The National Volleyball Division One and Division Two Leagues, featuring 34 teams from 22 states, officially kicked off in Umuahia, Abia State, with Ajase-Ipo Volleyball Team of Kwara claiming victory over Adamawa 25–18, 28–27, 25–15 in the Division One opener on Friday.
The competition, sponsored by the Abia State Government, includes both male and female categories, with participating teams drawn from Abia, Sokoto, Ekiti, Katsina, Adamawa, Kwara, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Plateau, and several others.
At the end of the tournament, two teams from Division Two will earn promotion to Division One, while the bottom two teams in Division One will be relegated. Similarly, the top two Division One teams will advance to the Nigerian Volleyball Premier League.
Declaring the event open, Abia State Director of Sports, Obioma George, commended Governor Alex Otti and the Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Nwaobilor Ananaba, for transforming Abia into Nigeria’s new hub for sports by successfully hosting over fifteen national and international competitions.
He also noted the resurgence of the Abia State female volleyball team, which has risen to second place on the league table after years of decline, assuring all participants of a well-organised and comfortable championship.
The 2nd Vice Chairman of the Nigeria Volleyball Referees Association, Mohammed Mohammed, who serves as the Referee Coach for the competition, pledged transparent officiating and urged players to uphold discipline throughout the tournament.
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