Under the present board of the Karate Federation of Nigeria, KFN headed by His Excellency, Silas Agara, Deputy Governor of Nassarawa State, the sport will witness a breath of renewed energy.
This is the submission of Mr. Emmanuel Nwokedike, a member of the KFN Board when he sport to some journalists at the National Stadium, Surulere-Lagos complex early in the week.
Nwokedike believes that with the series of championships lined up between now and next year, new talents would be discovered in the sport who would no doubt make Nigeria great in international competitions in the near future.
“We have a championship slated for November 21 through 25 in Abuja sponsored by our chairman, I mean KFN’s board chairman, His Excellency, Silas Agara, Deputy Governor of Nassarawa. From February, the zonal championships in all the six geo-political zones in the country will commence. I must say that our president has been a source of inspiration to all on the board of KFN since we were inaugurated. He has been a driving force and we all commend his leadership qualities. We have all resolved to take karate in Nigeria to a new and enviable height,” he said.
The board member called on all board members to endeavor to sponsor championships in the locality to encourage people to take to the sport as well as discover new talents. “I am sponsoring a championship in the north-west early next year, and plans are already in full gear to ensure a hitch competition,” he said even as he called on karate lovers and corporate bodies to throw their weight behind the oncoming events.
Nwokedike, a realtor by profession, said his love for Karate and the urge to contribute to the growth of the sport made him take up the appointment in the board of KFN. “I love karate, and I want to contribute to its growth in Nigeria, that is why I am on the board and I have people who share the same aspiration with me on the board.”
On the present government of President Muhammadu Buhari government’s support for karate, Nwokedi said: “The present government has shown some commitment to karate. The Minister of Sports, Mr. Solomon Dalung has promised KFN of government support and I know the minister is a man of his words, so we are confident he would live up to his words and give us the maximum support we require to take karate to the height that will make us have a strong showing at both continental and world championships from next year.”