From The Streets of Enugu to The African Championships: How Bina Foundation Is Empowering Blind Athletes.
The sound of cleats tapping against the turf echoes in the crisp morning air. Whistles pierce the quiet as voices shout instructions in rapid English. A bell filled football rattles across the pitch, guided not by sight, but by instinct, trust and training.
On the sidelines, the Nigerian flag flutters gently, its Green White strides catching the sun.
Azubuike Oba, Izuchukwu Okpalanze, Keneth Omeje, and Victor Ndubuisi stand tall in straight line. Reciting the Nigerian national anthem with pride, the team waits to hear the blast of the whistle.
Immediately the whistle goes, the team moves with the bell filled football, ready to fly high, carrying the Nigerian flag at the continental stage against the Cameroonian national blind football team.
Its not just football, this is blind football. It is the opening march of the 2019 IBSA blind football African championships hosted by Bina Foundation in Enugu.
From the defence to midfield to the attack, the team moves confidently, finally producing moments of magic to thrill football fans at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium.
In the Nigerian team are young blind men who had no vision to play football before the Bina Foundation blind football project discovered them. Some of them were students in the university under the sponsorship of the foundation while others were discovered on the streets of Enugu and beyond.
About the Bina Foundation Blind Football Project.
Bina Foundation for People with Special Needs is a non-governmental organization located in Enugu Nigeria. The organization provides direct support services to people with special needs which includes persons with disabilities, widows, the elderly and other vulnerable groups.
The foundation strives to uplift these special people through skills acquisition, rehabilitation, icttraining and other areas of intervention.
Lady Ifoma Atuegu; president and founder of the organization describes the vision of the organization as one rooted in empowerment and dignity: (We seek to empower them through skill acquisition because we believe it’s the only way to help them reach their full potentials. For me, blind football was just a mere dream that we didn’t know its direction. But we were determined to bring that dream to life. The young men you see here were picked from the streets, some were picked during our blind football outreach program in different special schools for the blind and others were in the universities as at the time we met them. Of course, they never believed they will ever have a chance to play football as that has never happened before in Nigeria. But here we are and am really proud of the work we have done with these special people.)
Early Stages of the Project.
The Bina Foundation blind football project started off as a product of a mere dream by the founder; Lady Ifoma Atugu. Beginning with coaching and technical support staff that were largely inexperienced; most of whom had never seen a blind person play the beautiful game.
Assembling this technical team was perhaps the toughest job of Lady Atugu as beyond the high level of inexperience, she also needed a team that understands people with special needs, their vulnerabilities and strengths.
The project finally took off with the available football enthusiast who were with the foundation acquiring one basic skill or another. But just as it is obtainable in conventional football, the beautiful game favours individuals with a little bit of skill, technique and passion.
Despite taking off with the available ones, one thing was quite clear; more talent recruitment was indispensable to give the team the best chance of making impact at the international stage.
But international stage, against who? How will the foundation secure the recognition from the International Blind Sports Federation? Who will provide the funding for the purchase of the specialised equipment’s and facilities? What about the welfare of the players and the coaching staff, who would be responsible? These were some of the questions that staired straight back at the team and observers. Non the less, Lady Atugu had other ideas.
(Now, coaching staff and a few players assembled, what’s next for the project?) This was the big question on the lips of mostly doubters and onlooker’s. But not perturbed by the daunting challenges, the foundation secured a training centre courtesy of the assistance of the Anglican Dioses of Enugu. This of course, marked the beginning of the blind football adventure.
The coaching team, in a demonstration of courage and determination to make a difference resulted to watching a few available clips of blind football games online to gain a little understanding of the game. With this basic understanding, the coaching team was set to lead an adventure that would later transform lives. With the little exposure of the coaching team, the stage was set for the adventure.
Recognizing the nature of the game, Lady Atugu set up the best medical team to work all day with the football team. From manufacturing the bell filled footballs, to constructing the sideboard down to sourcing the most suitable football boots and other equipment’s, the Bina Foundation blind football project moved from its take-off stage to the transformation stage.
The Transformation Stage.
