Taking African Pro Wrestling to the next level is achievable – Olukoya

Olusesan Olukoya is a prominent figure in African professional wrestling; serving as the Secretary General of Pro -Wrestling Africa (PWA), Director of Publicity for the Nigeria Pro- Wrestling Federation and the Executive Director at the Pro- Wrestling Afrik Promotions Ltd, a registered company promoting professional wrestling in Nigeria and beyond.
Olukoya is also the Chief Operation Officer (COO) and a board member of the Golden Wrestling Federacy (GWF) based in Florida, the USA under the auspices of Dr. Jim McDowell, the Golden Boy. He’s currently in Brussels, the Belgian Capital to get some African talents train with the Brussels Young Wrestling Style (BYWS) team who are the rave of the moment in Europe.

In an online interview with newstap.com.ng from Brussels, he noted that taking African Pro -Wrestling to the next level is achievable considering efforts being made in that direction.

You’re presently in Belgium with three African wrestlers namely; Eagle De Great Nail, Big Joe and Otaka. Can you tell us the purpose of the visit

The tour to Belgium is to enable some of our wrestlers get acquainted with the most modern technique in professional wrestling and I must have to tell you that 1’m highly excited bringing talents to Brussels to learn more about the game under the auspices of the African legend, Shaolin Master, Nsimba Bafuka who heads the BYWS and the Belgium Pro Wrestling Federation.
He’s really devoting his time to get the wrestlers train during this tour and this is well appreciated.

Apart from the training what other benefits are we expecting from the visit

There are many benefits associated with the visit because with my close to four decades of experience in professional wrestling beginning from 1989 where I have made significant contributions as a manager, columnist, publisher, crusader, historian, activist and a promoter, I was able to learn new things as an administrator and manager which will be of immense help as we try to move the sports to another level in the continent.

Are there plans to take other wrestlers to Belgium for further training or is it just a one off thing

This is just the beginning of new things to happen in African wrestling. The tour will be a continuous process because we rely want to change the narratives of African wrestling and being in partnership with the Brussels Young Wrestling Style (BYWS) team, who are the rave of the moment in Europe and under African legend, Shaolin Master, Nsimba Bafuka, there is no going back in what we’re doing right now.

What level of support are you getting from the BYWS

Shaolin Master, the head trainer and coordinator has promised to support the progressive works of Pro Wrestling Africa (PWA) in taking professional wrestling to greater heights in Nigeria and the African continent. He has also promised us constant training of African talents in Belgium. And I want to say that we’ve not had it so good like this before.
You’re aware that we have raw talents in Africa who need adequate exposure and support to rule the world of mats man game and with the present training programme in Belgium, the sky is the limit for our wrestlers.

But do you think African wrestling is growing the way it suppose to grow

Actually, taking African Pro- Wrestling to the next level is a huge task considering the environment we live in. Like I said earlier, we have a lot of talented wrestlers who can compete favourably with their peers from Europe and America but adequate exposure and encouragement has been the bane of the sports but I believe that although it’s a huge task but it’s achievable.
The training programme in Europe is just the beginning of new things to happen in African wrestling and hopefully we’re gradually getting there.

You’ve been instrumental in promoting pro -wrestling in Africa through your work as a writer, promoter, administrator and Executive Director of a world renowned wrestling body, what has been your inspiration.

My inspiration has been the love I have for the sports and my believe that talented fighters should be given opportunity to not only excel in the sports but get decent living through wrestling and that’s why for close to four decades now, I have been putting in all my best to move the game to another pedestal and help young wrestlers achieve their goals in the sports.

Are you not discouraged by the fact that African wrestlers are not getting adequate support from their governments and corporate organisations

To be sincere with you, inadequate support from both government and corporate organisations have been the greatest challenge towards moving the game forward and am pained that most wrestlers get discouraged from these ill treatment. But as somebody who’s passionate about the game, we have to keep pushing knowing fully well that very soon we shall get to the end of the tunnel. And that’s why the training in Belgium is coming at the right time because it will help us change the face of professional wrestling not only in Nigeria but the entire African continent.

Finally what lessons are to be learnt from the Belgium training tour

A lot of lessons are to be learnt from the trip. The wrestlers had the opportunity of being exposed to the most modern equipment in wrestling and also trained under the tutelage of great fighters led by African legend, Shaolin master Nsimba Bafuka. I can tell you that our wrestlers are happy coming to Belgium for the training and after the programme, they’ll never remain the same again in the mats man game