……..As Constituency 2 wrestlers lock horns in Toru Orua
Young, well built and energetic, Harrison Isreal of Ofoni Community overpowered a lineup of 31 young and vibrant wrestlers to emerge champion of Constituency 1 and take home the sum of One Hundred Thousand Naira (N100,000) cash prize at the annual edition of the Nanaye Dickson Wrestling Tournament.
The tournament flagged off from Toru Orua at an opening ceremony laced with exciting and inspiring music embedded in the rhythmic pattern of Ijaw drum beats, horns and sonorous songs to urge the combatants on. With strained sinews, grappling against each other, youths of SAGBAMA Constituency 1 in Bayelsa State clearly showed why Wrestling is touted as a sport ingenious to the Ijaw people.
The second position went to Bekekala Ebimobowei from Bolou-Orua community and he got prize money of Seventy Thousand Naira (N70, 000), while the third position went to Bekesuomowei Marine from Bulou-Orua community and he received cash prize of Fifty Thousand Naira (N50, 000) donated by the sponsor, Henry Seriake Dickson Foundation and presented by Senator Henry Seriake Dickson.
Also during the New Year Break, January 2nd, battle is currently ongoing in Sagbama Constituency 2 with over 30 registered wrestlers lined up to engage each other once again in Toru Orua, venue for all wrestling tournaments in Sagbama LGA. It would be the turn of Constituency 3 on the 4th and 5th of January, 2022 at the same venue to complete the Constituency qualifiers.
The LOC according to a press release by the Tournament Consultant, Mr. Ono Akpe, has also decided to hold all the wrestling bouts for the Ekeremor Local Government Area in Ekeremor Town. Thus the matches would hold between the 6th and 10th of Janaury 2022.
The Sagbama Local Government Finals will take place on the 12th of January in Toru Orua, while the Ekeremor Local Government Finals will hold on the 13th of January, 2022 in Ekeremor
Speaking earlier to press men during the opening ceremony in Toru Orua, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, on behalf of his Foundation, thanked the Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee Suoye Lokoja and other members of the LOC for the good organization of this grassroots comminity based Wrestling Tournament.
Senator Dickson earlier noted that, Bayelsa State has more wrestling champions than any State in Nigeria or country in Africa and that this effort of the Foundation will help to talent spot future African Champions and Olympic medalists like Blessing Oborodudu, Victor Kodei, etc.
He said beyond those who won the first, second and third positions, all participants in the tournament today and those who will take place to the end were winners. He said his foundation was more interested in the future of the youthful participants.
He said the Grassroots community based Traditional Wrestling Tournament is in honour of his late father, and an attempt to keep to the legacy of his father, a great wrestler in his time who groomed many young wrestlers, that he is sponsoring this tournament through the Henry Seriake Dickson Foundation.
He added that his desire to keep the art of wrestling alive in Ijaw land because it was a land of champions, further inspired him to support the sport more. He added that he has been told by the LOC that they have already spotted many prospective champions at the beginning of the tournament which was quite impressive. Senator Dickson equally gave all participants five thousand naira each as logistics support.
Senator Dickson later led a procession of wrestlers, spectators and other guests to his father’s compound, the final resting place of his late father, Pa Nanaye Dickson amidst drumming and dancing.
