The people of Eneka community held their annual wrestling festival on Saturday, October 13, 2018.
Speaking on the event, the Community Development Committee Chairman, Amb. Charles Woko, explained that this year’s festival was not just an epoch-making occasion but a traditional festival which memories would live longer in the minds of the people, even as the high-pitched-drum beats rented the air, with corresponding dance steps by the able bodied youth performers.
Amb. Woko made it clear that traditional wrestling is highly regarded as an Ikwerre culture and that any youngman that does not partake in it, is easily regarded as a weakling, assuring that he will do his best to ensure that such cultural practice is maintained and passed on to the younger generations.
According to him, wresting is entertaining and also aimed at complementing his peace efforts towards promotion of unity and discovering budding talents in the area.
He called on the government and sports lovers to always watch wrestling contests so as to behold raw talents and undiluted wrestlers that would make the state proud in national and international wrestling competitions.
Amb. Woko further said that wrestling is a sport that equally promotes understanding and friendship, where people of different communities come together to achieve common goals.
The Eneka CDC Chairman also sounded it loud and clear that he can never compromise the peace and unity of Eneka community for anything. He lauded the youths of Eneka for remaining peaceful and urged them to sustain the tempo.
The Paramount Ruler of Eneka Community, HRH, King Prof. Rolland Woko JP, said that the traditional wrestling is the test of power, authority and championship, because that is the only way the youngmen in Ikwerre land exhibit how strong they are.
Explaining further, he said that wrestling also has the advantage of promoting peace, unity and inter-communal marriage between the communities.
Chief Godwin A. Owhor, an opinion leader in the community, said that the annual celebration of the wrestling festival is a reminder of their culture to the younger generation of what their forefathers had as a symbol of unity.
He stressed that all hands must be on deck in promoting the local wrestling, which he said has the capability of engaging the youths, and which would in turn discourage them from engaging in crime.
Highlight of the event was the award for selfless service to Amb. Charles Woko by a group of journalists.
