Nigeria judo has been in comatose for years but steps wards restoring the lost glory of the combat sport will start 22nd 22 when judokas across the country converge in Lagos for the national trial for Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. OLALEKAN OKUSAN reports.
Before the emergence of Musa Oshodi as the President of the Nigeria Judo Federation (NJF), nothing seemed to be happening as most judokas across the country lost hope of representing the country at international meets.
Yet one of the athletes who never gave up on the sport is Esther Augustine, the 2011 All Africa Games silver medalist who despite inactivity, kept hope alive with her steady training regimen.
The 2013 African Open champion said: “ I started judo after my brother introduced me to the sport and I have been doing the sport since I was eight,” Esther explained. “Although I tried out wrestling where I become the national champion, before returning to judo.
“But the last few years have been the dark days of the sport because things seemed not to work as those in charge were not passionate about the sport.
“Most of those coming on board of the federation were politicians who care less about what happened to the judokas. The only politician that helped to raise the profile of the sport was the former Governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu who spent a lot on the sport and we were all exposed to international and local competitions.
“But since his exit, things have gone , but with what I am seeing now with the new federation, I think we are going to get back our lost glory,” she noted.
With several members of the current Nigeria Judo Federation(NJF) have background and interest in Judo, Esther added that bright future awaits the combat sport under the new dispensation.
She said: “I am hopeful and believe that we can get back to our best in the sport. After giving back, I returned to the sport because I love the sport and I am hoping to compete again with the hope that I can make the team to the 2022 Commonwealth Games in the United Kingdom (UK).”
Yet Oshodi who campaigned vigorously before becoming the President of NJF, shared Esther’s optimism, adding his coming on board would put an end to dark days of judo.
He said: “We knew what we wanted to achieve and being a judoka myself, we were not happy with the fortune of the sport and that is why we decided to seek election which we won with the support of all judokas across the country.
“This trust would not be taken for granted and we are starting with the Commonwealth Games trial because the days of handpicking judokas for major events have gone .
“Now, we want to give everybody equal chances to make the team and we also want to have a pool of judokas that we can always select from for major competitions.
“We are starting with this so that we can engage everybody in the sport and operate an open-door policy that would encourage all to come on board,” he noted.
For the Commonwealth Games trial in Lagos, he said: “Over 300 judokas from the 36 states of the federation, Abuja, the military, the paramilitary and clubs will participate in the trials which will feature seven weight categories each for men and women,” he said.
He added: “Apart from providing a platform to raise a formidable squad which will represent Nigeria in the Commonwealth Games holding in Birmingham, in the United Kingdom between July 28th and August 8th , 2022, the trials will also herald the new dispensation in Nigerian judo.”
After the national trial, he said a camping exercise would be organized where the best would be selected for Birmingham while plans are also in the offing to organize training camps for junior judokas across the country.
For the chairman of the Lagos State Judo Association (LSJA) Sherif Hammed, the efforts by the new NJF board have taken a bold step with the national trial while pledging the support of Lagos State to stage a befitting tournament.
Hammed lauded Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State for creating an enabling environment through the Lagos State Sports Commission for sports to thrive.