President of the Muaythai Federation of Nigeria (MFN), Comrade Paul Egonu has disclosed that Muaythai sports have been adopted to feature as one of the demonstration sports at the forthcoming National Sports Festival in Edo State next year.
The president said the decision was reached at the second joint technical meeting and facility inspection session organised by the main organising committee for Edo 2020 on December 17, 2019, at the Prestige Hotel Benin. He said the meeting, which had in attendance members of the states’ Directors of Sports Forum, headed by Tunde Kazeem, members of the Main Organising Committee and other stakeholders, gave Muaythai the nod to demonstrate at the festival.
10 athletes have been in camp in Port Harcourt in preparation for the sports festival. Egonu, who is optimistic that Muaythai will in no time win laurels for the country at major championships, said the federation was making efforts to raise more awareness on the sport in Nigeria.
“The federation is leaving no stone unturned in ensuring that Muaythai gets back into reckoning in the household of sports in Nigeria,” he said, adding, “Muaythai has been off the radar for some time due to some challenges, but this time, I and my board have resolved to take all the necessary steps to revive it first in Nigeria and then the world.”
Meanwhile, the Muaythai Federation of Nigeria has congratulated the newly appointed permanent secretary of Youth and Sports, Mr Gabriel Aduda, describing his appointment as well deserved. Egonu in a statement said he had no doubt that the newly-appointed permanent secretary would make a mark in sports development and youth empowerment while wishing him a resounding success in his new endeavour. He said Adudu’s cross-cutting experience in management, administration and consulting with wide-ranging involvement in government and non-governmental sectors, would put sports in the right direction.
