its reach beyond a few dominant states. He promised to strengthen grassroots participation, enhance sponsorship, and promote athlete and referee development to ensure that wrestling attains a truly national outlook.
“We are going to build on the solid foundation laid by the outgoing leadership and make wrestling a sport that unites Nigerians across all regions,” Adeniyi said. “Our focus will be on transparency, inclusiveness, and developing young talents who can represent Nigeria at international championships.”
Stakeholders have expressed optimism that Adeniyi will sustain and expand on the achievements of his predecessor, Olympic gold medalist Daniel Igali, whose tenure saw Nigeria make remarkable progress in international competitions.
As part of the broader sports federation elections supervised by the National Sports Commission, Adeniyi’s emergence is expected to bring renewed energy and institutional strength to the development of wrestling in the country.
Adeniyi, a career Customs officer and administrator, brings to the role a wealth of experience in leadership and public service. His election also highlights the growing collaboration between sports administration and public institutions in Nigeria.
