The thirteenth ECOWAS African Wrestling Match (TOLAC) formally commenced right now, March 6, 2025, on the Velodrome, MKO Abiola Nationwide Stadium in Abuja, Nigeria, bringing collectively wrestlers from 11 ECOWAS Member States in a show of energy, heritage, and unity. This 12 months’s event is especially vital, because it marks the first-ever inclusion of feminine wrestlers, reinforcing ECOWAS’ dedication to gender equality and the promotion of conventional sports activities as a unifying drive for West Africa. Organized on behalf of ECOWAS by its Youth and Sports activities Growth Centre (EYSDC) in collaboration with Nigeria’s Nationwide Sports activities Fee (NSC), the event is a key occasion in ECOWAS’ fiftieth Anniversary Celebrations, reflecting the group’s broader mission to foster regional integration by way of tradition, youth engagement, and sports activities diplomacy.
Declaring the event open, Chairman of the Nationwide Sports activities Fee, Mallam Shehu Dikko, recommended ECOWAS for its dedication to leveraging sports activities for regional integration. He emphasised Nigeria’s satisfaction in internet hosting TOLAC for the primary time, describing it as a significant step in strengthening youth participation and financial growth by way of sports activities. He acknowledged, “Conventional wrestling is an emblem of our heritage, a sport that binds us collectively as a individuals. This event not solely celebrates our shared identification but additionally supplies an avenue for our athletes to excel, develop, and acquire worldwide recognition.”
Representing the ECOWAS Fee, Director of the ECOWAS Youth and Sports activities Growth Centre, Ambassador Francis Chuks Njoaguani, delivered the speech on behalf of ECOWAS Commissioner for Human Growth and Social Affairs, Prof. Fatou Sow Sarr. He highlighted the event’s strategic position in selling youth growth and gender inclusion, stating, “For the primary time in historical past, we welcome feminine athletes to this prestigious event, breaking obstacles and setting a precedent for gender inclusivity in conventional sports activities. It is a defining second for West African sports activities, and ECOWAS is proud to cleared the path.”
He additional underscored the significance of sports activities diplomacy, emphasizing that ECOWAS sees conventional wrestling not simply as a contest however as a cultural heritage that have to be preserved and elevated. He added, “Sport is a robust device for peacebuilding, financial empowerment, and regional cooperation. By investing in conventional wrestling, we’re investing in our youth, of their future, and within the continued unity of our Member States.”
The opening ceremony set the stage for what guarantees to be an exciting three-day competitors, mixing the wealthy custom of African wrestling with a renewed imaginative and prescient for sports activities growth within the area. Athletes from 11 ECOWAS international locations proudly marched with their nationwide flags, showcasing their cultural heritage. The event torch was lit in a symbolic act marking the spirit of competitors and regional unity. Conventional wrestling demonstrations featured methods distinctive to every taking part nation, highlighting the depth of expertise and variety in West African wrestling. Cultural performances celebrated ECOWAS’ wealthy inventive heritage, with performances from Nigerian and regional musical teams.
Following the opening ceremony, the primary spherical of matches commenced, as wrestlers competed throughout varied weight classes in a round-robin group elimination format. The finals shall be held on March 8.
ECOWAS has launched vital money prizes to inspire athletes and elevate the competitors’s status. The profitable group will obtain $10,000, the second-place group $6,000, and the third-place group $3,000. Particular person winners may also be rewarded, with gold medalists receiving $2,500, silver medalists $1,500, and bronze medalists $1,000.
Past competitors, the ECOWAS African Wrestling Match serves a higher function—advancing the group’s strategic imaginative and prescient for growth, inclusion, and peacebuilding. By this initiative, ECOWAS goals to advertise conventional African sports activities globally, securing long-term recognition and institutional funding. The event additionally seeks to create employment and financial alternatives for athletes and sports activities professionals, guaranteeing sustainable careers in wrestling. Moreover, it goals to strengthen regional diplomacy and cooperation, fostering stronger ties amongst Member States by way of cultural change and sportsmanship.
Director of the ECOWAS Youth and Sports activities Growth Centre, Ambassador Francis Chuks Njoaguani, additionally emphasised the significance of sports activities as an financial enabler, urging governments and personal sector actors to put money into conventional sports activities. He acknowledged, “The ECOWAS Imaginative and prescient 2050 is about fostering a area the place tradition, economic system, and growth align. Sports activities have to be part of this dialog, guaranteeing that younger athletes have alternatives past competitors. Conventional wrestling shouldn’t be solely a sport—it’s a lifestyle, a profession path, and a bridge to worldwide recognition.”
ECOWAS has positioned a robust emphasis on media protection, calling on journalists and broadcasters to maximise the event’s visibility throughout West Africa and past. The group urges media professionals to inform the tales of resilience, excellence, and unity rising from the competitors, guaranteeing that African wrestling takes its rightful place on the worldwide stage.
Because the thirteenth ECOWAS African Wrestling Match continues, the approaching days promise thrilling matchups, cultural celebrations, and unforgettable moments. This event stands as a landmark achievement in ECOWAS’ mission to mix custom with progress, proving that regional integration isn’t just a imaginative and prescient however a lived actuality. With sturdy illustration from 11 Member States, a historic leap in gender inclusion, and an unwavering dedication to cultural preservation, TOLAC 2025 is ready to go away an enduring impression on African sports activities growth.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Financial Neighborhood of West African States (ECOWAS).
