President of the Nigeria Arm Wrestling Federation, Engr. Samuel Olatunji Jackson, has described the official inauguration of the federation’s board by the National Sports Commission (NSC) as a historic breakthrough, declaring that government recognition marks the beginning of a new era for grassroots development and international success.
READ ALSO: New Dawn For Nigerian Armwrestling As Samuel Olatunji Jackson Hails Government Backing, Targets More Gold Medals at African Games | Sports247 Nigeria
Sports247 reports that Jackson, who was inaugurated alongside Secretary-General Ms. Dorathy Okpo Benard, expressed excitement over the development but insisted that the milestone comes with enormous responsibility to transform armwrestling into a widely embraced sport across Nigeria.
Speaking following the inauguration, the federation president emphasised the importance of translating government recognition into meaningful progress.
“It is something of great joy that we finally have government backing. This is a major breakthrough for Nigerian armwrestling, but it also places enormous responsibility on us. Now that we have been officially inaugurated, we must get to work immediately,” Jackson declared.
The federation president identified grassroots development as a major priority of the newly inaugurated board. According to him, efforts will be intensified to establish a stronger armwrestling presence across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Jackson explained that strengthening state associations, discovering young talents and encouraging wider participation would form the foundation of the federation’s development strategy.
“Our priority is to make armwrestling attractive to every Nigerian. We must reach the grassroots, strengthen our state associations and create opportunities for young talents to embrace the sport,” he stated.
Beyond grassroots development, Jackson outlined ambitious plans to improve Nigeria’s performance at major international competitions. He disclosed that Nigeria had already secured qualification for the African Games in Egypt, with another qualification opportunity expected in Madagascar during the first quarter of 2027.
The federation president expressed confidence that adequate preparation and government support would enable Nigerian athletes to surpass their previous medal achievements.
“We have enough time to prepare properly. Our target is to win more gold medals than we achieved at the previous African Games. With early preparation, commitment and government support, Nigeria can achieve remarkable results,” he said.
Jackson also praised the leadership of the National Sports Commission, particularly Director General Hon. Bukola Olopade, for providing sports federations with opportunities to strengthen their administration and development programmes.
He noted that Nigeria’s recent achievements at continental championships and para-armwrestling competitions demonstrate the country’s potential to become a major force in the sport.
The federation president further identified athlete welfare, technical development, sponsorship and international exposure as important priorities for the new administration.
With official recognition now secured, Jackson believes Nigerian armwrestling has an opportunity to establish stronger structures capable of producing champions.
For the newly inaugurated federation leadership, the message is clear: government recognition is only the beginning, and the real task is to transform that breakthrough into grassroots opportunities, international medals and lasting success for Nigerian armwrestling.
