Former Kaduna Central Senator Shehu Sani, veteran journalist Dr. Mitchel Obi, renowned actor Ricardo Agbo, Dr. Buky Bojuwoye from the Lagos State Sports Commission, sports marketing expert Ade Johnson, Afro-pop musician Small Doctor, and other notable figures have urged the country’s boxers to maintain self-esteem and avoid using banned steroids during the YUCATECO Boxing League seminar.
This approach will help them succeed in self-defence and serve as role models for the youth.
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They gave the charge at the just concluded YUCATECO Boxing League Season 2 seminar held Friday, July 26, 2024, at the conference room of the National Institute For Sports (NIS) Lagos.
The well-attended YUCATECO Boxing League seminar with the theme ‘The Making of a Champion’ saw the resource persons taking their turn to advise the boxers and coaches on how to be successful in the profession ahead of Season 2 of the YUCATECO Boxing League.
In his presentation tagged ‘Making Champions of Nigerian Youths’ the keynote speaker, Senator Sani who said he was inspired by Mohammed Ali advised the boxers to always realize that for one to be a champion, he must believe in himself.
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He believes the country has talented fighters who require support from the government and corporations to thrive. However, he regrets that the government tends to reward athletes only when they achieve success for the nation. He encouraged the boxers not to be discouraged, stressing that with determination and hard work, they can succeed.
The activist, author, publisher, poet and social crusader while regretting that sports in Nigeria have been systematically destroyed by politicians berated the government for placing much emphasis on football to the detriment of other sports even as he described boxing as a unique sport that has a lot of role to play in the country’s economy and image.
”I must commend the CEO of YUCATECO Boxing League, Omonlei Yakubu Imadu for the wonderful initiative he has taken in moving grassroots boxing forward in the country.
”The fact that he’s doing this wonderful job is commendable and our boxers will benefit immensely from the seminar. What I want to tell our boxers is that they must have self-esteem and believe that they can become champions like others.
”But, I must say that it’s regrettable that our government only pays attention to football at the detriment of other sports which can win more medals for the country at international competitions.
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“It beats my imagination that a small country like Jamaica wins about eight gold medals at the Olympics while Kenya dominates long distance races but a country as big as Nigeria manages to win a silver and bronze which is unfortunate.
” There is need for government at all levels to invest in boxing and emulate late Cuban President, Fidel Castro who put his country on the world map of boxing and recently Saudi Arabia that is using boxing to promote tourism in their country”, he explained.
Use Boxing as a positive change Small Doctor charges at YUCATECO Boxing League
In a pep talk at the YUCATECO Boxing League seminar he gave to the boxers, Afro-Pop musician, Adekunle Temitope popularly known as ‘Small Doctor’ reminded the boxers that boxing is not for touts just as he advised them to emulate him who grew up on the streets but has used music to achieve stardom.
I want boxers to realize that boxing is not a sport for touts because, with determination, you can become a celebrity through the game. I have visited 19 countries and in each of these countries, I always make out time to go to a boxing ring and do some training.
”It’s equally important I make you understand that if not for my involvement in music, I would have been a boxer.
“You should also have it at the back of your mind that If someone like me who grew up on the streets can become a celebrity through music, you can equally do it through boxing”, noted the musician who is the proprietor of Omo Better Boxing Club.
Speaking on ‘Making a branded star Athlete’, renowned actor Ricardo Agbo at the YUCATECO Boxing League seminar informed the boxers that for them to be a brand, they must work very hard and comport themselves noting that no corporate organisation will do business with a brand ambassador that is associated with scandal.
”I know that some of you will be aiming to be brand ambassadors. But it’s equally important for you to know that you must work hard to achieve it.
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“As a brand ambassador, you must be disciplined, comport yourselves and avoid those negative things that will make corporate organisations turn their back on you because no organisation will like to have a brand ambassador that is tainted with scandal as that will affect their corporate image,” he said.
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