Joel Ajayi
Chairman of the Kung Fu Association, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapter, Mustapha Mubdiyu Adebayo, has pledged to spread Kung Fu across every part of the territory, with grassroots schools and community engagement at the heart of his strategy.
Adebayo, a professional town planner, made this known in Abuja during an interview with journalists over the weekend, stressing that his top priority is to give visibility to the sport, which he said remains relatively unknown to many residents of the capital.
“If you ask people about Kung Fu, many will say they don’t know or have never seen it practised. My vision is to change that. Visibility means involving more people, which is why I’m reaching out to schools and the private sector.
Right now, we lack even basic training equipment, and our athletes share facilities with other sports,” he explained.
At the last National Sports Festival, four athletes represented the FCT in Kung Fu, and all returned with medals. To Adebayo, this feat is proof of the sport’s huge potential if more athletes are nurtured.
“If four athletes could win medals, imagine what would happen if we had more participants. That is why our focus is on the youth. The earlier young people get involved, the faster the sport will grow.
To achieve this, the association is already in talks with the FCT School Sports Committee to integrate Kung Fu into school competitions, with the first inter-school championship expected in the first quarter of next year.”
Beyond institutional efforts, Adebayo disclosed that he has personally supported athletes, catering for their welfare during the last festival and providing funds for equipment ahead of the National Youth Games.
On concerns raised by some parents that martial arts encourage violence, he countered that Kung Fu instead instils discipline, self-control, and confidence.
“The world is becoming more violent every day. Parents should see martial arts as giving children confidence and basic self-defence skills, not as a tool for violence,” he stressed.
He further emphasized the importance of private sector involvement in developing Kung Fu, while noting that such partnerships must be strategic.
“Investors are business people. They want value in return. We must engage brands whose ideals align with martial sports, so their support is natural and mutually beneficial,” he said.
Looking ahead, Adebayo outlined both short- and long-term goals for the association, stressing that while immediate efforts are focused on mass participation and visibility, the ultimate ambition is for Nigeria to compete strongly in Kung Fu on the continental and global stage, including the Olympics.
“For now, the target is grassroots participation and visibility. The long-term dream is medals for Nigeria,” he concluded.
With preparations already underway, the association is set to launch its first school sports championship next year, marking a new chapter in efforts to take Kung Fu to every corner of the FCT.
