The highly anticipated ECOWAS African Traditional Wrestling Tournament is now underway in Abuja, Nigeria, marking the end of the wait for fans of the sport.
Persecondnews reports that a total of 55 accredited athletes from 11 countries will battle for top honors, with each nation fielding five wrestlers and four technical officials.
The opening ceremony, scheduled to commence at 12 noon on Thursday, March 6, promises to be a spectacle of culture and sportsmanship, showcasing Nigeria’s rich heritage.
Dignitaries expected at the ceremony include the Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Malam Shehu Dikko, and the Director General, Bukola Olopade, among other top officials.
This year’s edition marks a significant milestone in the evolution of African traditional wrestling, as women wrestlers will participate for the first time in the tournament’s history.
The event is part of the celebrations for the 50th anniversary of ECOWAS, which has emerged as West Africa’s most formidable powerhouse but also Africa’s most successful subregional economic community.
ECOWAS has now transitioned from being a mere international organisation to becoming a community of people, gradually emerging as “ECOWAS of Peoples”, as was encapsulated in its Vision 2020.
The subregional institution has also metamorphosed from being a mere economic bloc into both an economic, political and a sporting union rolled into one, boasting an avalanche of significant successes in subregional integration, peace, and security.
The tournament will feature wrestlers from 11 countries, including Nigeria, and will run from March 6-8, 2025, at the Velodrome of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.
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