6th July, 2015
Taiwo Adelu
Judokas flying the banner of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, topped the medal table at the end of the National Judo trials to raise a team for the 11th All Africa Games billed for Congo-Brazzaville.
The Civil Defence team garnered five gold medals, one silver and two bronze to emerge champions at the two-day event which took place at NSCDC Academy in Sauka, Abuja at the weekend.
Ondo finished second with three gold medals, one silver and three bronze, while Kano with two gold, one silver and one bronze placed third.
Over a hundred judokas from 14 states, three clubs, the Nigeria Police, Nigeria Immigration and Nigeria Prisons attended the event to jostle for space in the All Africa Games-bound team.
The states include Ondo, Kano, Edo, Lagos, Rivers, Bauchi, Yobe, Ekiti, Jigawa, Osun, Gombe and Oyo.
President of the Nigeria Judo Federation (NJF), Dr. Musa Oshodi said the judokas who performed well would soon be invited to camp to begin preparation for the 11th All Africa Games.
According to him, “the camping for the judokas who made the mark at the trials would commence very soon. We intend to have an intensive preparation which will include taking the team on a tour of the sub-region for some exposure. It’ll be of immense benefit to our team to take on judokas in the sub-region before the Games.”
The high point of the closing ceremony of the trials was the grading and investiture of the Commandant-General of the NSCDC, Dr. Ade Abolurin as a blue belt.
Dr. Oshodi said the honour was conferred on the NSCDC chief “for his enormous contribution to the development of judo in the last two years.”
Chairman of the Grading Committee of the NJF and national coach, Mr. Edokpolor Ihaza performed the ceremony.
Dr. Abolurin in his acceptance of the honour thanked the NJF leadership and pledged the NSCDC continued support.