Sports

Sports Minister charges Kamar Usman to Develop Martial Art

Published

5 years ago

June 12, 2021

Minister of Youth and sports Development Mr Sunday Dare has charged Kamar Usman to use his clout to develop Martial Arts in Nigeria.

The Minister made this appeal on Friday when he hosted the champion in his office in Abuja.

“Today we just hit another notch of excitement as a Ministry and as a country having Usman Kamaru who is nicknamed “Nightmare” for his opponents in the octagon in the country.

Kamar who has a staggering 19 wins out of 20 fights has established himself as a legend in the Welterweight category. Kamaru embodies two cultures; Nigerian by birth and an American by immigration moved to the USA at the age of 8 and is returning to the country for the first time as an adult.

The Minister said “it is commendable for you to have identified fully with your country and also the Ministry that has the mandate for Sports Development. The Ministry is concerned with the large number of Youth who are engaged in sports and are interested in your kind of sports because it has become a rave because it falls under the radar of the mixed Martial Art and we are concerned about growing it. Having you here, as the champion it will be great to have you headline that and start to see how at a National level and as a country we can work together to see your success remain and to see you get other youths interested in this sport.”

“Your story is well told, you signify the Nigerian Spirit; that of being dogged and rising to the top the feats you have achieved is no mean feat. For me I can’t say it enough; countries must leverage on their strength not dwell and emphasize their weaknesses and you have sign post the good from Nigeria. As the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, we celebrate you and thank you for being a true Nigerian and remaining patrotic not just to share your success but to identify with the country. The greatest beneficiaries of this visit will be the youth of the country who are interested in the Mixed Martial Art.”

Kamaru expressed excitement to be to be in the country “I’m delighted to be here and above all during my visit to the country I aim at creating a long lasting relationship. I represent Martial art now and I want to work on making it easily accessible to everyone interested. I understand the responsibilities that I have with my platform and I want to put that to good use I want to be able effect changes and part of being able to effect change is creating that foundation so people can actually see a future, different from what they are now because I understand the restrictions. With my space I want to be able to create something that will pull interested people out.”

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Sports

AACT 2026: Girls in Golf initiatives kick Start week-long Activities.

Published

10 hours ago

November 2, 2026

The Gleamer

The week-long activities designed as part of 2026 All Africa Challenge Trophy got underway Monday with Girls in Golf initiative.

The Ladies Golf Association of Nigeria, LGAN says initiative will empower young girls and inspire the next generation of female golfers in Nigeria.

Dr Lami Ahmed, LGAN President and Chairperson, Local Organising Committee for the All Africa Challenge Trophy said this during a training programme for no fewer than 60 young girls at the IBB International Golf and Country Club, Abuja.

Ahmed said the initiative was designed to extend golf’s impact beyond competition by investing in young people and creating opportunities for their development.

“We believe that charity calls on us to touch lives and invest in others. Golf is not just about playing the game; it is also about giving back to society,” she said.

She explained that the future of women’s golf depended on introducing girls to the sport early and providing them with the skills and opportunities to excel.

Dr Lami said the Girls in Golf initiative was designed to introduce young girls to the sport, ignite their interest and expose them to the opportunities available through golf.

According to her, the initiative will also help girls develop valuable skills, build confidence and make informed decisions about their future careers.

Ahmed said the association had observed an increase in the number of female caddies across the country, making it necessary to create structured pathways for girls interested in golf.

She added that the initiative would encourage girls to explore different opportunities within the sport, including playing professionally and pursuing other golf-related careers.

Ahmed expressed gratitude to Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, wife of the President and founder of the Renewed Hope Initiative, for supporting the programme and the 2026 AACT.

She said the first Lady had demonstrated a strong commitment to human capital development, particularly initiatives that empower women and the girl-child.

“Her Excellency readily embraced the project because she believes in giving back to society, especially by supporting children and creating opportunities for them to thrive,” Ahmed said.

She added that preparations for the championship were progressing well, with teams from various African countries already in Abuja.

The week-long continental women’s golf championship is expected to end on Friday, with teams from at least 20 African countries expected to compete for honours.

Ahmed said LGAN remained committed to using golf as a platform for youth development, empowerment and the promotion of greater participation by women and girls in sports.

She urged stakeholders to support initiatives that would make golf more accessible to young girls and create sustainable pathways for their participation in the sport.

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