NAN
Enugu State Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Joseph Udedi, on Wednesday inaugurated a 11-member board of state’s Taekwondo Association with an appeal for them to popularise the sports.
Udedi, who conducted the inauguration in his office in Enugu, urged the board to make the sport viable and attract personalities and corporate bodies that would support it to grow in the state.
“I charge you (board members) to be committed to greater performance of the sport and its athletes both at national and international levels.
“The board must also seek ways to uplift taekwondo in the state as well as popularise it through well thought out catch-them-young programmes and clinics,’’ he said.
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Responding, Chairman of the Board, Ebere Amaraizu, promised that he would work closely with members of the board to organise taekwondo clinics and programmes to make the sport popular among residents of the state.
Amaraizu noted that the quality and experience of men and women in the board would attract sponsorship to the sport.
“We will support the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation and its athletes for the growth and development of the sport in the state through routine local competitions as well as sponsorship for national tournaments,’’ he said.
The National Taekwondo Coach of the Nigeria Police Force, Peter Anodi, who is on tour of police command sports officers and taekwondo coaches, was present during the inauguration.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the board members included: Prof. Obinna Onwujiekwe as Deputy Chairman; Dr Chibuzor Uguru as Secretary; Dr C.N. Mbachu as Treasurer, Chief Ikechukwu Nwandu as member and Afam Udeani also a member,
Other members are Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, Dennis Ani (sports ministry’s representative), Taekwondo Master Frankline Ekwerike as Coach; Musa Elakhame as taekwondo athletes’ representative and Ugochukwu Okeiyi as Media Officer.