Stakeholders Endorse Oshodi To Lead Judo Federation

IKPO IGBINOBA 

As the countdown to federation elections continues, stakeholders in judo are rooting for Dr.Musa Oshodi to take over the rein of power at the Nigeria Judo Federation, NJF.

From the South West to the North East and from the South South to North Central, endorsements have been pouring in torrents for Oshodi, a former vice president of the NJF, current chairman of Oyo State Judo Association and President of Oshodi Judo Foundation.

Administrators, coaches, referees, and active judokas are united by the desire to have Oshodi take Nigeria out of its current pathetic state.

Even the stakeholders in the diaspora are part of the endorsement galore. In living memory, the judo community has not been this united.

Some  of the endorsements are published for now. 

Top referee, Kundam Binsak from Plateau State who said it was time to rebrand Nigeria judo believes that only Oshodi has the capacity to do the job.

According to the retired Airforce officer, “At home, Nigeria judo has crashed to the lowest rung of the ladder and abroad, it has a bad image.

“With his pedigree and antecedents, Dr. Musa Oshodi is eminently qualified to lead Nigeria judo out of its current sorry state. 

Binsak added “If I don’t speak for all judokas in the country, I speak for the majority and they are the ones who want our sport to flourish again”.

Another veteran referee, Anwulu Umar Khaleed, echoed the sentiments of Binsak that Oshodi was the man with the capacity to restore the lost glory of Nigeria judo.

In a letter addressed to Oshodi that conveyed his endorsement, Khaleed wrote inter alia “You are all judo needs to fly. You are an excellent and true leader. Your action inspires judokas to dream more, learn more, do more and become more”.

“You are here in order to enable the world of judo to live more amply with greater vision, with finer spirit of hope and achievement”.

Former national coach Edokpolor Ihaza in endorsing Oshodi said Nigeria judo would not have deteriorated if the federation elections of 2017 were not manipulated.

“The 2017 elections were rigged to favour some people and that is why judo is suffering today. If Dr. Oshodi had come in, Nigeria judo would have regained its lost glory.

Edokpolor who is Nigeria’s highest ranked judoka and most successful indigenous national coach said Oshodi has the brilliant ideas and resources required to lift judo.

“I have known Dr. Oshodi for over two decades. Apart from being a successful judoka, a medical director of a reputable hospital and a top flight administrator, he is also a man of impeccable character.

According to Edokpolor “Only a man of Oshodi’s credentials and stature can salvage the martial art which is passing through very difficult times due to poor leadership”.

From the Diaspora, Esosa Aghatatikolo who is based in the United States of America also voiced his endorsement for Dr. Oshodi.

Esosa said if Nigeria judo would ever rise again, a man of  Oshodi’s credentials must be handed the mantle of leadership in the NJF.

According to Esosa “Dr Oshodi has what it takes to salvage our judo. He’s a successful judoka, successful entrepreneur, successful medical doctor and a successful administrator”.

Esosa who was in Ibadan to witness the National Open Judo Championship sponsored by Oshodi Judo Foundation appealed to all stakeholders “Those who mean well for judo should rally round Dr. Oshodi to ensure that he comes on board to save our sport”.

A budding judoka, Ago John who described himself as a student of Judo history in Nigeria said only Dr.Musa Oshodi had the capacity to relaunch judo.

Ago recalled the tenure of Oshodi as vice president of NJF during the first term of Timothy Nsirim.

“During the brief period Dr. Oshodi was vice President and Technical Committee chairman during Nsirim’s first tenure, Nigeria judo was doing very well”

“When he left the board, things went bad again. Without a doubt, for now only Oshodi can deliver Nigeria judo”