Adekalu Bulls of Lagos have won the 2025 Professor Ndi Okereke National Softball Championship, completing a remarkable underdog run with a 7–3 victory over Team Bayelsa in Port Harcourt.
The Bulls, unfancied at the start of the tournament, delivered a composed performance in a tense final. Coach Cynthia Sunday said she had expected a tough challenge but was confident in her team throughout.
“I never expected anything more than this,” she said. “I watch their matches. I was not tensed and neither were my players.”
Photo Credit: Kingsley Ogah/X
Team Bayelsa’s coach, Adekunle Ajayi, said limited training time cost his side the title. “It hasn’t been easy. Most of our girls are in school and don’t have the luxury of time to train adequately,” he said.
This year’s event saw teams from 13 states compete the largest turnout in the championship’s history with organisers praising the rising interest in the sport.
Photo Credit: Kingsley Ogah/X
In the third-place match, Team Delta defeated hosts Team Rivers 11–8. Rivers coach Dango Michael blamed fielding errors for the loss and appealed for increased sponsorship to help teams prepare better.
NBSF President and WBSC Africa chief, Uche Odozor, said more private-sector support was needed to drive the game forward. He also pledged to establish a “sound, pay-to-watch league” covering both university teams and a masters category for retired players.
With improved quality of play and record participation, organisers say the 2025 edition has set a new benchmark for softball development in Nigeria.
