German volleyball coach Mirko Culic has expressed his fondness for Nigeria and the rising popularity of Afrobeats among his young team after spending two weeks in Abuja, where he led Club Omnisport Descartes from Côte d'Ivoire in the 39th Africa Women’s Volleyball Club Championship.

Originally from Serbia, Culic was born in Kragujevac, where he began his volleyball career. He later moved to Germany, where he continued playing before transitioning into coaching and obtaining a German passport.

In an exclusive interview with Abiola Shodiya, the 62-year-old reflected on his enjoyable experience in Nigeria during the African Volleyball championships and expressed a desire to return to explore more of the country.

“The logistics are excellent, the gyms are outstanding. It’s a pleasure to compete in such a well-equipped facility; the hotels are superb, the food is great, and our training sessions have been productive. The organization has been impressive, and we are truly pleased to be here.

“I regret that we didn’t have more time to explore Abuja. Our focus was primarily on the competition, which meant we were mostly moving between the gym and the hotel. I would love to see more of Nigeria on my next visit. There were a couple of occasions during our two weeks when we didn’t have matches, which could have been ideal for sightseeing in Abuja,” he stated.

Culic also noted how the vibrant Afrobeats music contributed to his team's enjoyment and helped them relax during the tournament, despite the disparity in skill levels between them and the top teams.

“The ladies really enjoy Nigerian music. It has a soothing melody, and they often find themselves dancing. They truly loved dancing to the rhythm of Nigerian music,” he shared.

Mirko emphasized their happiness in being in Nigeria to learn and compete against the best teams in Africa for the championship. He has been actively working to enhance the state of volleyball in Côte d'Ivoire.