National
boxing coach Obisia Nwakpa, who recently retired from the service of
the National Sports Commission and the Nigerian Boxing Federation, is a
bit worried about his future.
“Unending strike by university lecturers is my problem now. I had
looked forward to having a quiet time in retirement and I had so planned
it to coincide with my last two children graduating this year from
university such that I would be free from paying school fees. However,
it looks like I have to live a bit more with this issue than I had
hoped,” he stated.
Besides this issue, the former African and Commonwealth
Super-lightweight champion,who got a shot at the world title in 1981
against Saoul Mamby in Lagos but lost has since been looking for a new
role to build on.
“Outside of this, I think I’m okay. I have had a fruitful and swell
time any boxer or ex- athlete in Nigeria would have because besides my
job as a coach, the Nigerian Army made me comfortable. I believe the
struggle continues,” he said.
Asked to point the way forward for boxing, Obisia said, “there has to
be massive investment in the sport, on equipment, on training for
boxers, coaches and ring officials which are areas we have neglected.
Boxers will need regular competitions at home and abroad and the
National Sports Commission has to fund this. The boxing federation too
has a role to play by being in the forefront of re-engineering boxing,”
he said.
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