The President of the Nigeria Tennis Federation (NTF), Ifedayo Akindoju, has congratulated three Nigerian tennis referees—Joseph Edili, Bitrus Danjuma, and Folashade Ogunshola—following their recent certification as White Badge Referees by the International Tennis Federation (ITF).
The trio earned the prestigious certification on April 27 during an ITF event held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. To honour their accomplishment, the NTF hosted a reception and dinner in their honour on Monday night in Abuja.
In his address, Akindoju praised the referees for bringing pride to the federation and the country. He noted that earning the ITF White Badge is a significant achievement that follows rigorous training and assessment, validating their expertise in tennis officiating.
“Let me use this opportunity to congratulate you all for returning successfully with the seal of approval from the ITF,” Akindoju said. “The significance of your achievements cannot be overemphasised.”
He emphasized that the certification allows them to officiate at higher-level tournaments, including events on the ITF World Tennis Tour. According to Akindoju, this milestone will positively impact Nigerian tennis by improving the quality of officiating, fostering tennis development, and inspiring aspiring officials.
“The certification of Nigerian referees will improve officiating standards in both local and international competitions held in Nigeria,” he said. “This also positions Nigeria to attract more global tennis events.”
Akindoju reiterated the Federation’s commitment to supporting more referees in achieving similar success, adding that recognizing the referees’ accomplishment reflects the NTF’s broader goal of promoting excellence and development in Nigerian tennis.
Also speaking at the event, Efe Okwagbe, Chairman of the Nigeria Tennis Umpires Association (NTUA), thanked Akindoju for acknowledging the referees’ efforts and achievements. He commended the NTF president for his consistent support and dedication to the advancement of tennis officiating in Nigeria.
“I want to sincerely thank our president for always finding time to share in our joy and challenges. We are not taking it for granted,” Okwagbe said.
He further appealed to the NTF to extend the working days for referees during tournaments and to utilize the newly certified ITF referees for upcoming international events in Nigeria.
“Referees usually arrive one or two days early and stay beyond the event’s closing date due to their responsibilities with the ITF,” he noted. “So, I formally appeal that when we request an extension of two additional working days for referees, it should be granted.”
He also proposed that the newly certified referees be engaged for the next J30 event scheduled for June, rather than inviting foreign officials.
Okwagbe went on to appreciate Edmund Ajoge, Managing Director of Tombim Services Ltd. and a patron of the NTUA, for his unwavering support of Nigerian tennis. He highlighted Ajoge’s contributions to developing players, referees, and tournaments, which have encouraged other sponsors to invest in the sport.
According to reports, earning an ITF White Badge represents a significant milestone for tennis officials, granting them international status and eligibility to officiate in globally sanctioned tournaments under the ITF.
