Nigerian Olympian and Director of Teaching on the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Sports activities Growth, Ekuta Catherine Ewa, has been appointed as a member of the caretaker committee of the Nigeria Judo Federation (NJF).
The appointment was authorized by the Nationwide Sports activities Fee (NSC) as a part of efforts to reposition the federation and put together it for contemporary elections following the dissolution of its board by the Worldwide Judo Federation (IJF).
Ekuta, who represented Nigeria on the Olympic Video games, reached the very best degree of worldwide competitors in judo earlier than transferring into sports activities administration. She at the moment serves as Director of Teaching within the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Sports activities Growth, the place she is understood for her dedication, onerous work and dedication to her tasks.
Her appointment brings her expertise as a former elite athlete and sports activities administrator to the committee, which is predicted to supervise the federation’s affairs in the course of the transition interval.
Ekuta has a powerful document in worldwide judo, having received one gold and two bronze medals within the ladies’s 57kg division on the All-Africa Video games. She received bronze in 1999, gold on the 2003 version hosted in Nigeria below the Council of Worldwide Sport in Africa (COJA), and one other bronze in 2007.
Her gold medal victory on the 2003 All-Africa Video games helped spotlight her standing as considered one of Nigeria’s achieved judokas. She subsequently certified to signify Nigeria on the 2004 Summer time Olympics in Athens, Greece.
Judo expertise additionally runs in her household, as her daughter, Enku Ekuta, is following in her footsteps. Enku ended Nigeria’s 24-year look forward to a judo medal on the Commonwealth Video games by successful bronze within the ladies’s -63kg occasion on the Glasgow 2026 Video games.
Her husband, Ewa Ekuta, can also be a number one judo coach who has held distinguished positions throughout the Nigeria Judo Federation, additional highlighting the household’s contribution to the event of the game within the nation.
The six-member caretaker committee is chaired by Sheriff Hammed, with Ekuta, Sule Musa, Bashir Musa Bassey and Oladipupo Idowu serving as members. Amayo Ngozi will function secretary.
In response to the NSC, the committee will oversee the day-to-day administration of the federation and introduce mandatory reforms to strengthen its operations.
Its tasks embrace reviewing and amending the federation’s structure to fulfill the necessities of the Worldwide Judo Federation, convening an Annual Basic Assembly to think about the proposed amendments and organising contemporary elections.
The committee can also be anticipated to make sure a easy transition to a duly elected board after the electoral course of.
The NSC has charged the committee to hold out its tasks with diligence, transparency and impartiality, whereas working with related stakeholders to advertise the event of judo throughout Nigeria.
The appointment takes speedy impact and can stay in place till the electoral course of is accomplished and a brand new board assumes workplace.
The event marks one other step in Ekuta’s continued involvement in Nigerian sports activities, following her profession as an Olympic judoka and her present position in sports activities growth and administration in Akwa Ibom State.
