Repackaged Ambode Wrestle Force Tourney Holds From 14-28 May

The A+A Intercontinental Wrestle Force Festival, which was supposed to hold last December, has now been repackaged and rescheduled to hold from 14-28 May, 2017.

The international wrestling championship, which is being staged to celebrate the Governor of Lagos State, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, is sanctioned by the Current World Wrestling Federation headquartered in Vienna, Austria and Nigerian Professional Wrestling Federation.

Chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) Otunba Denge Anifowoshe said the competition, which was postponed from December last year, has become a bigger event as A+A Intercontinental Wrestle Force Festival will now be organized to celebrate 50th anniversary of Lagos State and second anniversary of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode in office in May.

“We have painstakingly repackaged Ambode Wrestle Force Tourney with active collaboration with the Lagos State Sports Commission and the Office of the Senior Special Assistant on Sports to the Governor of Lagos. We did this with the approval of our sports loving Governor who is equally happy that this championship is coming up at the right time, ” said the Chairman of the LOC.

Otunba Anifowoshe, who is also a member of the board of Lagos State Neighborhood Watchers, said the festival is a public/private partnership project packaged to showcase Lagos as one of the emerging mega cities of world.

“From 14-28 May, Lagos will be agog, this has never happened in Africa before, as renowned world wrestlers will be here live to do their trade at 14 different centres across the three senatorial districts of Lagos State beginning from Epe and climax in Agege, ” he said.

Coordinator of the Festival, who is also the initiator of the competition, former Nigerian international wrestler, Prince Olanrewaju Mohammed, said that from 47 wrestlers earlier penciled down to fight if the tournament were to be held in December, the LOC is bringing to Lagos no fewer than 75 wrestlers from across all the continents of the world.

A+A Intercontinental Wrestle Force Festival Championship belts just arrived from Vienna, Austria 

“A number of things have been included in the repackaged competition. The belts to be won are now 13 from initial 8,while the number of trophies have increased from 3 to 5. We were directed to do this by the Current World Wrestling Federation which said that a tournament of this nature must be organized in line with international standards. A+A Intercontinental Wrestle Force will be a festival of entertainment, tourism and sports combine together to showcase our Governor and the good people of Lagos State, ” Prince Mohammed said.

Meanwhile, the LOC has released a Timeline detailing the activities that will lead to the period of the championship in May.

While between January and March, the organisers would be courting sponsorships in both the private and public sectors, the month of April will witness physical action around the competition. Early in April, the LOC will process the visas and tickets for the international wrestlers and visiting officials. There will also be visitation to companies, ministries, parastatals, government agencies and the 14 centres where the tournament will take place by the LOC.

Between 9 and 10 May, the wrestlers will arrive Lagos. On 11 May, a scheduled visit by both the local and international wrestlers to the Lagos State House of Assembly has been arranged, while presentation of belts/trophies to the Governor of Lagos State, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode and a world press conference will hold at the Government House in Alausa, Ikeja.

A road show across major streets in Lagos will preceed the commencement of the tournament on 14 May in Epe. While the competition will end on 28 May, the following day, which is Democray Day, international wrestlers and officials will grace the second anniversary of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), Onikan and Eko Hotel & Suites, Lagos before departing to their various countries on 30 May.