Pro- Wrestling Africa Set to Honour Philip Shaibu at Continental Pro -Wrestling Championship in Lagos
Pro- Wrestling Africa (PWA) has announced plans to honour Nigerian sports administrator and former Edo State Deputy Governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu, with an International Royal Award for Pro -Wrestling Excellence (IRAWE), a distinguished award at the forthcoming Continental Wrestling Championship scheduled for Sunday May 3rd 2026 at the NIS Gymnasium Hall, National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.
Pro Wrestling Africa is a continental body dedicated to the promotion, development, and organization of professional wrestling across Africa.
The organization works to provide opportunities for African wrestlers while building partnerships with international wrestling promotions to expand the reach of the sport on the continent. It is a confederation of African pro wrestling bodies.
According to the Secretary General of PWA, Amb. Olusesan Olukoya, the global award has been approved by the Allied Independent Wrestling Federations (AIWF), based in NC, USA a long-standing American-based professional wrestling sanctioning body and alliance which acts as a global network, supporting over 150 independent promotions across 60 countries, focusing on talent development and promoting independent wrestling, who have conferred on Shaibu the INTERNATIONAL ROYAL AWARD FOR PRO WRESTLING EXCELLENCE (IRAWE) which will now be presented to him during the championship.
According to him, the award is in recognition of Shaibu’s consistent support for sports development in Nigeria and his commitment to youth empowerment through athletics.
Shaibu, who served as Deputy Governor of Edo State from 2016 to 2024, has long been recognized for his passion for sports and grassroots development.
His contributions to Nigerian sports administration have also been acknowledged through various national recognitions and appointments.
In 2025, he was appointed Director-General of the National Institute for Sports (NIS), further demonstrating his involvement in strengthening sports institutions and athlete development across the country.
A statement from the Secretary General noted that the award will be presented during the championship ceremony in May, which is expected to attract wrestlers, promoters, and sports stakeholders from across Africa while staff and students of the NIS would also be present as the event would feature wrestlers from USA, Nigeria, Cameroon, Benin Republic, Togo and Ghana.
“Comrade Philip Shaibu has shown remarkable dedication to the advancement of sports and youth development. His commitment to empowering athletes and strengthening sporting structures in Nigeria makes him a deserving recipient of this honour,” the PWA secretary explained.
The Continental Wrestling Championship, organized by Pro Wrestling Africa, aims to promote professional wrestling on the continent while providing a platform for African wrestlers to showcase their talents and build international connections.
Olukoya further stated that the recognition of Shaibu reflects the organization’s commitment to celebrating individuals who have made significant contributions to sports development and youth empowerment in Africa.
