Former Governor of Bayelsa State and Senator representing Bayelsa West Senatorial District, Henry Seriake Dickson has said that Bayelsa State is the undisputed permanent headquarters of Nigerian wrestling.
The Senator who is also the Founder of the Henry Seriake Dickson Foundation stated this on Tuesday during the launch of the Annual Nanaye Dickson Traditional Wrestling Competition in Abuja.
“Bayelsa has remained the capital of wrestling in Nigeria and Africa. You have the highest concentration of wrestling champions in Bayelsa more than any other country, Senator Dickson said.
In his goodwill message, the Special Guest of Honour, Hon. Sunday Dare, Minister of Sports and Youth Development commended Senator Dickson as a lover of Sport and youths development.
The Minister urged all 109 Senators in the National Assembly to sponsor a sport in their district so that fresh talents might be discovered, similar to what Senator Henry Seriake Dickson is doing currently.
In his remarks, His Royal Majesty, King Alfred Diete-Spiff, the first Military Governor of Rivers State and Chairman of the Bayelsa State Council of Traditional Rulers, thanked Senator Seriake Dickson on his love for sporting activities in Bayelsa State.
He urged the winners to go into the grassroots sports so as to discover new talents.
The Chairman of the occasion and Chairman Senate Committee on Sports and Youth Development, Senator Obinna Ogba also commended Senator Dickson for promoting Grassroots sport.
The President of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation, Daniel Igali represented by his Vice President said the Seriake Dickson Foundation initiative is not new to the Nigeria Wrestling Federation.
He thanked Sen Dickson for his support towards wrestling development in Nigeria and pledged the Federation’s support to the Nanaye Dickson Traditional Wrestling Competition.
The Nanaye Dickson Traditional Wrestling Competition is meant to engage youths of Bayelsa in an attempt to promote grassroots Ijaw Traditional Wrestling culture, as well as to serve as a talent hunt for the youths of the State.
The Traditional Wrestling Tournament, which is an annual event, is in honour of Senator Dickson’s late father, a community leader and great wrestler of his time.
Senator Henry Seriake Dickson as Governor supported and revamped sports in Bayelsa state and the Nanaye Dickson wrestling competition is simply a continuation of the promotion of the sector by the Henry Seriake Dickson foundation.
The Foundation is currently running a football tournament in Sagbama- Ekeremor Senatorial district and will now officially kick off the wrestling competition this Saturday.
