By Qozeem Oladapo
The Special Assistant to Ekiti State Governor, Photography,Research and Documentation, Mr Ehi Emhonyon has described the game of Taekwondo as one of the games that could put Ekiti state on the pedestal of world beaters in sports and also provide a platform for the younger generation to become responsible citizens.
At the maiden interactive program tagged SWAN ROUNDTABLE organized by the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria -SWAN, Ekiti state chapter, Mr Ehi who was the guest said that the stakeholders needed to unearth the potentials of Taekwondo to harness them for the good of the state and the country at large.
Ehi who has been into Taekwondo since 1995 having earlier ventured into athletics and football while in Lagos noted that Ekiti State would have been doing better at National Sports scene if the State Sports Authority had done the needful at exploring the potentials in Taekwondo.
He recalled that Ekiti State went to the National Sports Festival in Edo state and won a bronze medal courtesy of the only Taekwondo practitioner in the state contingent, Mordecai Ofe saying the state would have done better on the overall medals table if more taekwondo practitioners had been included in the Team Ekiti.
Mr Ehi who won his black belt in taekwondo in 1995 and also teamed up with several household names in taekwondo in the country stressed that the media especially the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria -SWAN nationwide has a great role to play to popularize taekwondo and make people embrace it from Primary and Secondary Schools to Higher Institution level.
He urged SWAN to consistently pay attention to taekwondo in a bid to make parents and guardians have confidence and willingness to allow their children and wards take part in it.
The taekwondo instructor in his 50s said the principle of taekwondo included discipline, self-control, mental alertness, and physical physical fitness saying practitioners especially females can protect themselves from impending danger or attack.
Mr Ehi who expressed optimism that governor Kayode Fayemi and his wife, erelu Bisi Fayemi being gender friendly couple will support the quest to provide an enabling environment for the game to thrive, however urged the Sports ministry and the sports council to project the game of taekwondo positively to get government attention.
He also urged private initiatives to invest in the game in other to empower more youth and prepare them for future challenges .
The chairman, SWAN, Ekiti state, Qozeem Oladapo laudable the taekwondo instructor for his unflinching passion for the sport and for heeding the call of the association.
The SWAN chairman on behalf of the entire members promised that sports journalists in Ekiti state will give prominence to the reportage of taekwondo henceforth and also called on the sports ministry and the sports council to support the quest to develop the game by people of like mind.
In attendance at the SWAN Roundtable were members of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria-SWAN, Ekiti state chapter from various chapels.
