Rowing, Canoeing and Sailing are distinct water sports, primarily differentiated by their propulsion methods and the types of boats used. Both sports can be enjoyed for recreation, fitness or competition and can be done in various types of water, such as rivers, lakes and the sea. While rowing involves using oars to propel a boat backward, canoeing uses a paddle to propel a boat forward. Though not as sports, rowing and canoeing are common in riverine areas in Nigerian states like Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, Lagos, Ondo and so forth for recreational purposes.
In terms of sports, Nigeria is not known for rowing. However, the federation is making every effort to make the sport popular as some rowers, such as Chierika Ukogu and Jonathan Akinyemi, have represented Nigeria in international rowing tournaments.
President of the Nigeria Rowing, Canoeing, and Sailing Federation {NRCSF), Rear Admiral Festus Porbeni {rtd} lamented that rowing is taken with levity in Nigeria despite being a high medal-spinning sport in the Olympics.
The retired naval officer expressed displeasure on the state of the sport in the country at the finals of the rowing and canoeing competition at the first Niger Delta Sports Festival held at the beautiful and graceful Ibom Hotels Marina Waterfront, where he presided over the launch ceremony of the newest IBOM Rowing, Canoeing and Sailing Club for Akwa Ibom State, South-South Nigeria. The one-time Minister of Transportation further called on the newly-appointed leadership of the National Sports Commission, led by Malam Shehu Dikko and the Director General Chief Bukola Olopade, to address this unfortunate situation.
“All Olympic scoring sports should be automatically included in our Bi-annual National Sports Festival,” the NRCSF president said.
He added: “Initially we got boats from abroad, and got experts from Brazil to come and help mark the lanes for us. But I’m proud to inform you that we are now constructing our own boats which match international standards and, our own technical personnels have been through training and are now certified to mark the lanes for the races.
“This event is a typical example as all the equipment here for this competition are locally produced and the marking of the lanes was done by our own lads who are now qualified technical personnel,” he said Porbeni, who got involved in water sports when the Nigerian Navy was given the concession of the Federation, was beaming with smiles when he showed off the star girl and pride of the Federation, Ayomide Bello. who was discovered in one of their championships in Lekki Beach. Bello is now one of the world beaters in the sport and is representing Nigeria so well as a national and African champion.
The 23-year-old rowing star has grown up to become the first female canoeist from Nigeria to qualify for the Olympics, representing Nigeria at the 2020 and 2024 Summer Olympics in Tokyo and Paris. Bello, competing alongside Beauty Otuedo, took just 2.24.45 seconds to seal top spot in the women’s C2 500m category on home water at Jabi Lake, Abuja. The duo also secured an Olympic quota for Paris 2024 Olympics.
She competed at the 2019 African Games and won the gold medals in the C-1200 metres and C-1500 metres events. She also won the gold medals in the C-2200 metres and C-2500 metres events. As a result, the country finished second in the canoeing medal table at the 2019 African Games and she also qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the C-1200 metres.
Unlike most athletes who discover their niche either by introduction or by happy accident, canoeing was a part of Bello’s world from the day she was born.
“My parents were doing it (canoeing) to catch fish before they gave birth to me,” the Nigerian canoeist begins. “I was born in a canoe, and I started paddling when I was young. So, when I got to the age of eight or nine, I started following them to catch fish, paddle the boat for them, set the net.”
Porbeni, a former Nigerian Ambassador to Romania and Equatorial Guinea, expressed happiness with the progress made so far by the Federation. However, the NRCSF boss vowed that the Federation would not rest on its oars until the sports reach common Nigerians, adding that all hands must be to the pump in order for the Federation to help young Nigerians become well respected individuals in the society and to cater for their families through sports. Porbeni added that he would want to be remembered for fully establishing water sports in Nigeria and winning an Olympic medal for Nigeria in the near future.
At 21, the young Porbeni ran away from home and boarded a boat to Lagos from Warri to join the Nigerian Defence Academy, having already sat for the examination before the Nigerian Civil War in 1967. It was a big gamble that paid off and saw him rising to the top echelon of Nigerian Navy. Among others, Porbeni commanded Nigeria’s biggest warship, NNS Aradu in the 1990s, and became the only Nigerian military man in service to be appointed an ambassador and served the country as a Minister of Transport. A sports lover, especially boating, Nigeria’s stake in boating globally has increased because of his deft management.
A total number of six athletes from NRCSF represented the country at the World Rowing Championship from 20th September to 2nd October 2017 in the United States, with more other rowers trained to perform in other upcoming championships. The Nigeria Rowing Federation recorded an excellent history as two rowers who participated in the Africa Rowing Championship in Tunisia were ranked in the top 10 on the continent.
Team Nigeria emerged as the overall winner of the maiden African Admiral FBI Porbeni Canoe Race championships at the Jabi Boat Club in Abuja, Nigeria in 2023. The championships, which also served as an Olympics pre-qualifier event, began on Thursday and ended on Sunday. No fewer than 100 athletes from five African countries including, Ghana, Senegal, Sao Tome and Principe, Togo and hosts Nigeria took part in the four-day event.
Team Nigeria amassed a total of 21 medals, including 14 gold, 6 silver and 1 bronze to emerge as the overall winners of the event. Sao Tome and Principe, with a total of 14 medals, including 1 gold, 6 silver and 7 bronze finished in second position. While Senegal with a total of 12 medals, including 1 gold, 3 silver and 8 bronze settled for the third position. The various race events competed for include: 500m KL3 women, 200m KL3 men, 1,000m K1 men, 1,000m K1 women, 1,000 C1 men, 1,000 C1 women, 5,000m K2 men and 200m K1 women. Others were; 500m C2 men, 200m C1 women, 500m KL2 men, 200m KL2 men, 200m C1 men, 200m K1 men, 500m C1 women and 500m K1 women.
The federation under the visionary leadership of Rear Admiral Porbeni has not only reorganise water sports in the country but also placed Nigeria firmly on the global map. With consistent investment in grassroots development, talent discovery, and international participation, the federation is charting a bold course toward excellence. As the waves of progress continue to rise, there has never been a better time for stakeholders, sponsors, and enthusiasts to rally behind this transformative movement and support the federation’s quest to make Nigeria a powerhouse in water sports.
In the 1st Confederation of Africa Canoe Sprint & Para Canoe Qualifiers for the 2024 Paris Olympics, Nigeria finished in second place in the overall medal table, securing three automatic tickets to the Olympics.
References:
- “Canoe/Kayak at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games”. Paris 2024. NBC Olympics. 17 August 2022
- “2019 African Games fallout: Nigeria’s bumpy ride to ‘glory’ in Rabat”. The Nation. 13 September 2019.
- “Never say never: Otuedo and Powei’s powerful message to girls in Nigeria”. By Vimar Sankar on international Canoe federation’s website. 6 August 2024
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Story edited by Bimbo Ajayi with contributions
Text edited and proofread by Dr Titi Alake
Please note that we don’t have the copyright ownership of the photos.
AUTHOR: Obong Ntiense Williams (The Secretary General of the Sports Coaches Association of Nigeria SCAN as guest writer for Moor Sportz), 28 April 2025