At this stage, the blind football academy camp was constructed to accommodate more than 100 football players and members of the coaching team. This achievement enabled the project to venture into massive awareness drive leading to the discovery of some blind persons whose lives would later be transformed through the power of football.
From those moments of scepticisms and awkward beginning, Bina Foundation rose to become a dependable part of the blind football global family as the organization with the second-best set of facilities and equipment’s in Africa only behind Morocco.
Today, the foundation has sponsored the participation of the Nigerian national blind football teams in the last two IBSA blind football African championships held and hosted by Bina Foundation in Enugu in 2019 and the next edition in Morocco in 2022. The blind football project has become a transformational tool, encouraging visually impaired persons to actively engage in sports. The discoveries have been mind blowing as what originally started with a few people who were undergoing rehabilitation at Bina Foundation has lifted individuals who had no chance at education to become university graduates through support and mentorship. Some of them are proudly married and others have dared to challenge society stereotypes leveraging the power of the beautiful game.
Voices of the Athletes.
Meet Izuchukwu Okpalanze; a young blind man from Nnewi town in Anambra state. Izuchukwu was discovered by the foundation’s scouts when they visited Basden Memorial Special School for the Blind Isulo in Anambra state in 2019 during one of their routine visits to the school. Izuchukwu who had given up the hope of playing football and obtaining a university degree, was finally given a lifeline with his discovery.
Due to his hard work and dedication, Izuchukwu was part of the first ever set of blind footballers that stepped onto the field of play in Green and White colours to represent Nigeria in an international blind football competition.
Today, Izuchukwu is not just a national athlete but also a university graduate from the University of Nigeria Nsukka in 2024. Looking forward to the future, Izuchukwu is excited for what lies ahead of him in his dream to represent Nigeria in per Olympics in 2028.
Meet Innocent Charles; a passionate football fan who finally got a chance to work the talk on the football field through the blind football project. Charles was a second-year student at the University of Nigeria Nsukka when the opportunity came calling:
(At first, I didn’t think it was real. Of course, I have heard of so many things and as a blind person, I have done a few things I thought was impossible, but football! I never saw this coming. When it dawned on me that the foundation was really serious, I knew I had to do everything possible to be part of this project. My confidence, communication and teamwork skills grew rapidly courtesy of my exposure and training in the academy.) Charles is today a university graduate and can not wait to heat the camp in preparation for the 2025 African championships.
Azubuike Oba, captain of the team shares how football transform him. (From being an ordinary blind student in the University of Benin to someone who received a sports award in the school due to his involvement in football:
(From my second year of studies when I joined the team in 2019, I have never had any reason to regret. Am particularly proud of the medical staff. I think they are the best in the country. I can’t wait to lead the team to the forth coming African championships.)
The Road to IBSA 2019 African Championships.
Preparing for the 2019 IBSA blind football African championships was perhaps another moment of doubt for the project. First, the tournament was originally scheduled to hold in the Ivory coast at some point in 2019.
However, due to the non-availability of facilities, the nation lost its hosting rights. This offered Nigeria and Bina Foundation a chance to arrive in grand style to the continental stage.
Prior to the first kick of the ball in Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu in the opening march of the tournament against a Cameroonian team who were the bitten finalist in the 2015 edition of the competition, the Nigerian team had not played any external opponent whether an international team or local team.
Therefore, the decision to host the competition would not just test the technical abilities of the players but put to test the structure of the project as was then set up by the foundation. It was then another road of uncertainty as the foundation was hosting a competition it has never witnessed, and the Nigerian team was to face an opponent for the first time in front of their fans, families and friends.
While the foundation was keen on delivering a world class event, the team battles with pressure, fear, uncertainty and excitement. What lied in front at that time could not be easily described correctly by anyone as the test was so huge that it was coming from all angles.
Beginning with prolonged camping periods to meet the demands of delivering glory, players picked up series of injuries in what could be described as moments of anxiety. The foundation had the uphill task to engage various schools whose students were part of the team to permit their students to stay in camp.
Moving to secure the approval of the federal government of Nigeria and that of the Enugu state government, the foundation battled to secure an artificial turf for training since the competition will be played on an artificial turf.
Transforming from a player who played on a natural grass and a very difficult turf to one who had just few weeks to adapt to playing on an artificial surface, again, the standards were raised for the players.
