By Moses Omorogieva
A Japanese non-profit organisation, JUDOs, that promotes judo sport worldwide, has donated 24 judo kits to the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
The Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Matsunaga Kazuyoshi, made the presentation on Thursday at the Sports Arena, Police College, Ikeja, Lagos State.
Kazuyoshi said that the kits were donated by the organisation to promote sports in Nigeria.
“The President of JUDOs is Kosei Inoue, a Gold Medalist in 100kg category at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. When I met him in September 2022, he told me that sports can bring people together across cultural and religious boundaries.
“His organisation aims to contribute to the development and promotion of sports and support athletes from young to adult. Mr Inoue hopes that the NPF will share his principles and promote Judo in Nigeria.
“Judo is not a sport, but an art that teaches core values like courage, respect, and self-defence.
“These values stretch into every area of your life. This is why I believe that incorporating judo into the NPF training would be beneficial.
“The core principle of judo is soft overcoming hard, which teaches us that size and strength alone do not determine a person’s worth. Judo trains both body and spirit, and its benefit go beyond fighting and self-defence.
“It teaches values that are necessary for discharging official duties and relating to the general public. I hope that this donation will contribute to the growth of judo practitioners in Nigeria,” he said.
The I-GP, Usman Alkali, commended the Japanese organisation for the donation stressing that the act was an important handshake of friendship between both countries.
Alkali, represented by the Force Director of Sports, CP Patrick Afayero, who appreciated the donation said the Force would continue to ensure unity, safety and security.
He noted that the NPF had contributed to the development of sports both locally and globally in the last nine decades
with evidence of medals at various championships.
“One of my strategic objectives when I took over as the 21st indigenous I-GP has been to continue to promote sports with the Force as a vehicle for physical fitness and mental alertness of officers, which in turn makes them better police officers, well fitted for the assiduous task of policing the national.
“I am very pleased to put on record that this laudable donation of judo kits on behalf of JUDOs- a Japanese non-profit organisation, is unprecedented and highly commended.
“It must be known that by this gesture, you have contributed in no small measure to the combative readiness, mental and physical fitness and self-defence in unarmed combat, of the police officers and men who will put these gifts to good use,” he said.
He, however, assured the Japanese that the kits would be a turning point in the Judo sport for Japan and Nigeria as they will produce positive fruits in future.
Mr Tunji Disu, a Commissioner of Police, at the presentation noted that the NPF brought Judo sport to Nigeria.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NPF Judocals put out a demonstration before the presentation of the gifts.
