Judo: Nigerian Army Ready To Roar In Edo Championship

Time was, when the Nigerian Army bestrode the nation’s sports landscape like a colossus but things went awry when those who lacked administrative acumen were handed sensitive responsibility.

But lately, the story changed with the appointment of Brigadier General John Olutoye as the Director of Nigerian Army sports.

Thus as the National Judo Championship gets underway in the Edo state capital, Benin City on Thursday, all eyes would be on the Nigerian Army judo team.

If preparations were to determine who wins the championship, the Army team should step forward and be crowned without a contest.

But sports contests are not won and lost like that; there must be a struggle and that is what will happen in Benin City when judokas from states, clubs and the military jostle for laurels.

And it would be a fierce contest as judokas who are starved of regular competitions get a rare opportunity to express themselves.

However, on paper, the Army team looks promising to sweep the stakes. The team which has been in camp in Zaria since February under the watchful eyes of its coach, Miller Waribo, spent one week in the dojo of national coach emeritus, Edokpolor Ihaza at the National Stadium in Lagos.

Coach Waribo told PM EXPRESS after the one week with Ihaza that his team was ready to face any opposition.

According to him,  “We came to Lagos to meet our father in the game, coach Ihaza and he has loaded the team with confidence and new ideas.

After, this Lagos experience, we are sure of making an impact at the championship”.

Coach Ihaza described the Nigerian Army team as “a group of disciplined young men and women with a great future in the game of judo”.

He said they were capable of dominating the Edo championship if they remained focused

Over two hundred judokas will participate in the three-day event which ends on Saturday.