Inkosi Brou leads Nigeria’s seven-member squad

Nigeria’s highest ranked fencer, Inkosi Brou, will lead the country’s seven-member squad to next month’s World Junior Fencing Championships in Wuxi, China, which will hold from April 7 to 15.

Brou, who has been working hard to become Nigeria’s first fencer to compete at the Olympics, has been participating in numerous tournaments cross the world.

Brou ranked 22nd in the junior category by the International Fencing Federation, brings a wealth of experience and is expected to guide the team in China. He will be joined by home-based fencer Wisdom Okanlawon, who will participate in the training camp preceding the tournament.

Okanlawon, a rising star among Africa’s top fencers, will benefit from the training camp, which features some of the world’s finest coaches.
This experience will be invaluable for the young athlete.

Other fencers in the squad are Peluola Akinbamiro, who made her debut for Nigeria at the recent African Junior Championships in Angola, and the Idongesit siblings, Mahadi, Mahathir and Sara, who will make their debut for Nigeria in China.

Also in the squad is Somto Eribenne, who will make her first appearance in 2025, hoping to improve her world ranking through the tournament. Speaking on the squad yesterday, Nigeria Fencing Federation (NFF) President, Adeyinka Samuel, said the selection of these young athletes highlights Nigeria’s talent in the sport. He emphasised that exposure to high-level tournaments would boost their confidence for future events.

“We are excited about the athletes’ enthusiasm for the world championship. Our efforts are yielding results, and we believe we are on the right track to have our athletes represent Nigeria at the Olympic
Games.

“This mix of homegrown and foreign-based talent