The Asagba of Asaba, Obi (Prof) Chike Edozien has pledge his support and that of the palace to the Africa’s Heavy Weight champion, Mr. Godspower Ikpide and to ensure that the wrestling contest between him (Ikpide) and the dreaded Marvellous Buffalo from Angola was duly contested in a peaceful atmosphere.
The monarch noted that the wrestling was of great importance as it would create business opportunities for the indigenes and other residents of the town which according to him would turn Asaba, the Delta State capital to a tourist centre while it lasts.
Loading ...The Asagba stated this when Mr. Godspower and his team paid a courtesy call on him at the palace to informed him on the planned wrestling contest with him (Ikpide) and Buffalo, which has been scheduled to hold in his kingdom at the Asaba Township Stadium on May 1st 2016.
Aptly represented by Chief P.I.G Onyeobi, the traditional ruler congratulated the heavy weight champion for his achievements, saying “I also congratulate you in advance for your victory because haven step on the soil of this palace, the success in the palace will follow you”, just as the king thanked him for bringing the contest to Asaba, which according to him would turn the capital to a tourist centre.
The Obi said, “You have done something good, which is to me is to promote tourism because I believe that on that day many people will be in Asaba and the local economy will benefit from the contest. I hope that from time to time such contest will be brought to your home state to help promote the economy of the state”, assuring that the palace would support him in his endeavour and to create a peaceful environment for the contest, “because we are a peace loving people, we don’t encourage anybody who disturb peace”.
Also, the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Usman Baba Alkali also pledged his support for the event and promised to mobilize officers in his command to ensure that the event records unprecedented success, “we will support you in terms of security for your visitors and to ensure that the event goes uninterrupted”.
Earlier, the heavy weight champion, a native of Oweh, Isoko North Local Government Area of the state said he would battle it out with his opponent, dreaded Marvellous Buffalo from Angola in order to retain his title.
The Isoko born champion got his title September 19th 2015 in Cameroon where he defeated the three times national champion, Mitchel Noudem Lamatrick, “I want to defend this same title I won in Cameroon in the presence of my people in Delta State to bring back the lost glory”.
The contest would draw other wrestling champions and observers from the United States of America, Ghana, Scotland and South Africa among other African countries.
Mr. Ikpide, while speaking with journalists revealed that the state governor Senator (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa has given the event a-go-ahead and has promised to host it, “Now that he has endorsed the sponsorship, I am set to defend my title”.
His words: “I am the current African Wrestling Heavy Weight Champion. I took the title on the 19th September 2015 and I am due to defend the title here in Asaba and we titled it “the return of glory; Delta State, Asaba 2016. By the grace of God it will take place on the1st of May at the Asaba Township Stadium, indoor sport hall. It is an African title and it is going to bring honour to the state and the country at large”.
“I have been wrestling for almost 30 years now. I started from the traditional way before I graduated to the professional wrestling. Wrestling is my profession, career, hobby and I leave, dream and wake up in wrestling. I have decided to come to my state to defend my title and if I win the title, I have also promised to dedicate it to Delta State on its 25 years anniversary. Now that the governor has endorsed the sponsorship, on 1st of May, the event will take place. I deemed it fit that I come to pay homage to the owner of the land. I may have the physical ability but I may not have the logistic and moral abilities but all I know is that the title is in Nigeria, Delta State and it is here in the palace and I will need the fatherly blessing to forge ahead”, he said.
When asked on why he chose Delta State capital for the contest, he said, after much deliberation in Ghana over the venue, it was unanimously agreed that he takes the fight to his country, saying “if I can travel all the way to Cameroon from Nigeria and I was able to defeat my opponent, I will also want to defend the title in the presence of my people to return the glory and at the same time to educate people what professional wrestling is all about”, he boasted.
According to him, “It is also to encourage the youths to disengage or disassociate from every social vices. Wrestling is an entertainment sport, one makes money from it and you use it to disengage the youths from social vices. We are preaching against drug abuse, rape and anything that has to do with criminal activity because for me to be able to train myself to this level and become an African Champion, it means there is something good in it and it will also boost the economy of the state because we are going to have international witnesses from Scotland, United States of America, South Africa and by so doing we are popularizing the name of the state because if the state can host such a programme in a laudable way, it will go about speaking good about the image of the state”.
He said he would like to be a role model to the youths, disclosing, “We want to set up an academy where we can also groom up youths and those that will be interested in the game of professional wrestling which will take the youths off the streets and become potential champions in the future”.
Meanwhile, Victor Idroyem of Akwa-Ibom would be holding ground with Major Ariba of Kwara State on same day to clinch his ‘Middle Weight’ national title.
