Aluu commences its annual wrestling festival

African traditional wrestlers during the international championship of The Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS or CEDEAO) in Dakar Senegal. After losing the title to Nigeria last year, the Senegalese home team came out as champion again this time. The championship is prestigious, but commercial wrestling where the fighters are allowed to punch (lutte avec frappe) is more popular with audience and players. The prize money in those fights goes up to 150.000 Euros. The matches attract up to 60.000 spectators. Wrestling has become more popular than football in Senegal in recent years.

The people of Aluu community, in Ikwerre Local government of Rivers State have commenced their annual wrestling festival.

As has been their tradition, Omuike, one of the villages out of the nine communities that make up Aluu, is the first to kick start the wrestling.

Speaking to newsmen at the wrestling arena, Mr. Stanley Orji, the Chairman of Ogbakor Aluu ( the embodiment of the entire Aluu people), said Omuike being the home of wrestling in Aluu will always be the first to declare the festival open for each year.

He said the wrestling festival, is a culture which the Aluu people inherited from their ancestors and is the only entertaining event that brings the people of Aluu from around and across the coast of Africa together.

He used the medium to invite the entire public to come and witness the memorable event that is celebrated annually in each of the villages that make up Aluu.

He also called on stakeholders to partner and invest in Aluu so as to showcase the rich and laudable wrestling culture of the people.

On his part, the chairman of the wrestling committee, Elder Alex O. Nweke JP, said the wrestling is only the most celebrated culture of the Aluu people. He said by December, when the wrestling will come to an end, a trophy will be given to the person who will emerge as champion.

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