Nigeria Armwrestling Federation Celebrates Jackson as New African President
By: Ben Ogbemudia, Abuja
The Executive Committee and members of the Nigeria Armwrestling Federation, today, join hands to celebrate it’s president, Engineer Samuel Jackson, who was yesterday, October 13, 2020 appointed by the Executive Committee of the Armwrestling Federation of Africa (AFA) as the continental president.
Samuel Jackson, was a Vice President of AFA before Tuesday’s appointment as the interim President of the continental body.
Jackson’s appointment came after the Executive Board of AFA evoked Article 6, Sub-Section 6 of the African Federation’s constitution.
The Nigerian thus replaced former AFA President, Zein Elhoary from Egypt.
As the new Interim president of the Armwrestling Federation of Africa, Samuel Jackson is entitled to the advantages and privileges linked to the post provided for by the constitution of AFA.
Jackson, also made history as the first Nigerian to become the Vice President and later the President of the Armwrestling Federation of Africa, thus joining the list of the very few Nigerians and retired athletes to rise to such exalted position in the various continental sports federations.
Samuel Jackson, is a retired Nigerian hockey international. He played actively for the Union Bank Men’s Hockey club of Lagos and the Lagos State Men’s Hockey team that won the gold medal at the Edo 2002 National Sports Festival, where he was the captain of the hockey team and also the captain of the Lagos State contingent to the festival.
After retirement as a hockey player, he relocated to England, the United Kingdom where he qualified as a Civil Engineer and later bagged a Master’s degree in Engineering.
In 2014, Samuel Jackson spearheaded the formation of the Nigeria Armwrestling Federation and later became the president.
In less than three years of it’s formation, the Nigeria Armwrestling Federation successfully hosted the African Championship in Lagos in 2017 with the support of the Lagos Sports Commission. This edition of the African Championship, which Nigeria emerged overall champion, was rated by the African federation as the best ever in the history of the sport in the continent.
From 2015 till date, Engineer Samuel Jackson ensured Nigeria participated in all editions of the Armwrestling World Championships.
The Nigeria Arm wrestling Federation is a member of the Nigeria Olympic Committee.
