Misrepresentation, misinterpretation hindering karate’s growth, says Hussaini

Chief Examiner, Founder and Principal Instructor of Gyaku Ryu Karate Association, Plateau State chapter, Idris Hussaini, has urged the state and federal governments to look into the plight of karate athletes to avoid misrepresenting and misinterpreting them as violators of law or hoodlums.
  
Hussaini said Karate athletes are peacemakers who will stop at nothing to protect the interest of Nigerian citizens and the nation in general. He appealed to state and federal governments through sports councils of all the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja to support karate athletes financially and also champion the course of sportsmanship in the country.

Speaking during the yearly Karate Demonstration, Speech and Award Presentation Day held at the Rwang Pam Township Stadium Complex Jos, where The Guardian was declared the overall winner in the media category and awarded Certificate of Excellence for promoting the art and peace, Hussaini said, “We don’t use Karate for violence. We use it to maintain peace.”
   
He lamented there was no encouragement from government, adding that instead of patronising karate, the government prefers to support football, believing that Karate is violent in nature.
  
“We train in the martial art to defend society. We preach peace. Our boys have been warned not to test what they have learnt here on people. But if hoodlums from nowhere come with the intent to unleash violence on people, they will use that training to neutralize the enemy,” he said.

Also speaking at the event, president, Isshinryu Karate Association and National Administrative Secretary, Nigerian Karate Association and Certified Referee of Karate Federation of Nigeria Referee Council, Umar Abubakar Garba, reminded participants that government cannot shoulder all the responsibilities of the youths.

He pointed out that the federal government through the Ministry of Sports Development has curtailed terrorism, kidnapping and all kinds of social vices, adding, “We are calling all social organisations to do their part by supporting minority sports like ours, karate, taekwondo and judo.
  
“If that is done with good sponsorship, this sports will be a veritable tool to make the youths busy in the field at the stadium instead of being busy in the bush as terrorists.”