Steps continue to be taken to establish pro wrestling in African nation Benin Republic

‘’Pro Wrestling will thrive in Benin Republic’’ – Nonvignon

“Professional wrestling as a sport would definitely grow and develop very well in the Republic of Benin considering the plans on (the) ground to promote the grunt and groan game in our part of the world. We have been able to set up a committee to see to establishing professional wrestling in Benin Republic as we cannot afford to be left behind in this moving train,’’ commented the Republic of Benin Director of Sport and Sports Training (Dsfs), Okry Christophe Nonvignon.

The Republic of Benin from north to south is a long stretched country in West Africa, situated on the East of Togo and west of Nigeria, it is bordered to the north by Burkina Faso and Niger, in south by the Bight of Benin, in the Gulf of Guinea. Though soccer is the most popular sport in Benin, governed by the Benin Football Federation, the Benin national football team (Les Ecureuils) joined both FIFA and CAF in 1969 when the nation was still Dahomey. Dahomey became Benin in 1975 and other sports are gradually gaining prominence in that small nation.

When the Secretary General of the Pro Wrestling Africa (PWA) Olusesan Olukoya visited the Beninese Director of Sport and Sports Training, he was so optimistic about developing the game in his French nation. At a meeting held at a short distance from the Marina Palace in Cotonou City where a 30-metre-high monument called the Benin Amazone stands, the sports Director welcomed the continental wrestling organization secretary general in appreciation for making it to Cotonou all in an effort to see to how professional wrestling can be established in Benin Republic.

The official capital of Benin Republic is Porto-Novo, but Cotonou is Benin's largest city, with its chief port, and its de facto administrative capital. It is a fact that this small country in West Africa was once the center of a powerful regional kingdom called the Kingdom of Dahomey as the small nation of about 13 million people is becoming more and more eager to honour its historical heroes and heritage.

The Sports Director was full of appreciation to the Golden Boy and his wrestling body the Golden Wrestling Federacy based in Florida, USA, for the donated T-shirts, face caps, wrist bands and the Golden coins while also promising that Benin would definitely be represented at the 2024 Pro Wrestling Training of West African athletes scheduled to hold in Lome, Togo. The President/CEO of the Golden Wrestling Federacy (GWF), Dr. James McDowell “The Golden Boy,” has said that his body is set and ready to take pro wrestling crusade training in Africa to the next level with the first of its kind professional wrestling training with West African athletes to start with.

“I have the heritage of Benin Republic and Togo both in West Africa. At GWF, we are indeed glad that we would be kick starting a project in West Africa, my origin, in six months’ time. No place like home and I am indeed glad to be going back to my source,’’ Golden Boy explained.

Traditional kokulé wrestling is an arm of local wrestling in Benin and bringing in those home based talents to pro wrestling will make Benin stand out in the game as those guys are talented, muscular and acrobatically ready to become pro wrestlers. The international traditional wrestling festival Kokulé Dilla 2022 held a year ago. For this festival, Togo and Benin were in competition, the wrestlers demonstrated how much they are holders of this ancestral heritage, given the different techniques of traditional kokulé wrestling that they presented to the new generation of wrestlers.

Shots from a recent trip to Benin Republic by Pro Wrestling Africa Secretary General Olusesan Olukoya