“Africa rises when every African rises.” — Samson Deen
The West African Paralympic Movement witnessed a defining moment on Friday night as Mr. Samson Deen, President of the African Paralympic Committee (AfPC), delivered a powerful keynote address to officially open the 1st West Africa Para Games in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Speaking before the Governor of Ogun State, ministers of sports, traditional rulers, regional sports leaders, and hundreds of para-athletes, Deen declared that the Games represent “not merely a sporting event but the ignition of a continental movement of dignity, equality, and human possibility.”
In his address, Deen drew a historic parallel between the Games and the inaugural Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) held in 1957, emphasizing that Africa’s most transformative institutions were born from courage, vision, and unity.
“What AFCON became to football, Para Sports must now become to Africa,” he stated, describing the West Africa Para Games as a foundational pillar for a new era of inclusion—an era where athletes with disabilities are recognized not for their limitations but for their limitless potential.
Deen emphasized that the Games are more than competition; they are a declaration that Africa will no longer leave behind millions of its citizens with disabilities. He called on governments, private sector partners, and regional bodies to invest boldly in Para Sports, noting that sport remains one of the most powerful tools for social transformation.
He added: “When a para-athlete receives a medal, Africa receives a message.
When a nation invests in para-sport, Africa invests in human dignity.
And when we gather like this, united across borders, Africa rises.”
The ceremony, filled with cultural displays, athlete parades, and an atmosphere of continental pride, marked the beginning of what organizers hope will become a permanent fixture on the African sporting calendar.
With 15 West African countries participating, the 1st West Africa Para Games signal a new chapter one in which Para Sports take their rightful place at the center of Africa’s development agenda.
As Deen concluded:
“This is not just a Games. This is a movement.
A movement for equality.
A movement for opportunity.
A movement for Africa.”
And on Friday night in Abeokuta, that movement officially took flight.
By Justice Adusi-Poku
