NSF: Igali calls for traditional wrestling, canoeing inclusion
Bayelsa State Commissioner for Sports Development, Daniel Igali, has called on the National Sports Commission and the Main Organising Committee of the National Sports Festival in Ogun State to include traditional wrestling known as “Kuwa” and canoeing as part of the events for the festival.
Igali made the call when he received Bayelsa athletes who represented Nigeria at the recently concluded 13th ECOWAS African Wrestling Tournament at the Velodrome of the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja, which was part of activities lined up to celebrate ECOWAS’ 50th anniversary.
The commissioner commended the Bayelsa athletes for yet again making the country proud after Ebi Biogos (76kg) and Ebipadei Mughabofa (66kg) won gold medals each for Team Nigeria while combining with their teammates to win two silver medals in team events.
Igali, who heaped praises on Nigeria’s abundant talents in every sport, called on the National Sports Commission, being led by proven sports administrators Shehu Dikko and Bukola Olopade, to consider including traditional wrestling and canoeing in the events to be competed for at the Sports Festival coming up in Ogun State.
According to Igali, traditional wrestling is one of the local sports in the country and Africa that connects our cultural heritage. Thus, it deserves to be part of the events for the Nigerian version of the Olympic Games.
“On behalf of the Bayelsa State Government, I receive you all with pride, celebrating what you have done. This shows clearly the focus of sports development in Bayelsa,” Igali said while formally receiving the athletes.
“Arising from that, it is a bit of an irony that Nigeria has hosted the whole of West Africa in traditional wrestling, and we don’t have it at the next sports festival in Ogun State. My appeal to the National Sports Commission is that this is one cultural event that is relatable to virtually every culture and tribe in Nigeria,” he added.
The world and Olympic wrestling champion also expressed shock at canoeing being excluded from the festival despite successively qualifying for the last two editions of the Olympics.
“Let me also use this opportunity to mention another sport, canoeing. This is one sport that Nigeria has a good opportunity to win a medal at the next Olympics if we plan very early. Over the past Olympics, it has qualified athletes who have done very well and need to be encouraged by harnessing its potentials,” Igali said.
