March 16, (THEWILL)- The management of the prestigious Lagos Continental Hotel rolled out the red carpet on Friday, to honour the Nigerian mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters, who excelled at the 13th African Games in Ghana.
MMA made its debut as a demonstration sport at the continental games, and Nigeria’s contingent topped the medal table with an impressive haul of five gold, three silver, and one bronze medal.
The gold medallists were Muzan Richard (120.5 kg), Eze Daniel (83.9 kg), Busayo Idowu (52.2 kg), Olanike Sodiq (61.2 kg), and Joy Obanla (65.8 kg). Albert Idowu (70.3kg) clinched the bronze, while Blessing Karo (61.2kg), Benard Eweh (65.8kg), and Winifred Peter (47.6kg) secured silver medals. These nine fighters were selected from a pool of 60 athletes who participated in the national tournament held on February 18 at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos.
To achieve their dreams, the determined fighters embarked on a 10-hour road trip to Accra, the capital of Ghana. Silver medallist Idowu, who transitioned from boxing to MMA, described the Accra experience as “worthwhile,” emphasising that it has strengthened her resolve to make a name for herself in the sport.
Karl Hala, the General Manager of Continental Group Nigeria, praised the medallists as role models for Nigerian youth. “We are proud of your performance in Ghana, and this is another importance of sports and youth support, which we hope will bring a bright future and hope for a long and fruitful partnership with Boxing and MMA Hall of Fame (HOF),” Hala said.
Kehinde Soyannwo, the General Secretary of Boxing and MMA Hall of Fame and the official representative of the Global Association Of Mixed Martial Arts (GAMMA) in Nigeria, reiterated the organisation’s mission. “Boxing and MMA Hall of Fame’s mission, as our honorable founder, Wale Edun said, is to give a chance to excel and make Nigeria proud on the World stage as amateurs and even professionals. And we are witnessing this moment of pride now.”
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
