BENIN CITY – Edo State Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu has praised the Vice Chancellor and Management of the University of Benin for promoting institutional sports through hosting of the 2nd Nigerian University Karate (NUKA) Championship.
Speaking as a special guest at the just concluded NUKA Championship hosted by the University of Benin, the Deputy Governor, represented by the
Chairman, Edo State Sports Commission, Godwin Dudu-Orumen Esq, “In the spirit of the new dispensation in Edo State, His Excellency the Deputy Governor and I are on the same page in terms of institutional sports and tertiary institutions which we believe hype and aid our developmental programmes.
He asked me to take notes here and report back to him on how higher institutions along with secondary schools can help to ensure we start sports at an early age. And here is a very comfortable and good mix between sports and academics.
Therefore, what we are seeing here today is the very representation of the Edo State Government in sports led by His Excellency the Deputy Governor.
As the Chief operator, he ensures this arrangement functions and ensure we are moving in the right direction. This event is just one of such things that would promote sports, employment of youths in Edo State, healthy development of adults and youths not just here but by extension, Nigeria.”
The combative Karate championship which took place at the main bowl of the Sports Complex, University of Benin (Uniben) got spectators electrified and supportive of their team of choice due to the active bouts by the different weight categories of male and female karate martial practitioners.
Mainstream organizers of the Championship and Secretary General, Nigerian University Games, Mr. Bola Oredele, said the competition is aimed at, “Keeping the young ones busy, build discipline and tenacity. We want to use this to build leaders for tomorrow in Nigeria who are disciplined, of sound body and mind.
We also want take them away from vices by making them dissipate their energy in the right way to help build a great nation like Japan where Karate emanated from and Korea where they do a lot of Taekwondo. Most Asian countries are very good in martial arts. This is to prepare the young ones for leadership.”
Chief Instructor, Karate Federation of Nigeria (KFN), Dr. Jack Mbom said that the game was significant because institutions of learning are places where the character of individuals are built up.
According to him, Karate is “a martial art. We literally build up people all over the world. Blue blood (royalty) are trained by martial arts. It also builds the health, energy and vitality as well as performance and productivity of practitioners.
Universities must give a pride of place to martial arts as it is part and parcel of the fabrics of the nation. It is better for you to have a warrior in the garden than a gardener in the field of war.”
