The Nigeria Boxing Federation has paid tribute to the late boxing legend Hogan “Kid” Bassey as the inaugural National Boxing Week got underway in Lagos, with open trials to select boxers for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, taking centre stage.
In a colourful ceremony at Bassey’s gravesite at the National Stadium, Surulere, NBF Vice President Omonlei Imadu led a procession of boxers, coaches, officials and fans to honour the former world featherweight champion, laying flowers at the site of the British-Nigerian pugilist whose legacy continues to inspire generations of Nigerian fighters.
Notable figures in attendance included Major General Ola Oyelade, the military representative on the NBF board, and General Secretary Vivian Azimene.
The Boxing Week, which runs until Friday, March 6, at the Brai Ayonote Boxing Complex, National Stadium, Lagos, opened on Monday with a well-attended seminar for coaches and officials before bouts commenced across various weight categories.
The trials, which are open to all affiliated clubs, state associations, institutions and eligible Nigerian boxers worldwide, span 10 weight categories — five for men (55kg, 65kg, 70kg, 80kg and 90kg) and five for women (51kg, 57kg, 65kg, 70kg and 70+kg), with each affiliated body expected to present one boxer per weight class.
Imadu said the selection process would be strictly merit-based. “The old tradition of selecting boxers without an open meritocracy is not what we want to do anymore. Every boxer must earn the right to wear the green and white through performance and discipline. Selection will be fierce, fair, and based strictly on merit,” he said.
NBF President Wale Edun added that the federation would also use the occasion to unveil new digital infrastructure, including an automated licensing system and a rebranded website.
“We are repositioning Nigerian boxing for global competitiveness, not just inside the ring, but administratively and technologically. Governance must be as strong as the punches our athletes throw,” Edun said.