The future of weightlifting in Edo State looks brighter following a declaration by the Acting Chairman of Etsako East Local Government Council, Sunny Ekpetika Ekpeson, that his administration would give the sport the support needed to take the state to a greater height.

In the early 2000, Edo was one of the leading states controlling the game of weightlifting in the country. Team Edo topped the medals table during the 2002 edition of the National Sports Festival, which the state hosted with a majority of the medals coming from weightlifting. Since then, Edo State has not been able to reclaim the top spot.

To save the situation, former Nigeria weightlifting coach, Olympian Emmanuel Oshomah established the Oshobugie Weightlifting Academy in Auchi, Edo State, on September 1, 2022, to train and nurture young weightlifters for Edo State and Nigeria in general.

Now, Oshomah is set to move the weightlifting Academy to a permanent site in Agenebode.

He paid a courtesy call on the local Govt Ag. Chairman, Ekpeson, in his office at Agenebode during the week, where they discussed on how to lay a solid foundation for Weightlifting Academy and also use it to better the lives of the people in both the local government council, Edo State and Nigeria in general.

According to Oshomah, relocating Oshobugie Weightlifting Academy to its Permanent site in Agenebode will fasten the development of the game, and also bring it closer to the youth in Etsako East. 

He said: “During my courtesy visit to the chairman, our discussion was based on my request for recognition and financial assistance to enable the Academy stabilise and make Agenebode a training camp for both local and International Weightlifters,” Oshomah told The Guardian. 

“Apart from being a great sports lover, Hon. Ekpeson has demonstrated his love in empowering the youths, and I believe that helping Oshobugie Weightlifting Academy to stabilise will go a long way in laying a solid foundation for the younger ones.” 

In his active days as a weightlifter, Emmanuel Oshomah represented Nigeria at Los Angeles ‘84 Olympics Games.

He won two gold and a silver medal at the All African Games in Nairobi Kenya 1987. He retired as an African and Commonwealth record holder in Weightlifting.

In coaching, Oshomah led Nigerian lifters to Commonwealth Championship in Malaysia in 2013, where the nation won a total of nine gold, two silver and three bronze medals. The team also won the overall trophy in female category. Oshomah is the only indigenous coach that assisted former Bulgarian tactician, Mr Ivan Ganev to the All African games in South Africa 1999, came first wining 28 gold medals, as well as Algiers 2007 All African Games, (17 gold, 12 silver, nine bronze medals.