2025 African Fencing Championship: Warrie siblings positioned to make Nigeria proud
The Charterhouse Lagos from tomorrow Wednesday 25 to 29 June will be a beehive of fencing activities as it will play host to Fencers from Africa who had arrived Nigeria for this year’s African Fencing Championship.
Nigerian Fencing Federation had unveiled a 12 member squad for the 23rd Championship which includes the Warrie siblings who are based on Malaysia; Sara Sofea Idongesit Warrie who will be competing in the female category while her brothers Mahathir and Mahadi Idongesit Warrie will be competing in the male category.
Leading Nigeria’s charge is U.S.-based rising star Inkosi Brou, the country’s first international fencing medallist.
The 17-year-old made history earlier this year by winning bronze at the African Junior Championships in Angola and has been steadily competing on the global stage in pursuit of qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. Brou is also the grandson of the late NAFDAC DG, Prof. Dora Akunyili.
Also on the team is UK-based Oluwafolayemi Akinyosoye, joined by local talents including Wisdom Okanlawon, Olumuyiwa Ige, Oritsematosan Egbesemirone, Alex Chizim Aninyei, and Babade Adegbola.
The women’s squad alongside Sarah Warrie are Peluola Akinbamiro, Somto Eribenne, and Adebodunrin Thomas.
National coach Ibrahim Alogba expressed confidence in the team’s youthful composition.
“We may be the youngest team, but that reduces the pressure. We are not here to be intimidated; we are here to end Nigeria’s medal drought.”
Italian coach Riccardo Bardin, who joined the team a week ago to oversee final preparations, praised the athletes’ commitment and urged patience as they continue to grow in experience and technique.
The 2025 African Fencing Championships will feature 12 medal events: six individual and six team events across all three disciplines.
Team Nigeria will compete in both individual and team events across the three fencing disciplines: foil, epee, and sabre.
, set to be held at Charterhouse Lagos from June 25 to 29, 2025.
This year’s edition marks only the third time the prestigious tournament will be staged in Sub-Saharan Africa, following previous hostings in Senegal (2002) and Mali (2009, 2019).
In addition to Nigeria, other competing nations include Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Kenya, South Africa, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Angola, Rwanda, Mauritius, Benin Republic, Niger, Guinea, Libya, Burkina Faso, and Cape Verde.
