The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has commended the Nigerian government for agreeing to host the 13th ECOWAS African Wrestling Tournament, which commenced on Thursday with a vibrant opening ceremony at the Velodrome of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja.
Ambassador Francis Njoaguani, the Director of Youth and Sports Development for ECOWAS, expressed his appreciation while addressing journalists after the opening ceremony, highlighting the importance of the tournament in strengthening cooperation among the 12 member states of ECOWAS.
Although Cape Verde was absent from this year’s event, he underscored the significance of sports as a unifying force that contributes to the integration goals of the regional bloc.
“This programme brings together wrestlers from all our member states,” Njoaguani stated. “It strengthens collaboration among nations and showcases the unifying power of sports. We believe that this will enhance the integration factor that ECOWAS advocates.”
Statistics indicate that young people make up 54 per cent of the population within ECOWAS, and a majority of sports participants belong to this demographic. Njoaguani noted the crucial role that sports play in economic development and youth engagement.
“Sports not only connect participants but also drive economic growth,” he said. “We aim to leverage sports to spread the message of ECOWAS regarding integration and youth development, which are vital to our overarching goals of development and human capital enhancement.”
The tournament is set to commence with team events, where competing countries will face off against one another. Tomorrow, wrestlers will participate in weight classification bouts across categories of 65kg, 75kg, 85kg, 100kg, and 120kg.
Matches will follow an elimination format until semi-finalists are determined.
Njoaguani extended an invitation to the public for the final day of competition on Saturday, when the semi-finals and finals will take place. Medals and prizes will be awarded to victors on this concluding day of the tournament.
As the excitement builds, the tournament aims not only to showcase athletic talent but also to foster regional camaraderie and development through the spirit of competition.
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