By HeapNews
Ekpoma, Edo State —In a poignant nod to legacy and community upliftment, the Francis and Fidelia Ibhawoh Foundation has revived interest in netball in Esanland, 57 years after their mother coached the netball team at RMC School Uhiele in Ekpoma.
On May 13 and 14, 2025, the foundation, in partnership with the Community Sports and Educational Development (CSED) Initiative, hosted a two-day basic netball training for Physical Education teachers at Ujoelen Grammar School, Ekpoma. The initiative is part of the ongoing “Project 2027,” a national campaign to introduce netball to one million Nigerian school children.
Twenty-six participants, including P.E. teachers from Esanland’s five local government areas, a teacher from Holy Trinity Grammar School, Sabongida Ora, and two students from the UNIBEN IDPs Camp Uhogua, were trained and certified by Netball Africa coaches Edema Fuludu and Edward Fuludu.
“This training is not just about teaching a sport,” said Dr. Tony Ibhawoh, President of the Francis and Fidelia Ibhawoh Foundation. “It’s about honouring a legacy, building human capacity, and creating safe, empowering spaces for our children — especially girls.”
The sessions combined theory and practice, from learning the roles and court restrictions of the seven netball positions to engaging in warm-ups, live demonstrations, and safeguarding exercises.
One of the trainees, Mrs. Roseline Ehigiamusoe, a P.E. teacher from Irrua, said the experience was eye-opening. “I never imagined how much netball could empower young girls. The training on safeguarding particularly stood out — we now understand our responsibility to protect children from all forms of abuse,” she said.
All participants received certificates and netball starter packs, which included rims, balls, whistles, and bibs to support the introduction of the sport in their schools. In true Esan hospitality, the final day of the training ended with a communal meal of pounded yam and ogbono soup.
The training programme has previously been held in Edo South and Central senatorial districts. With Edo North yet to benefit, the organisers expressed hope that prominent stakeholders in the region would step forward to host similar training in towns like Auchi, Afuze, Igarra, or Iyamho.
“Netball is more than a game. It’s a tool for education, leadership, and gender empowerment,” said Coach Edema Fuludu. “We’re planting seeds that will grow strong in the minds and lives of these children.”
The Ibhawoh Foundation says it remains committed to using sports and education to foster inclusive development across Esanland and beyond.