By Gracious Akujobi A contingent of the national women volleyball team, comprising 12 players and four officials, will depart Abuja on Friday for Algeria, an official said Thursday.
Adisa Beyioku, Secretary-General of the Nigeria Volleyball Federation (NVBF), told Prompt News Online in Abuja that the contingent would leave for Algeria through Egypt on Friday, February 21 to arrive February 22 for the 2014 International Federation of Volleyball (FIVB) World Championship qualifiers.
“The competition is the Women’s Final Phase Qualifiers Group T and is scheduled for Feb. 22 to March 2, with the opening matches on Feb. 23.
“The Nigerian team playing its first game against hosts Algeria on Monday, Feb. 24,’’ the NVBF secretary-general said.
He listed the other teams at the competition as Ghana, DR Congo, Botswana, Cameroon and Egypt as the Nigerian team will face Botswana on Feb. 25, Cameroon on Feb. 26, DR Congo on Feb. 27, Egypt on Feb. 28 and Ghana on March 1.
Beyioku said the Nigerian contingent would be led by the NVBF Technical Director, Tony Oghuma-Eghiemai, as Head of Delegation. Other officials on the delegation are Gloria Ret, Stephen Ekpo and Philo Egbuniwe.
Players listed for the competition include Ladi Jalmet, Mercy Promise Ene Jalmet,
Bukky Oluwatosin, Adesua Edeke, Esther Dusu, Esther Ahua, Ibironke Enimehin, Chinenye Nwosu, Chimdiya Ibe, Francisca Ikhiede and Nwamaka Okonmah.
The NVBF Scribe assured that the team would do its best to make Nigerians proud as it had prepared intensively for the competition.
“The team has been camped for about three weeks by the federation, and we are confident that the team will not disappoint Nigerians,’’ he said.
The competition in Algeria is Pool 1 of the qualifiers’ final phase, with the Pool 2 already ongoing and scheduled to end in Kenya on Feb. 23.
