Yemisi Izuora
Accugas Limited, a Savannah Energy company, has announced a deal to sponsor Enku Ekuta for an initial 12-month period for her training and competition to ensure she qualifies for and participates at the 2021 Summer Olympic Games which takes place in Tokyo, Japan.
The deal covers Enku’s training at the Edinburgh Judo Club in the United Kingdom, where she will have access to world class facilities, coaching by two renowned Olympics coaches – Billy Cusack and Sarah Clark, as well as opportunity to train with some of the best Judokas in Europe and across the world.
Nkoyo Etuk, Head of Stakeholder Relations and Communication commented:
“The sponsorship is a part of our corporate social responsibility and a demonstration of Accugas’ commitment to the development of Judo in Nigeria – a sport that is still growing in Nigeria. We believe that our company’s gesture – something unprecedented in the history of Judo in Nigeria – will help increase interest in Judo in the country and attract more corporate sponsorships.
Enku was selected for this opportunity after a rigorous process which included the fact that she is the highest ranked Nigerian Judo athlete by the International Judo Federation (ITF), and she has been a national champion in her category since 2016.
In addition to this, Enku was one of the emerging talents identified during a weekend Judo master class sponsored by Accugas in early February this year and which was facilitated by Billy Cusack And Sarah Clark”.
Etuk further stated that Accugas is optimistic that Enku will take advantage of the opportunity to excel at the Olympic games and do Akwa Ibom State and Nigeria proud.
In her response, Enku Ekuta thanked Accugas for the gesture. She said the sponsorship is a massive opportunity which will help her achieve her dream of participating and excelling at the Olympic Games. “I want to thank Accugas for this rare opportunity. Judo is a sport that hardly gets corporate sponsorship in Nigeria. This sponsorship is a massive boost for my career and I will put in my best effort to excel and justify the confidence which Accugas has reposed in me”.