Sports
History Beckons, As Undefeated Ibeabuchi Fights Resilient Towolawi In a WBBHC Title In Nigeria
By Shakirudeen Bankole
History is about to be made as two Nigerian professional boxers prepare to face each other in an unprecedented bout for the World Boxing Bureau Heavyweight Championship (WBBHC) title in Lagos, Nigeria.
The fighters are Kabiru Towolawi, a Nigerian based boxer, popularly known as KB Godson, and Ike Ibeabuchi, a Nigerian United States based international heavyweight, nicknamed The President, and whose name still commands reverence in global boxing circles.
The fight, which has been sanctioned by the international boxing governing body alongside the Nigerian Boxing Board of Control (NBBofC), will hold by 11:00am WAT at the National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos, on Wednesday, December 24, with spectators and guests expected to be seated by 10:30am prompt.
The announcement was made at a press conference held earlier on Monday at the National Stadium, Lagos.
Present at the event were dignitaries including Dr Rafiu Oladipo, President of the Nigerian Boxing Board of Control, the Secretary General of the board, Mr Remi Aboderin, Mr Miyen Akiri, Promoter of PrizeFightTV and promoter of the championship, and Mr Mark Afonso, philanthropist and Founder of Amala Eko International, one of the event sponsors, among others.
The two fighters, Towolawi and Ibeabuchi, were also physically present, with each expressing confidence and insisting he would defeat the other and emerge champion on fight day.
Speaking at the briefing, Akiri said that in compliance with ethical guidelines governing international championships such as the WBB Heavyweight title, his company ensured that the contracts signed by both fighters, though bound by Non Disclosure Agreement clauses, were fair and beneficial to all parties.
He expressed satisfaction that the contest for such a prestigious title is taking place between two elite Nigerian boxers and on Nigerian soil.
Akiri further explained that he was impressed by the approval and backing received from the international president of the World Boxing Bureau Heavyweight Championship, adding that the special recognition accorded to Dr Rafiu Oladipo underscored Nigeria’s growing relevance in global boxing administration.
“There is no doubt that this is a major event happening in Nigeria for the first time. The WBB Heavyweight Championship has never been contested on African soil before, let alone in Nigeria. This is huge,” he said.
“I have been engaging the international president of the WBB Heavyweight Championship for some time regarding this event. He was pleased with our vision and fully supportive. His approval and support of the event is a direct reward for the hard work and resilience we have shown in promoting boxing in Nigeria.”
Akiri noted that beyond the headline bout between Ibeabuchi and Towolawi, four other championship fights are scheduled for the same day, featuring African titles, women’s titles and other competitive categories.
According to him, the age demographic and gender representation reflect the organisers’ commitment to inclusion and balance in sports.
“We are mindful of the need to carry everyone along, regardless of age or gender, and that is why the event spans multiple categories,” he said.
Speaking in his capacity, the President of the NBBofC, Dr Rafiu Oladipo, said he was pleased with the renewed visibility and momentum boxing activities have gained since his appointment.
He noted that since assuming office, there has been an increase in talent discovery, structured training and competitive bouts at local, regional and now internationally recognised levels.
“The hosting of a WBB Heavyweight Championship fight on Nigerian soil is a testament to our collective hard work,” he said.
Beyond the administrative significance, the fight has stirred deep emotions among boxing faithful across the country, not merely because a championship belt is at stake, but because it represents the convergence of two compelling Nigerian boxing narratives.
On one side is the long awaited return of a once feared heavyweight whose name still echoes across international arenas.
On the other is the relentless rise of a Lagos born fighter who has endured years of punishing bouts, survival fights and bruising knockouts across the local and regional circuit.
For Ibeabuchi, now 52, the night carries the weight of memory and a defiance of time itself.
Born in Isuochi, Abia State, Ibeabuchi rose to prominence in the 1990s as one of the most dangerous heavyweights of his era, thrilling fans with a rare combination of stamina, pressure and raw power.
He remains unbeaten in his professional career, recording 21 wins from 21 fights, with 16 victories coming by knockout.
