… Late Iwo Omaba exposed me to quality handball
Captain of Nigeria men’s handball senior team, Stephen Sesugh won a silver medal with Flowers HC of Benin Republic at the 45th African Handball Club Championship in Morocco.
Sesugh told www.aclsports.com that he has accomplished his 2024 targets by winning a bronze medal at the 13th African Games in Ghana and a silver medal at the 45th African Club Championship in Morocco.
The ASPAC HC player revealed that the Benin Republic Handball League structure/template allows the players of each team to have long-term preparations for the league and International Championships.
He said, “I am one of the happiest handball players in Africa because my team finished second by losing to multiple Champions, Al Ahly HC. On our way to the final, we defeated the host team in front of their supporters. I went on loan from ASPAC to Flowers HC and I am happy to contribute my quota to the team.
“The year 2024 has been one of the best seasons in my handball career. Tournaments I dreamt of winning became a reality. I started this year by lifting the President’s Cup at the 26th African Men’s Handball Championship in Egypt last January; winning bronze at the African Games last March and crowning it up with a silver medal at the Club Championship this October”.
“One thing that has helped me since I moved to Benin Republic to play professional handball and that is consistency. Benin Republic has a template where players train regularly (months before the league) and it builds cohesion in the teams while in Nigeria, players train less than a month before the league or International Championships.
“Playing in Benin Republic has helped improve my game; I trained every day and with that have time to practice and learn new things.
“This is my second season in the Benin Republic Handball League and their organisation towards the players’ welfare is far better than that of Nigeria”.
Asked if Nigeria stands a chance at next year’s African Nations Cup, the former Kano Pillars HC player said, “This is a sensitive question for me. For Nigeria to perform well at the Nation’s Cup, we require good preparations. This preparation is neither playing/ training in Nigeria for one month nor playing friendly matches against national teams/clubs.
“We have to play friendly matches with counties that are better than us which will help the players learn as well as bring improvement/ good performance. I hope the National Sports Commission under the leadership of Mallam Shehu Dikko gives us hope”.
He revealed that former National team player, Late Iwo Omaba sanctioned his move from Benue Buffaloes to Lagos Seasiders in 2012.
Sesugh said, “I started playing top-notch handball at the 2012 National Sports Festival in Lagos. My elder brother, Late Iwo Omaba former National Team player and Safety Shooters HC player took me to Lagos where I signed for Lagos Seasiders from Benue Buffaloes.
Stephen Sesugh has played for the following clubs: Benue Buffaloes, Lagos Seasiders, Kada Star of Kaduna, Kano Pillars HC, ASPAC of Benin, and Flowers of Benin.
Sesugh won the Ardova Handball Premier League thrice with Kano Pillars and placed third position with ASPAC HC of Benin in the 2023 and 2024 Benin Republic Handball League.
