By EMTV News
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!A 21-year-old wrestler from Ikibiri Community in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, Mr. Dideikemie Erefagha, has brought pride to Nigeria and Bayelsa State after winning a bronze medal at the 2026 African Wrestling Championship held in Egypt.
Erefagha, a 300-level student of Niger Delta University, began wrestling at an early age while attending Ogbo Memorial Secondary School in Ikibiri, a community renowned for producing wrestling champions, including the late Macauley Appah and several other notable athletes.
His journey to continental success began after emerging victorious in the 70kg category at Governor Douye Diri’s Prosperity Wrestling Championship, which served as a qualification platform for the Nigerian national team.
Speaking with EMTV News Anchor, Mr. Robinson Erebi, Erefagha recounted the challenges and triumphs that marked his remarkable journey to Egypt.
“First of all, I thank God for everything because it is the Lord’s doing. When I started this journey, it was very difficult,” he said.
According to him, winning gold at the Prosperity Wrestling Championship earned him a place in the national camp alongside other champions from across the country.
“After winning gold in my weight category, I qualified to make the national team. We were camped for two weeks before travelling. At some point, we were told not all male wrestlers would travel and that selection would be based on performance in camp. That created pressure, but fortunately, I was among the eight male wrestlers selected for the championship,” he explained.
Erefagha said the Nigerian contingent departed Bayelsa on April 28, 2026, travelling through Port Harcourt and Abuja before flying to Turkey and then Cairo, Egypt.
He disclosed that before their departure from Abuja, the team met with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who encouraged them to make the nation proud.
“The President congratulated us, advised us and encouraged us to carry the Nigerian flag with pride and return with success. We took photographs with him before departing for Egypt,” he recalled.
Upon arrival in Egypt, the athletes underwent intensive training while carefully managing their diets to remain within their weight categories.
“There was an abundance of food, more than I had ever seen in my life, but we remained disciplined. We knew our mission was to compete and represent Nigeria, not to overindulge. We maintained our weight and focused on training,” he said.
The Bayelsa-born wrestler described his competition experience as both challenging and rewarding.
Receiving a bye in the opening round, Erefagha advanced automatically before defeating his Algerian opponent 12-6 in the quarter-finals.
He narrowly lost his semi-final bout to a wrestler from Guinea-Bissau after a hard-fought contest.
“My opponent was very good, and I gave everything I had. Unfortunately, I lost the semi-final, but I remained focused because I still had the opportunity to fight for bronze,” he said.
Determined to finish strongly, Erefagha dominated the bronze medal match, securing a convincing 12-0 victory.
“I won the bronze medal fight with a score of 12-0. It felt like all the hard work had paid off,” he added.
The championship proved historic for Nigeria, particularly in the women’s category, where the national team won eight gold medals and two silver medals to emerge overall champions.
The men’s team also delivered an impressive performance, finishing third overall with one gold, two silver, and three bronze medals.
Reflecting on the achievement, Erefagha described the outing as one of Nigeria’s most successful performances at the African Wrestling Championship in recent years.
“This is a historic achievement for Nigerian wrestling. It has been a long time since Nigeria recorded this level of success at the African Championship. We returned home with medals and trophies, and everyone was proud of what we accomplished,” he stated.
He noted that President Tinubu personally celebrated the team’s achievement upon their return.
“The President was very happy with our performance. He congratulated us and celebrated the record we achieved for Nigeria,” Erefagha said.
The young wrestler’s achievement has been widely hailed as a testament to the growing success of Bayelsa State’s sports development initiatives and the rich wrestling tradition of Ikibiri Community.
His inspiring journey from the wrestling fields of Ikibiri to the podium of the African Wrestling Championship serves as a powerful example of dedication, discipline, and determination in the pursuit of sporting excellence.
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