His dominant wins over former world title challenger David Tua and two weight world champion Chris Byrd remain etched in boxing history, emblematic of a career that once stood on the brink of global supremacy before it was abruptly derailed.
However, his long absence from the spotlight, spanning about 26 years, remains a concern for fans, who feared it could be exploited by a determined opponent.
“I still have the hunger, the fire and the motivation,” Ibeabuchi said. “I still have the training and fitness to do this. I am here to finish my unfinished business by winning the WBB Heavyweight Championship on Wednesday,” he concluded.
He added confidently that he expects to knock out Towolawi before the fifth round.
Yet this is no ceremonial appearance. Standing across him is Towolawi, a battle tested boxer shaped by the gyms and streets of Lagos and hardened by experience rather than hype.
Known as KB Godson, the younger fighter enters the bout in his early forties, bringing with him the physical edge of age alongside the scars of a demanding career.
I’mTowolawi boasts a professional record of 26 wins and 16 losses, with 22 of those victories coming by knockout, a statistic that highlights his reputation as an aggressive and dangerous heavyweight.
A former Nigerian heavyweight champion and a holder of West African regional titles, Towolawi has shared the ring with several seasoned campaigners across Africa and Europe, carving a career defined by grit and endurance rather than glamour.
“I don’t give in to much talk. I will defeat Ike on Wednesday,” he said, with a contagious confidence on his face.
Towolawi’s journey has unfolded largely outside global spotlights, built on difficult matchups, frequent travel and nights where survival mattered as much as technique.
In recent outings, he has remained active and competitive, relying on ring intelligence and experience to stay relevant in a division known for its unforgiving nature.
“I am the beater of the unbeaten! I fight for a living. I will beat him come Wednesday. Especially with a title belt involved, there is no way he is going home with that,” Towolawi said.
Also, those close to Towolawi say this fight represents the culmination of years of persistence, stressing that facing an undefeated legend like Ibeabuchi on such a stage is not intimidation but motivation.
“For Towolawi, beating Ibeabuchi may seem impossible until it is done on Wednesday,” one supporter said.
“The victory would mean more than a belt. It would validate a career shaped by sacrifice, wins and losses alike, and elevate it to a moment of national significance,” one of his supporters who was at the Press Conference said.
Beyond the fighters however, the bout carries deeper symbol for Nigerian boxing.
Major heavyweight title fights on home soil are rare, and staging this contest in Lagos has revived memories of an era when the sport commanded mass attention.
With a promise of “Amala Eko served with assorted meats and delicious soups among other prizes, for the first 1,000 participants, the event even gets more interesting,” Aboderin, the Sec-Gen of NBBofC, said, in his closing remarks.
Fans are already divided on equal separate lines ahead of the match.
While some are drawn to the romance of Ibeabuchi’s unbeaten record and improbable return, hoping the promise of redemption and legacy reclaimed after decades away from the ring. Others who stand firmly behind Towolawi, said the do so because they see in him the embodiment of the Nigerian fighter who never left, who absorbed defeats, celebrated victories and waited patiently for his defining night.
When the bell rings on Wednesday, the noise, sweat and tension will collide in a contest that goes beyond statistics and titles. It will be about age and ambition, memory and momentum, and two Nigerian heavyweights determined to walk out of the ring with history on their side.
Nigeria’s long-running school basketball programme is set to gain access to a wider global platform after Nestlé agreed a multi-year marketing partnership with the National Basketball Association (NBA).
The partnership, which takes effect on 1 January 2027, makes Nestlé brands Milo, Nescau and Nesquik official partners of the NBA across 21 markets on four continents, including Nigeria.
For Nigeria, the significance of the deal goes beyond NBA branding. Milo has spent more than two decades building a grassroots basketball pipeline through its school championship, creating a ready-made platform through which the global partnership could potentially reach young players.
From school courts to a global basketball platform
The MILO Basketball Championship began in Nigeria in 1999 and has grown from fewer than 500 participating schools to a national competition involving more than 13,000 schools.
In 2026, the championship recorded more than 13,000 registered schools, although only 12 teams — six boys’ and six girls’ teams — progressed to the national finals.
