Judo deserves more attention – Ahmed

0
628

Judo deserves more attention – Ahmed
By; JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON

Worried over the dwindling fortunes of Judo in Nigeria, a Board member of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Judo Association, Alhaji Ahmed Aminu, has cried out to stakeholders to help repackage the game for Nigeria’s greater glory.
Alhaji Aminu, while speaking to newsmen on the state of Judo in Nigeria, with reference to the recently concluded All Africa Games, where it managed to win three bronze medals, courtesy of women as well as the forthcoming All Women Judo championship in Abuja, highlighted the problems of Judo in the Nigeria’s sports industry and the possible things that can be done to rescue the game from phasing out.
The man who has spent over forty years as a Judoka, however, noted that several issues, have contributed immensely to the game’s backwardness in  recent times.
He said that the just concluded All Africa Games in Congo Brazaville, has become an eye opener to the level of neglect.
He said “the three Bronze Medals came from women and what about men? This got to show that something drastic needs to be done to rescue the sports from going down, either at the state level or at the National level”.
On the way forward, the Director of Human resources in the National Insurance Deposit Corporation NDIC, proffered that the game needed to be repackaged to attract sponsors, stressing that no good investor patronises a bad product.
He further stated that the present nature of judo may not attract any investor, owing to position of things. “We need to put things in order structurally and this has to be a collective effort of all stakeholders.”
On the possibility of his organization becoming a major sponsor of judo in Nigeria, he said “I believe that it is possible to do that owing to the fact that NDIC has been doing such to other sports including basketball, handball and others. But unfortunately, judo has not been part of our priority and maybe because it doesn’t look attractive. But I am not assuring you anything because I am not at the helm of affairs here. I can only recommend to my executive director, for approvals and if it scales through, then we can do business.”

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here