Celebrating Nigeria’s Golden Generation: Idehen, Embodiment Of Discipline, Loyalty, Courage

IKPO IGBINOBA 

Erstwhile national judo coach, Edokpolor Ihaza has a way with words. He doesn’t waste them. He employs them carefully, frugally, and deliberately. Put succinctly, eloquence is not one of the gifts of the undisputed oracle of Nigerian judo.  However, when the subject matter is Kelvin Idehen, Ihaza waxes eloquent. 

The glint which appears in his eyes due to his excited state momentarily lights up his dour demeanour.

Ihaza was asked to contribute to a series featuring judokas who were members of the Golden Generation of Nigerian Judo.

The objective of the series is to celebrate this group of athletes who gave their all selflessly in the service of their Fatherland. 

The ultimate goal of the initiative is to reignite the fading flame of patriotism in the new generation of judokas to help in reinventing the sport which at a time brought glory and laurels to the country.

Enjoy Coach Ihaza on Kelvin Idehen unedited. 

In his competitive days, Kelvin was one of the most disciplined judokas any coach could have wished for in his team.

A great athlete, Kelvin in his active days sacrificed everything including his own safety for the country.

He was not only a member of the National team when Nigerian judo was at his best, he was also the team captain. 

As a young man in camp, he demonstrated a high sense of responsibility and leadership qualities.

Little wonder then that he was named the captain of the national team after Majemite Omagbaluwaje in 1993. 

Two qualities stood Kelvin out then to be named as captain.

He was the best performing judoka in the country and was also the most disciplined. 

Added to those qualities, he was also the embodiment of humility and courage.  

At the All Africa Games in 1991 which took place in Cairo, Kelvin demonstrated that courage and a high level of patriotism.

During our training tour in Germany, Kelvin picked an injury. 

As the coach, I was even worried that he won’t make it to the Cairo Games because of the gravity of his injury.

But Kelvin gave me his word that he was ready for the Games in spite of the injury which was around the knee area.

When Kelvin promises, he delivers. So I didn’t doubt him.

He did not just attend the Games, he fought his way to a silver medal in the most competitive weight category of the Games(65kg) which is now 66kg.

Kelvin could have made an impact at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992 if he attended. 

But he was a victim of the petty politics played by the powers that were in charge of the federation then.

He was dropped from the team even though he was in devastating form. 

Kelvin gave me some of my happiest moments as a national coach in 1994 when he won gold at the Africa Championship in Madagascar and the Commonwealth Championships in Malta.

I will like to put it on record that in my over thirty years with the national team, I have not seen a fighter like Kelvin.

To the best of my knowledge, he is one of the very few judokas who employ the technique “Yoko tomoe nage (Side Certified Throw)”.

I have not seen any Nigerian or African judoka try the technique.

To further demonstrate his patriotism, Kelvin who left for the United States of America in 1996 to seek for the Golden Fleece has kept in touch with his Nigerian roots. 

I have heard a lot about what he is doing to support judo and judokas in his Edo State and even the nation at large. 

Last year, Kelvin and two of his friends in the US, David Osaghae and Mufu Yahaya pooled resources together to fund a seminar for coaches and referees. 

The programme was foiled by some agents of darkness in the state.

To have another Kelvin Idehen and other members of the Golden Generation is possible. 

However, it requires a lot of hard work by all the stakeholders from the coaches at the grassroot level to the administrators at the federation level.

Kelvin was discovered at the grassroots in Benin City by Coach Sule Sumaila of blessed memory in 1987. 

He won gold in the 1989 National Sports Festival which secured him a place in the national team. 

The federation should go all out to get funds for regular championships because without championships, it will be impossible to develop stars like Kelvin and the other judokas who were members of the Golden Generation of Nigerian Judo.