The programme has been positioned not only as a competition but also as a grassroots sports-development platform, with an emphasis on teamwork, discipline, resilience and confidence.
Nestlé’s 2025 annual report said the championship engaged more than 13,000 schools and provided a national platform for young athletes while promoting participation across different regions and backgrounds.
That existing footprint gives the NBA partnership a distinctly Nigerian dimension, even though Nestlé and the NBA have yet to disclose specific new programmes or activities planned for Nigeria under the agreement.
What the NBA partnership could add
The international agreement will cover selected NBA youth-development programmes and platforms, including Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA, NBA Basketball School, Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Coaches Academies, Her Time To Play and NBA 3X.
It will also include selected NBA events and fan-engagement platforms such as NBA Global Games and NBA House.
For young Nigerian players, coaches and basketball followers, the potential significance lies in how these global platforms are eventually adapted to local programmes.
However, the announcement does not say that the MILO Basketball Championship itself will automatically become an NBA programme. Specific Nigerian activations will therefore need to be announced separately.
Nestlé calls it its biggest international brand deal
Nestlé described the agreement as its largest international brand collaboration to date.
Liberato Milo, Senior Vice President and Head of the Confectionery & Snacking Strategic Business Unit at Nestlé, said the company intended to use basketball to reach consumers while encouraging young people and families to become more active.
“Together with the NBA, we will use the power of basketball to connect with consumers at scale, create locally relevant experiences and inspire more young people and families to get active and enjoy the game.”
The partnership will also extend beyond basketball programmes, with retail activations, fan experiences and on-pack promotions featuring NBA branding.
Consumers may also have opportunities to win NBA tickets, merchandise and other prizes, according to the companies.
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Nigeria’s existing Milo legacy
Wassim Elhusseini, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Nestlé Nigeria, said the new partnership builds on Milo’s existing involvement in Nigerian basketball.
“Basketball has become an important part of the Milo story in Nigeria, creating opportunities for young people to participate in sport while developing values such as discipline, resilience, teamwork and self-belief.”
He said the NBA partnership would connect Nestlé’s longstanding commitment to basketball in Nigeria with a global platform.
The 2026 MILO Basketball Championship provided a fresh indication of the scale of that existing network, with more than 13,000 schools registered for the competition.
NBA looks to expand basketball’s global reach
Julie Morris, NBA Senior Vice President of Commercial Development and Media, said the league would seek to use Nestlé’s international reach to connect with fans.
“We look forward to leveraging Nestlé’s reach and local market presence to connect with fans in new ways and support the continued growth of basketball around the world.”
The partnership covers Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, France, Germany, Ghana, Italy, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Nigeria, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States and Vietnam.
The Philippines is expected to join the arrangement from October 2027.
What to watch in Nigeria from 2027
The immediate question for Nigeria’s basketball community is how the global agreement will translate into local opportunities.
Potential areas of interest include youth development, coaching, girls’ participation, grassroots competitions, fan engagement and exposure to NBA development programmes.
But the companies have not yet published details of specific Nigerian projects under the new partnership.
For now, the agreement places Nigeria within a much larger international basketball marketing platform while Nestlé enters 2027 with an established grassroots network through the MILO Basketball Championship.
That combination could give the country’s young basketball players and coaches a new route into global-facing initiatives — provided future local activations build meaningfully on the existing school-sports infrastructure.
The 2026 Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Media Games will feature a broader mix of sporting and indoor competitions as journalists converge on Lagos for five days of recreation, fitness and competition.
The games are scheduled for October 5 to 9, 2026, with activities taking place at Agege Stadium and the NUJ Secretariat in Alausa, Ikeja.
The programme includes 5-a-side football for men and women, a 100-metre race, Chess, Draughts, Ayo, Scrabble and Table Tennis.
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More than a football tournament
Chairman of the 2026 NUJ Media Games Sports Committee, Ayo Ojedokun, said the event was designed to provide journalists with an opportunity to step away from the pressures of newsroom work.
He said the games would promote physical fitness, recreation and healthier interaction among journalists.
The organisers also invited more corporate organisations to support the event and use the games as an opportunity to connect with their target audiences.
