ATULA OPTIMISTIC AS VETERANS’ ZONAL WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS START
President of the Veteran Wrestlers Association of Nigeria, Chief Morris Atula has expressed total optimism as zonal youth wrestling championships flags off with the South East version at the Nnamdi Azikiwe stadium, Enugu.
He informed that there will be two (2) batches of the grassroots development program between the months of July and September 2025.
The Edo State Wrestling Association Chairman who was a former Nigeria, Common Wealth and world wrestling champion said that the Veterans are committed in getting the best from talented male and female Greco- Roman Wrestlers in Enugu between July 2nd and 4th 2025.
According to Atula, South East, North Central and South West wrestlers will be in action in July while the second batch featuring North East, North West and South South will take place in different venues in September, 2025.
“We have plenty of hope on the young wrestlers billed to feature in the three day South East zonal junior wrestling championship before we move to other State of the Federation. The moment will also be used to celebrate the Enugu State Executive Governor, Barr. (Dr.) Peter Ndubuisi Mbah for his good governance, particularly his commitment to youth and sports development”, began Atula who listed Enugu, Imo, Ebonyi, Anambra and Abia as states whose wrestlers would feature when the first batch of the veterans zonal wrestling championship gets underway.
Speaking further, Atula who recently relocated to Nigeria after over four decades in the United Kingdom disclosed that more zonal wrestling championship would hold after the Enugu edition.
He said North Central championship would hold in Jos between July 15th and 17th while the South West zonal championship would hold in Lagos between August 1st and 3rd. The venue is Table Tennis Hall of National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.
Atula who confirmed Bauchi as host city of the North East edition in September said, “We are grateful to Executive Governor of Enugu State Barr. (Dr.) Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, Plateau state Executive Governor, Barr. Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang and Executive Governors of Bauchi, Sokoto, Lagos and Edo states for throwing there weights behind Vetertan Wrestlers Association of Nigeria’s effort to ensure that top class wrestlers are discovered and nurtured through the zonal championships holding in the 6 geopolitical zones of the country.
“We are truly committed in our resolve to create the right platform for young and talented Nigerian wrestlers to be discovered and nurtured. The country has abundant talents waiting to be discovered.
“We strongly believe that it is not enough to hold regional championships alone hence we decided to compliment effort of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation with these championships holding in two batches. There is no looking back on veterans’ vow to make Nigeria be among the best wrestling nations in the world”, Atula concluded confidently.
