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Agara says adoption of new constitution will reposition Karate Federation of Nigeria

Karate
By Dorcas Jonah
Abuja, Jan. 28, 2019 (NAN) The President of Karate Federation of Nigeria (KFN), Silas Agara, says the adoption of a new constitution for the federation will reposition the sport in Nigeria and at the international level.

Agara who spoke on Monday at the KFN Full Council Meeting in Abuja said this would also be a sign of better days for the federation.

He said since the 2017 inauguration of the board he leads, activities have picked up in the sport, pointing out also that Monday’s event was the first-ever KFN full council meeting.

“I can’t remember the last time the federation held a board meeting. From records, I think the last was held in 1996.

“This is the first time on record of the karate federation having a full council meeting. Karate has not been an active sports, except in the last two years.

“Today, we are having a full council meeting to ratify our constitution, so that we can have something that is binding us together, and so that we can come to standard with other federations and be on the same page internationally.

“Let’s have a constitution that will integrate us into the karate family in the world.

“Adopting the constitution is not something only the board can do. We (the board) need the support of all the states, hence the need for the meeting,’’ Agara said.

The KFN president then announced that the federation has successfully established karate in 25 states, adding that the sport was earlier known in 10 states.

He said also that karate has been introduced among competing sports in the Nigeria University Games (NUGA).

“University of Abuja will host the second edition of NUGA Karate, having successfully hosted its first edition,’’ Agara said.

Dilichukwu Onyedinma, a KFN board member, later told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the new constitution would go a long way to develop karate in Nigeria.

The board member, who is also the FCT Director of Sports, said the constitution would ensure grass roots development of the sport and proper guidelines for karate in Nigeria.

Onyedinma added that the adoption of the constitution was to make the federation a legal entity, saying it would also help the federation in its dealings with corporate bodies.

“This new constitution will help to expose Nigeria to the international karate community,” she said.(NAN)
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

 

Sport

Dalung urges national federations to commence preparations for Tokyo 2020 Olympics

NAN-S-2
Olympics
By Dorcas Jonah
Abuja, Nov. 26, 2017 (NAN) Solomon Dalung, Minister of Youths and Sports, has urged national sports federations to commence preparations ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in order to achieve success.

Dalung who spoke at the closing ceremony of the 2017 National Karate Open Championship in Abuja said sports federations hoping to win laurels at the 2020 Olympics must commence preparations early.

Represented by Tayo Oreweme, the Director of the Sports Ministry’s Federation and Elite Athletes Department (FEAD), the minister noted that the Tokyo Games would be karate’s first Olympic outing.

“This will be the first time karate will feature at the Games, hence the need to commence preparations and be part of that history,’’ he said.

Dalung said it was important that preparation should commence immediately in view of the need for the Karate Federation of Nigeria to have its athletes qualify for the Games.

“I hope that the federation’s technical team has been able to identify high-profile athletes from this championship who will be nurtured to stardom to win medals at the Olympics.

“To qualify for the Olympics, all hands must be on deck.

“I want to encourage the federation to spread its tentacles, to get to the corporate and private organisations, as well as the World Karate Federation, for financial and technical support which will ensure successful outings at the qualifying competitions,” he said.

Dalung also called on the national federations to concentrate more on constant organisation of zonal and national competitions for all age categories.

“This is what will help you to identify and nurture potential athletes to represent Nigeria at international competitions,’’ the minister said.

Earlier, President of the federation, Silas Agara, had said karate was becoming a global sport capable of building bridges of love, friendship and cooperation among nations.

“It is for this reason that its inclusion in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games has come to us as a positive development.

“It is my hope and expectation that all stakeholders, athletes, coaches, referees, administrators and sponsors will strive to make our collective dream come true in our determination to place our country on the map of world recognition.

“I urge all participants in the national championship to commit themselves to the sport with all sense of patriotism, having in mind that the essence of participating in competitions is not only the euphoria of winning.

“Have it in mind that there is more fulfillment in the coming together to enhance national integration,’’ he said.

Agara restated the federation’s resolve to open up opportunities for all athletes, regardless of gender, class or age, in order to enable sportsmen and women realise their aspirations.

He promised to ensure equal development and promotion of karate in the 36 states of the federation and the FCT through sustained courses, seminars, competitions and provision of access to facilities.

Agara said no stone would be left unturned as the federation sets out to identify athletes who possess the needed potential for the 2020 Olympics.