“The Games were designed to give journalists a way to ease off the stress of the newsroom, keep fit and healthy, and create time for recreation.”
The press conference at the NUJ Secretariat also featured the unveiling of the official games logo and the draw for the football competition.
NUJ Lagos thanks sponsors
Chairman of the NUJ Lagos Council, Adeleye Ajayi, said the council was pleased to host the games and described them as an event that had become part of the council’s activities.
Ajayi thanked Coca-Cola, Nestlé Foods, SFAX Group, Agege Local Government and Amuwo Odofin Local Government for supporting the initiative.
According to him, the sponsors’ involvement would contribute to efforts to promote the mental alertness and wellbeing of journalists.
“The Games have come to stay and the Council is excited to organise them.”
Ojedokun also appealed to other organisations to join the existing sponsors in supporting the 2026 edition.
Five days of competition
The programme will combine outdoor and indoor events, allowing participants to compete across different sporting and recreational activities.
The football competition will be played in the 5-a-side format, with separate categories for male and female journalists.
Other competitions will include the 100m race, Chess, Draughts, Ayo, Scrabble and Table Tennis.
The combination of team sports, athletics and indoor games is expected to give journalists from different media organisations opportunities to participate beyond football.
Tribute to former NUJ secretary
The press conference also included a minute of silence in honour of Alfred Odifa, a former Secretary of the NUJ Lagos Council, who died on Thursday morning.
The tribute came as the council and members of the media community prepare for the five-day sporting event.
What to know
– Event: 2026 NUJ Media Games
– Date: October 5–9, 2026
– Venues: Agege Stadium and NUJ Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja
– Football: 5-a-side, men and women
– Other events: 100m, Chess, Draughts, Ayo, Scrabble and Table Tennis
– Organiser: Nigeria Union of Journalists, Lagos Council
The 2026 Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Lagos State Council Media Games will move into another phase on Thursday, September 24, when organisers hold the competition draws and unveil the official logo ahead of the October tournament.
The events are scheduled to take place at the NUJ Secretariat, 9 Iyalla Street, Alausa, Ikeja, while the games themselves will run from October 5 to 9 at Agege Stadium.
The organisers say the competition is being positioned not only as a sporting event but also as an opportunity for journalists to step away from the newsroom, maintain physical fitness and strengthen professional relationships.
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Draws to determine competition line-up
Chairman of the Media Games Committee, Ayo Ojedokun, said preparations were at an advanced stage, with the committee working to deliver what he described as one of the most organised editions of the games since its inception.
He urged media chapels affiliated with the Lagos NUJ Council that have not yet registered to complete the process before the draws.
“The preparation is in top gear, and we are determined to make this year’s edition memorable. Media chapels that are yet to register should do so before the draws,” Ojedokun said.
Registered organisations currently include Vanguard, Federal Maritime, Correspondents, Voice of Nigeria (VON), Lagos Information, Lagos Television (LTV), The Nation and The Guardian.
The committee also said corporate organisations and sponsors were increasingly identifying with the initiative, although details of the sponsors were not provided in the statement.
Why the games matter beyond sport
Lagos NUJ Chairman, Comrade Adeleye Ajayi, said the significance of the competition extends beyond winning matches.
He said the demanding nature of newsroom work makes opportunities for exercise and social interaction important for journalists.
“We can’t be in the newsroom all the time. We have to shed weight and exercise our bodies for physical fitness, and that is what the games are meant to do.”
Ajayi also described the event as an opportunity for journalists who may not regularly see one another to reconnect.
“It is also an avenue for social interaction. Friends and colleagues who have not seen each other for some time will get to meet again on the field.”
According to him, the games will also create opportunities for interaction between journalists and people outside the profession.
“The event also brings journalists and non-journalists together, offering a break from the newsroom while fostering networking and social interaction,” he said.
What happens next
The September 24 draws and logo unveiling will precede the main competition at Agege Stadium from October 5 to 9.
For participating media organisations, the immediate deadline is registration ahead of the draws, while the organising committee is expected to continue preparations for the five-day sporting programme.
The event is expected to bring together journalists from different media organisations across Lagos for competition, exercise and social interaction.
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