The team had no other choice than to step up to the challenge, seizing the moment to write their names in gold. They will not just be the first team to represent Nigeria in such tournament, again, they are experiencing a rapid transformation form somewhat isolated individuals to men that families, media and a host of football fans trooped out on mass to cheer to victory. Dealing with the pressure and the sense of excitement was quite an experience the team will never forget in a hurry.
But finally, the day came, and dreams were fulfilled, hopes were lifted, and memories were made. It was indeed a competition the team will always remember. Playing in front of home fans, Nigeria got to the semi-finals of the competition. It is on record that the 2019 tournament remains the best Africa has ever had.
The Journey to Morocco.
The 2022 edition presented a different challenge. The team had surpassed expectations in their first outing. The stakes were high, and all eyes were on the team to deliver.
Yet again, Bina Foundation was Soley charged with the responsibility of funding the participation of the team. In a moment of magic, underscoring the driving force behind the growth of the project, Lady Atugu yet again, pulls off another surprise. This time, the team’s participation was not just funded but players and officials got a chance to experience international engagement in the most exciting way.
The team arrives in Morocco not just as a group of blind men led by sighted people, but a group of national athletes whose lives at this time were now witnessing another level of transformation.
At this point, getting into an international flight was no longer a dream, but a reality for all players and officials’ courtesy of Lady Atugu. Seizing the moment to engage in cultural exchange, the team treated with dignity and respect at the airport is excited that it could finally fly the nation’s flag outside the shores of the country.
Yet again, the team was led down by inexperience but Lady Atugu, looks forward to the bright future as the dream she once had is now taking shape in reality.
The Impact on the Athletes.
These once isolated blind individuals in the society are now national heroes gaining recognition and respect in their local communities. Football has transformed into a tool of advocacy, demonstrating the innate abilities of these visually challenged ones.
Although, they are blind, their status through their active participation in football at the international level is now changing the views of people around them. Football for them is not just a game but a movement for equality and respect for the diverse abilities of people.
It becomes a rallying point, further establishing their held notion that only a dead person can be assumed to be of no use to the society.
It is now an avenue not to make fortune or fame, but to inspire change in the society and uplift the spirits of other fellow people with disabilities.
Introducing Female Blind Football.
In an extra-ordinary manner, Bina Foundation also introduced the female blind football team to spread the transformation across gender. This is described as a huge attempt to provide simultaneous solutions to two main problems: Janda and disability-based discrimination.
Delving into the realm of affording blind ladies the opportunity to play football is yet again a unique move as no private organization has ventured into such project in Africa.
With the 2025 IBSA blind football world women championships set to hold in India, all eyes will be on these beautiful ladies to do the nation proud in an extra-ordinary fashion.
Call for Support.
Blind football is a very expensive type of sports due to the various special considerations involved. Of course, providing an opportunity for people who are visually challenged to play football comes with a lot of groundwork to be able to effectively manage the associated risks which requires funding.
Bina Foundation has so far provided a platform for this transformation and therefore seek collaboration to expand the project.
For us, blind football is not just a game but a tool of advocacy. A platform to support, mentor and empower once isolated individuals to reach for the stars as their potentials suggest greatness. The foundation is encouraged by the results of what started out like a joke or another round of academic exercise.
7 years down the line, the testimonies on the streets, the lives touched, and the impact made sum up the story of the adventure into the beautiful game for these gifted but blind individuals.
We are guaranteed of spreading the gospel of blind football to every part of the nation, offering every blind Nigerian a chance to live his or her dream.
It is possible to constantly organize national competitions to identify talents, establish centres to nurture and refine the identified talents into finished products that will go all the way to conquer the world. Impossibility is just an opinion.
As the players tap the bell filled football from one end of the pitch to another with the voices of coaches echoing through the air in their training session, talents are polished, and greatness is inspired.
At Bina Foundation, football is a tool of empowerment, a platform to change negative social perceptions about disability and a medium to promote cultural exchange. Football is a process, one that requires time, efforts, funding and consistency. Its continuity in the last 7 years underscores our firm believe in the effectiveness of football as a transformational tool. The future looks bright, and more grounds will be gained.