Oshodi Re-elected President Of Judo Federation, Outlines Vision For Growth, Grassroots Dev’t

Dr Musa Oshodi has been re-elected unopposed arsenic the President of the Nigeria Judo Federation (NJF) for a 2nd word of 4 years.

The elections, conducted yesterday successful Abuja, resulted successful the emergence of Salisu Muhammad Aliyu and Lawrence Esudu arsenic the archetypal and 2nd vice presidents of the Federation, respectively. Both were elected unopposed, alongside Jude Aifuwa Atoe from Benin, who besides secured the presumption of Secretary-General of NJF without opposition.

In different cardinal positions, Franca Audu was elected arsenic the Athlete Representative connected the NJF board, portion Amos Iliya claimed the relation of Technical Representative, and Jeneth Ewagu was voted successful arsenic Treasurer of the Federation.

The elected zonal representatives are arsenic follows: Salisu Mohammed Aliyu – North West; Ado Umar Garko – North East; Damisa Suleiman – North Central; Musa Oshodi – South West; Esudu Lawrence – South East; and Josh Franklin – South South.

Speaking to journalists aft taking the oath of bureau for his 2nd term, President Musa Oshodi unveiled a bold and forward-looking docket aimed astatine consolidating past achievements and elevating the athletics to caller heights.

“This 2nd word is not conscionable a continuation—it is astir consolidation and advancement,” Oshodi declared. “We volition physique connected the gains we’ve made and propulsion guardant with renewed vigor and purpose.”

He reaffirmed his committedness to positioning judo arsenic a premier athletics successful Nigeria, alongside football, athletics, and wrestling, stating that his halfway docket focuses connected upgrading the skills of athletes, coaches, and referees done nonrecreational grooming programmes.

“We cannot absorption solely connected athletes—our coaches and referees are arsenic important. Coaches bid them, and referees correspond our federation connected the planetary stage. We indispensable heighten their method and intelligence capacity.”

Oshodi highlighted the value of investing successful sports infrastructure and announced plans to signifier a credible selling committee composed of experienced professionals to realise the federation’s ambitious goals.

“Our dreams volition not stay connected paper. With coagulated selling and partnerships, we volition bring them to life. We mean to dainty judo arsenic a business—not conscionable a sport. We privation our younker to instrumentality pridefulness successful wearing the judo badge and to take judo implicit different sports.”

Oshodi promised that his 2nd word would witnesser a robust grassroots revival plan, including cadet and inferior tournaments nationwide.

“We’re going backmost to the grassroots. That’s wherever the existent endowment lies, and that’s wherever the aboriginal of Nigerian judo begins. Without grassroots development, we’re lone deceiving ourselves.”

He added that these grassroots initiatives would beryllium accordant and strategic, ensuring sustainability and semipermanent impact.

Looking ahead, Oshodi outlined the federation’s strategy for planetary representation, peculiarly successful narration to aboriginal Olympic Games.

“We’ve progressed from having nary athletes to having 7 oregon 8 successful the Olympic qualifying zone. The adjacent measurement is to enactment successful arsenic galore planetary championships arsenic imaginable to summation ranking points.”

He emphasised the request for aboriginal mentation and adjacent monitoring of elite athletes, galore of whom are grooming abroad.

“We privation to guarantee they person entree to grants and due training. Our nationalist coaches volition support adjacent oversight, careless of wherever these athletes are based.”

Oshodi besides acknowledged the enactment of the National Sports Commission (NSC) and the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), reiterating his committedness to maintaining a smooth, collaborative narration with each stakeholders.

Dr Babatunde O Salu, Chairman of the Electoral Committee, described the elections arsenic free, fair, and transparent.