Rumbles in boxing as NBF suspends Omo-Agege, IBA expels Minimah

Boxing gloves. Photo: JIJI

The crisis in the country’s amateur boxing has taken a new turn with the indefinite suspension of the Nigerian Boxing Federation’s (NBF) Vice President, Azania Omo-Agege, by the body for acts allegedly inimical to the interest of the country.

But as if taking a cue from the NBF, the International Boxing Association (IBA) in what seems as a retaliatory move, yesterday, suspended NBF President, Lt. Gen. Kenneth Minimah, for taking Nigeria into the new amateur body, World Boxing.

In a letter signed by NBF Secretary General, Akinyele Oladapo, the federation said Omo-Agege’s alleged impersonation of the federation’s president was confirmed by various African Boxing Federation presidents, adding that the vice president also embarrassed the body by writing unauthorised press releases to the IBA that embarrassed Nigeria.

The NBF said it arrived at the decision to suspend Omo-Agege at its board meeting of November 11.

In the statement suspending Omo-Agege, the NBF accused Omo-Agege of forging and printing letterhead of the federation without approval.

The statement read: “At no time has Azania Omo-Agege briefed or written any report on the outcome of meetings at AFBC and IBA for the action of the president.

“That you failed to utilise the opportunity provided by the board to reconcile you and the president at the last zoom meeting.

“That you constituted yourself as one man parallel body against the majority of the board, who affirmed the decision to join the World Boxing body as a step in the right direction for the growth of boxing.

“Your claim to IBA that president of Nigeria Boxing Federation, Lieutenant General Kenneth Minimah, has ceased to be president according to the constitution is null and void as well