The Financial Neighborhood of West African States (ECOWAS) has reaffirmed its dedication to regional integration, cultural preservation, and gender inclusion with the profitable conclusion of the thirteenth ECOWAS African Wrestling Match (TOLAC 2025). The grand closing ceremony, held on the Velodrome, MKO Abiola Nationwide Stadium in Abuja on March 8, 2025, marked a histo-ric second in ECOWAS’ fiftieth Anniversary Celebrations, highlighting the ability of sports activities in strengthening solidarity amongst Member States. The conclusion of TOLAC 2025 on March 8, In-ternational Girls’s Day, additional underscored ECOWAS’ dedication to gender equality and the empowerment of ladies in sports activities.
Representing H.E. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Chair-man of the Nationwide Sports activities Fee, Mallam Shehu Dikko, counseled ECOWAS for its lea-dership in utilizing sports activities as a instrument for unity and improvement. He praised Senegal for rising as the general workforce champion, with Nigeria securing second place and Benin ending third. He em-phasized that conventional wrestling is not only a sport however a basic side of African heri-tage, symbolizing resilience and self-discipline. “ ~Over the previous days, we’ve witnessed not simply fierce however wholesome competitors. Extra importantly, we’ve seen a real demonstration of ability, energy, and the wealthy cultural heritage that binds us as a area,” he acknowledged.~ He additional reaffirmed Nigeria’s dedication to supporting ECOWAS’ mission of fostering peace and improvement by means of sports activities.
A defining second of TOLAC 2025 was the historic inclusion of feminine wrestlers within the competi-tion for the primary time, underscoring ECOWAS’ unwavering dedication to gender equality and social progress. This initiative aligns with ECOWAS’ broader imaginative and prescient of guaranteeing equal opportuni-ties in sports activities and past. The match’s conclusion on Worldwide Girls’s Day rein-forced the importance of this achievement, demonstrating that custom and inclusivity can thrive collectively underneath ECOWAS’ management.
Delivering the closing tackle on behalf of H.E. Prof. Fatou Sow Sarr, ECOWAS Commissioner for Human Growth and Social Affairs, Ambassador Francis Chuks Njoaguani, Director of the ECOWAS Youth and Sports activities Growth Centre, highlighted the transformative function of ECOWAS in selling conventional sports activities. He underscored that wrestling is not only a aggressive discip-line however a unifying power that reinforces ECOWAS’ core values of regional cooperation, cultural
change, and social cohesion .“ ~Over the previous days, we’ve witnessed not simply fierce however wholesome competitors. Extra importantly, we’ve seen a real demonstration of ability, energy, and the wealthy cultural heritage that binds us as a area,” he acknowledged.* His remarks reaffirmed ECOWAS’ ambition to raise African wrestling to worldwide recognition, solidifying its place in world sports activities improvement.
The competitors delivered thrilling performances, with Senegal topped the general workforce cham-pion, adopted by Nigeria, Benin, and Guinea. Within the ladies’s classes, Ebipatei Lienbofa (Ni-geria) and Ebi Bigos (Nigeria) secured victory within the 66KG and 76KG weight courses, respectively. Within the males’s divisions, Siny Sembene (Senegal), Gora Niang (Senegal), and Ngagne Sene (Sene-gal) triumphed within the 86KG, 100KG, and 120KG classes. These distinctive performances showcased the immense expertise inside the ECOWAS area, reinforcing the group’s function in nurturing athletic excellence.
Past competitors, TOLAC 2025 served as a robust diplomatic platform, fostering dialogue, regional cooperation, and peacebuilding. The match offered a possibility for athletes, officers, and stakeholders to interact in discussions on the function of sports activities in financial develop-ment, youth empowerment, and cultural diplomacy. H.E. Bukola Olopade, Director Normal of the Nationwide Sports activities Fee, emphasised the financial potential of conventional wrestling and known as for larger funding from governments and the personal sector to make sure that athle-tes and sports activities professionals can construct sustainable careers whereas preserving Africa’s wealthy sporting heritage.
As ECOWAS celebrates its golden jubilee, the success of TOLAC 2025 stands as a testomony to the group’s enduring imaginative and prescient for a united, affluent, and inclusive West Africa. H.E. Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, President of the ECOWAS Fee, has reiterated ECOWAS’ dedication to supporting conventional sports activities as a instrument for regional integration and social improvement. This tour-nament units a benchmark for future editions, guaranteeing that sports activities stay on the coronary heart of ECO-WAS’ integration agenda. With a renewed dedication to the development of African wrestling, ECOWAS will proceed to champion regional solidarity, promote cultural heritage, and encourage generations to return.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Financial Neighborhood of West African States (ECOWAS).
