BPAN in disarray as founding members quit
The Boxing Promoters Association of Nigeria has been thrown into disarray following the exit of four founding members, including its Vice Chairman and Spokesperson, barely seven months after its formation, The NewsNGR reports.
Former Vice Chairman, Waheed Alabi, who is also the Chairman of De-Lads Boxing Promotions, tendered his resignation on March 17, citing fundamental differences in the association’s direction.
“I write to inform you of my decision to cease being the Vice-President and member of the Boxing Promoters Association of Nigeria. My decision to call off my participation in BPAN activities is borne out of my belief that the ideals of BPAN do not go in tandem with my outlook on how professional Boxing activities can better its lots in Nigeria,” Alabi stated in his resignation letter.
Other prominent members who have exited the association include Spokesperson Edna Aiyegbeni, daughter of the late foremost boxing promoter, Chief Francis Aiyegbeni; General Secretary Neye Showunmi; and another executive Akeem Akinade of Youfitbox Promotions.
Speaking with The NewsNGR, Alabi revealed that his departure was not an isolated incident but part of a growing exodus from the association.
“I am not the only one who left, a number left before me and since I left, more have been leaving the association. First of all, that association, someone like me and some others were frustrated from taking boxing in Nigeria to the next level as we intended to,” Alabi said.
“At the end of the day, we realised that there were secret meetings being held by people whose mission were different from our initial goal, and that’s why I left the organization. I know my image and my goals and I didn’t want it to be tarnished while in the organization that chased different political pursuits.”
A former member, who spoke on condition of anonymity, levelled serious allegations against BPAN’s chairman, Omonlei Imadu, who heads YUCATECO Boxing Promotions.
“He (Imadu) discouraged my dreams and goals with boxing. He is a fraudulent fallacious dictator. I took him on a boxing trip to Benin and Togo and then what I read was that he signed a deal with the Francophone countries which wasn’t our goal, our goal was to get young boxers we could help in developing boxing,” the source revealed.
“He wasn’t focused on growing boxing but he was trying to be the only sanctioning body in Nigeria, trying to supplant the Nigeria Boxing Federation and Nigeria Boxing Board of Control. He was signing amateur boxers who are not up to age on five years contracts and limited them from fighting professionally.”
Alabi corroborated these claims, stating that a major reason for his departure was the association’s antagonistic stance toward established boxing institutions.
“The most dangerous thing the association started doing was attacking already established institutions like the NBF and the NBBofC and I could not be part of that,” he said.
The mass exodus represents a dramatic turnaround for BPAN, which was established on August 12, 2024, with the stated aim of repositioning Nigerian boxing. Upon her election as Spokesperson, Aiyegbeni had expressed optimism about strengthening synergy with the NBBofC and taking the sport to the grassroots.
“We want to tap into our country’s enormous talent pool and give aspiring boxers opportunities to succeed on both national and international platforms. The creation of BPAN is a landmark in the history of boxing in Nigeria,” Aiyegbeni had stated at the time.
