The Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF) has inducted seven new members into its Champions Club following their gold medal-winning efforts at the last three African Senior Wrestling Championships.
In a brief but colourful ceremony in Yenagoa at the weekend, the NWF also handed cash gifts of N50,000 and N100,000 respectively to Commonwealth champions Blessing Oborududu – who won a record 10th consecutive African title in Algiers last month and Odunayo Adekuoroye for becoming the first Nigerian wrestler to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, a feat she achieved by winning a bronze medal at the World Championships in Kazakhstan last year.
The new wrestlers inducted into the prestigious Champions Club are Ekerekeme Agiomor (86kg), Hananah Reuben (65kg), Bose Samuel (53kg) and Bisola Makunjuola (59kg), who won their first continental titles in 2018 at the African Championships in Port Harcourt.
Others are 2019 African champions Sunmisola Balogun (72kg) and Blessing Onyebuchi (76kg), as well as Esther Kolawole (55kg), who claimed her first senior title in impressive fashion in Algiers last month.
Speaking at the event, NWF president Hon. Daniel Igali charged the new inductees to always be of good behavior and shun acts capable of bringing the sport to disrepute, urging them to aim for more success.
“You should see your induction into the Champions Club as a great honour and privilege which came as a result of your hardwork,” the Olympic champion told the inductees.
“Always stay clean and avoid taking performance-enhancing drugs capable of damaging your career and getting you delisted from the Champions Club.
“As ambassadors of our great country Nigeria, you owe the nation a duty of representing her in an exemplary manner both on and off the mats.
“I also want to use this opportunity to encourage you all to go for more glory at the continent, the World Championships and the upcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympics in Japan.”
The Inductees join the exclusive club which includes accomplished names like Jackson Bidei, Igali, Oborududu, Adekuoroye, Victor Kodei, Amas Daniel, etc.
