‘’Edo State Invitational Amateur Wrestling Tournament will showcase new talents and produce national champions’’ – Morris Atula
The Chairman of the Edo State Wrestling Association, Morris Atula, in an interview has made his point known that the upcoming Edo State Invitational Wrestling Tournament that will feature 12 states would produce new talents across the participating states round the federation.
Edo State Amateur Wrestling Association Chairman, Morris Atula
‘’The proposed Edo State Invitational Wrestling Championship scheduled to hold from Friday 5th to Monday, 8th August 2022 will definitely produce the future champions of the mat sport from our part of the world nationally, continentally and even world champions,’’ explained Atula who has seen it all from the cradle as an amateur talent to World Light Heavyweight champion and titleholder pro wrestler.
Atula, who started wrestling at the tender age of fourteen years old when it was just introduced to the Nigerian nation by Coach Mike Bamidele, the former World light-heavyweight wrestling champion also known as African Tiger, has seen it all in the world of wrestling as an amateur wrestling champion, pro-wrestling world champion, administrator, activist, manager, referee and promoter. He was a pioneer Nigerian pro wrestler. He was among the first group of wrestlers that started the sport in Nigeria with the likes of Tony Destroyer, Elephando Bassey and Kally Agogo. Morris has sincerely contributed a quota to wrestling growth, upliftment and development back home in Nigeria and at the international level considering his unfailing support for the development of the sport.
Morris as World Light Heavyweight Pro Wrestling Champion after a contest
He sponsored the first edition last year and he will be sponsoring the Invitational Amateur Wrestling Championship that will feature twelve states among the 36 wrestling associations as just 12 states have been selected and invited.
The event was initially slated to hold from August 4th to 6th but the authority approved August 5th to 8th which is a welcome initiative as the association secretary, Gladys Osuagwu, confirmed the change in date of the State Invitational Amateur Wrestling Tournament.
First edition talents with the two coaches in a pose with the 4-year-old Ogiemwonyi Osaretin who emerged victorious
“I have reasons for deciding to sponsor another timely championship just like I did last year within Edo local government which yielded a positive response. We have only invited 12 states to participate in this timely Edo State Invitational Wrestling Tournament so as to get the best out of the championship. My reason for sponsoring another Edo State Invitational Wrestling tournament that will hold at the Sam Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin, Edo State is basically to identify and showcase young talents at the school levels from many states since our focus is on talents from 8 to 16 years. We have to discover them early enough, groom them to enable them excel in the sport. We really want to catch them while young and still tender to control. We sincerely believe in the enduring legacy of the “catch them young” philosophy and project as it is also a life-fulfilling career. Seeing the involvement of school kids and youths in sport and beyond the tournament period, they would definitely become elite young athletes by taking part in competitions and regular training from their tender ages,’’ explained Morris.
From the various screening procedures of last year’s state event, a 4-year-old, Ogiemwonyi Osaretin, emerged the eventual winner of the Morris Atula Face of Wrestling in Edo State on Friday, 8th October, 2021. While this year, there is anticipation for other kids and youths from the hosting state of Edo as well as other states to emerge as champions.
