NAN-S-8
Taekwondo
By Victor Okoye
Abuja, Dec. 15, 2017 (NAN) Ronald Lukalo, a Kenya-based international Class B2 taekwondo referee, on Friday in Abuja said Nigeria was blessed with the bright nature of its future in the sport.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Lukalo was one of the referees who officiated during the just-concluded Nigeria Taekwondo Open Championship in Abuja.
The first-ever B-ranked Nigeria Taekwondo Federation (NTF) event featured athletes from Nigeria, as well as Cameroon and Niger Republic.
The Nigerian athletes were from teams from 20 states, four universities and six private clubs, as well as two Armed Forces sectors and two para-military bodies.
Lukalo told NAN that the standard and quality of the Nigeria Taekwondo Open was good, adding however that there were few areas that still needed a little bit of polishing.
“It was a wonderful tourney. I can see that Nigeria has started from somewhere and it has a great future in this sport.
“I recall that there used to be some problems here and there in the federation, especially during the elections.
“But, after the elections, I saw the group of people that emerged as leaders of the federation and I was pleased. This is one of the reasons I took the initiative to be part of this championship.
“I wanted to see the good work they have started because, even in Kenya, we are faced with a similar problem as we haven’t held elections for more than 10 years now,” he said.
The referee noted that Kenyans have a lot to learn from Nigeria, adding that with the right set of leaders in any organisation, the sky was the limit.
“We are learning from the Nigeria situation and this has given us a way forward. Indeed, this crop of leaders in the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation (NTF) is a very effective bunch.
“The President (Margaret Binga) has also been a colleague in the referee fraternity and I actually can testify about her abilities. She is someone that, if given a chance, will definitely prove herself.
“So, I see that there is a great future for Nigeria,” he said.
Lukalo explained that training and competitions were key elements in the sport, adding that training involved grassroots development of both the athletes, coaches and referees.
He added that competitions were needed to develop and improve the skills of all three components of the sport.
“The athletes, coaches and referees need more exposure, because if they are not exposed to more international tournaments such as this, then the federation is really doing nothing.
“But from what I have seen in the blueprint of Binga and her team, I can tell that she has got a very good programme for the grassroots as well as the national team.
“If only she can be accorded the support that she requires, I see Nigeria going very far in the next two to three years,” the referee said.
He however advised the NTF president to reach out to all aggrieved parties and carry everyone along.
“Let’s keep politics aside and concentrate on building a team. Positions are nothing, but the most important thing is what you can deliver.
“If all the parties can come together and stand united with one purpose and one voice, the federation will indeed be stronger and better for it,” Lukalo said.
The Kenyan referee said it was his third time in the country, and he was looking forward to coming often for future NTF tournaments.
“This is my third time in the country. The first time I came was during the All-Africa Games in 2003 and then I was also here for the last edition of the Chika Chukwumerije Sports Foundation (CCSF) tournament earlier in the year.
“Nigeria is a beautiful country. The food, the people and the hospitality are second to none and I look forward to coming here again,” he said.(NAN)
VO/OLAL
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)