NAN reports that FCT and Lagos won gold in the kata female and male team events respectively.(NAN)
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

Sport

National championship will help build strong karate squad for Nigeria, official says

NAN-S-12
Karate
By Dorcas Jonah
Abuja, Nov. 24, 2017 (NAN) Karate Federation of Nigeria (KFN) will use the ongoing National Karate Championship to build a strong squad which will positively represent Nigeria at continental events and the Olympics, an official says.

Bello Omololu, the Chairman, Publicity Sub-Committee of the 2017 National Karate Championship, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja the championship was geared towards repositioning the sport.

“This championship will be used to overhaul and build a new national karate squad as the federation begins preparation towards continental championship and Olympic Games qualifiers,’’ he said.

Omololu added that the two-day championship would kick-start the selection of athletes for the national squad.

“We will use the championship to select outstanding athletes for our national squad,’’ he said.

NAN reports that 113 athletes from 15 states and three clubs are participating in the championship slated for Friday and Saturday.

The championship, which is the first National Karate Championship by the federation’s new board, will see the athletes competing in 12 categories in both the male and female cadres.

NAN also reports that in some of the fights held on Friday, Anambra defeated FCT to proceed to Saturday’s finals in the Kata team event for female.

The championship is holding at the Package B of the Abuja National Stadium.(NAN)
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

Sport

Karate federation begins training of coaches, officials for international tournaments

NAN-S-18
Training
By Dorcas Jonah
Abuja, Nov. 23, 2017 (NAN) Bolaji Sidiq, the Chairman of Nigeria Karate Referees Commission (NKRC), on Thursday said training courses have begun for coaches and officials to prepare ahead of upcoming African Games and Olympics.

Sidiq told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the two-day training course organised by the Karate Federation of Nigeria (KFN) was to keep officials and coaches updated.

He said the training would also offer trainees the opportunity to prepare athletes adequately to represent the country in future national and international championships.

According to him, the federation in its bid to equip its personnel has already staged a National Coaching and Refereeing Course to educate and enlighten the officials.

“The training is to update coaches and officials on international regulations and standards, because there are lots of things that have changed in the World Karate Federation (WKF).

“Some officials attend the WKF courses early in the year, so there is need for us to impact the new rules on our coaches and officials,’’ Sidiq said.

He said since karate had been approved as an Olympics sport, there was the need for adequate training and retraining of its officials.

“We are preparing for the Olympics and in preparing for the Olympics, we must prepare our coaches and officials to be up to date with current rules guiding the game.

“Having competent officials and coaches will enhance competence by athletes and that would bring glory to the federation and the country at large,’’ Sidiq said.

He added that the federation was also working on building a national squad for the game, comprising teams `A’ `B’ and `C’ which would be on standby for any competition.(NAN)
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(Edited by Dauda Shehu and Olawale Alabi)

Sport

KFN honours Nasarawa deputy governor with honorary degree in karate

NAN-S-21

Award
By Sunday John
Lafia, May 12, 2017 (NAN) The Karate Federation of Nigeria (KFN) has awarded Silas Agara, the Nasarawa State Deputy Governor, its Honorary Degree in Karate.

Sadiq Bolaji, Chairman of KFN, while speaking at the 2017 Invitational Karate Championship in Lafia on Friday, said Agara was chosen due to his support to the country’s sports development.

He said the karate game in Nasarawa State and the country at large had been long negleted but due to Agara’s support they had been able to hold the invitational.

“The Deputy Governor has done a lot to ensure that all kinds of sports are given the proper support so as to ensure that both the atheletes and coaches excel to the national level.

“Such kind of person needs to be given high responsibility to oversee sports at the national level because of his passion for the game,” Bolaji said.

On his part, Agara urged participants at the competition to obey the rules governing the game and avoid drugs they thought could enhance their performances.

“Taking any enhancing substance will affect the game negatively, affect the objectives of the competition and deny the athletes the opportunity of excelling,” he said.

The deputy governor urged all the participating teams to exhibit maturity and compete favorably without any acrimony as they are representing their various states.

He advised the participants to take advantage to excel, adding that “if the athletes do it in line with the rules, the sky will be their beginning’’.

Agara said the competition would serve as a platform to discover new talents and would go a long way towards sports development.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that athletes from the FCT and all the six states in the North Central Zone, as well as Kaduna State, participated in the competion.

NAN also reports that athletes from Nasarawa State came first in the competition with seven gold, eight silver and seven bronze medals.

FCT athletes placed second with six gold, two silver and six bronze medals, while Plateau athletes were third with one silver and three bronze medals.

Benue athletes were placed last with no medal.(NAN)
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)