Paralympic bronze medalist Eniola Bolaji has been awarded with the 2024 Africa Women in Badminton Award in recognition of her achievements and journey in para-badminton during the Badminton Confederation Africa Annual General Meeting on Thursday in China.
The multiple-time African champion becomes the second Nigerian to receive this award, following in the footsteps of badminton veteran Obiageli Solaja who was also recognised in 2019.
The award was accepted on Bolaji’s behalf by the President of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria, Francis Orbih, who praised the recognition as both timely and well-deserved. Orbih also lauded Bolaji for her dedication and trailblazing accomplishments, noting her profound influence on the growth of para-badminton across Africa.
“I am extremely proud of Eniola Bolaji. This award reflects the BCA’s recognition of her remarkable progress,” Orbih said. “As the first African to win a medal in badminton or para-badminton at the Olympics or Paralympics, I believe she is only just beginning to make her mark on the global stage.”
“This award will not only motivate Eniola but also inspire a new generation of Nigerian and African para-badminton players. It shows that their efforts are being noticed and celebrated.”
“We are looking forward to delivering world-class events. This is an exciting moment for Nigerian badminton, and we intend to set a new benchmark,” he added.
The Africa Women in Badminton Award has been previously awarded to notable personalities like Gretha Prinsloo (South Africa) in 2018, Obiageli Solaja (Nigeria) in 2019, Hadia Hosny (Egypt) in 2020, Lynn Du Preez (Namibia) in 2021, Awatef Ghalloussi (Tunisia) in 2022, and Harriet Semugabi (Uganda) in 2023.