Ohio-Michael Elakhe leads Nigerian martial artists to Ghana awards

Five Nigerian martial artists, led by the Africa and World Welter Weight champion, Sensei Ohio-Michael Elakhe, were honoured recently in Accra, Ghana, at the Martial Arts Institute 2022 Awards Night.

Elakhe, Chief Instructor of African Goju/South American Goju in Nigeria as well as three others: Henry Akpode, Godwin Ozeigbe and Henry Lopentz Umuai were awarded belts, plaques and certificates in recognition of their contributions to the growth of the martial arts systems in Nigeria.

Great Warrior David Ayutsede, former Chief Instructor of African Goju Nigeria, and now Chief Instructor of African Goju Netherland, was the fifth Nigerian honoured with a Ken Gwira Hall of Fame plaque.

Elakhe, who holds honourary Black Belt in South-American Goju, clinched the George Herward Mills Award for best Kara display in 2021, also received a commemorative plaque as he was officially decorated with his 6th Degree Black Belt as a Great Warrior (Grandmaster and Shidoshi). He represented his compatriots who won different certificates of recognition in cadre: Henry Akpode and Godwin Ozeigbe were awarded 5th Degree Black Belts; Henry Lopentz Umuai was awarded a 4th Degree Black belt, as Warriors.

They were also all inducted into the Ken Gwira Hall of Fame.

According to Prof. Danny Gwira, founder of the Martial Arts Institute, as well as the developer of the African Goju and South American Goju systems of martial arts and self-defence, the award ceremony which is the revival of the famous Goju Awards, was held to; “celebrate the sacrifices and continuous support of member to the growth of the institute”.

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African Goju Nigeria conducts its training sessions across Lagos State and in the process of opening more clubs across the state.

He is the convener of the forthcoming tri-annual African Goju/South American Goju Festival, a one-day exhibition of the systems Katas, fighting systems and feats, which is scheduled to hold in Lagos, Nigeria in 2023. He is also working with Warrior Harry Gwira to institute another tri-annual to commence in 2024. The Olympiad style contest is a scaled down version of the African Goju/South American Goju full contact fight competitions, and will see practitioners competing for medals and trophies in four different weight categories.

In continuation with his achievements, Great Warrior Ohio-Michael, the creator of the Civil Self-defence Training System, a self-defence concept which conducts training on aspects of security, close protection and civil defence in hostile environments, will soon commence discussion with a top-level spa in the Maldives as a visiting practitioner to commence an African Goju club on the island resort as the systems 37th member nation.

The award night also saw the prestigious Martial Artist of the Year Award going to Great Warrior Patrick Mintah, Chief Instructor of African Goju in Ghana, as Ghana’s former Minister for Trade was awarded honorary Black Belt, while several other awards went to long standing members and contributors including Great Warrior Ken Gwira who was awarded the 7th degree Black Belt.

The ceremony was well attended by a cross section of the Ghanaian community and members of the press.