KCCN ushers in Chuseok Celebration with Ssireum tournament

By Ochiaka Ugwu

The Korean Cultural Centre, Nigeria has marked Chuseok Celebration with Ssireum tournament involving 30 contestants drawn from different clubs in Abuja.

Speaking during the event in Abuja Tuesday, Head Coach of KCCN Taekwondo Department, Coach Gbolohan Ogunmuyiwa said that Chuseok was one of the traditional festivals in Korea stating that every year at the Korean cultural Centre, they pick a traditional sport in Korea to commemorate the day.

He said the sport always chosen was Ssireum which shares so many similarities with some martial art like judo, sumo wrestling.

His words, “Ssireum is an interesting sport and that’s why we are trying to promote it not only here in Nigeria but in other parts of the world. It’s safe and it’s as good for fitness.

“It’s an exhibition contest and we have over 30 contestants from across different clubs in the FCT. It’s a sports event. We have tried to lure in sports people from different backgrounds. Some people are coming from judo, wrestling background, but the most contestants here are from taekwondo.

“The essence of doing this is to create awareness. We tend to invite younger participants. We want to catch them young from around the age of 20 so that when they get it now, they can pass it down to their peers. In the next few years. we are going to make it a standardized sport in Nigeria and the federation.

“We are starting gradually and is a good avenue to show that beside taekwondo, there are hundreds of other traditional sports that comes from Korea” he said.

Also speaking, Cultural event and communications officer of KCCN, Jennifer Ezeonyeasi said Chuseok was a Korean Thanksgiving celebration when people travel home to see their parents and celebrate family life.

She said it was a family-oriented celebration in Korea and KCCN was using the occasion to share the Chuseok celebration to Nigerians and create awareness on what Chuseok was all about.

According to her, “In addition to creating a collaboration between Nigeria and sports organizations and Korean sports. The guests are from different sports organisations like the Police and Defence organizations and we are looking to introduce this sport to them” she said.

Williams Dare, a Taekwando practitioner and one of the participants said he was learning to do the sport noting that Ssireum teaches balance.

Another participant, Comfort Sunday was full of praises for KCCN saying they have done great in exposing Nigerian youth to Korean culture.

On Female Heavy Weight category, Eragbai Blessing Omokhule of Damek Taekwondo won Gold, while Comfort Sunday of Danmek Taekwondo clinched Silver. Chukwuma Judith of BG Taewondo won Bronze.

At Male heavy Weight category: Dan Reynolds of Bullet kick Taekwondo won Gold, Ugwuegbu Kelechi Samuel of KICK Taekwondo won silver and Akande Oyejide of Dove Taekwondo won Bronze.

The Female Light Weight category saw Akande Oluwabusayo Eunice of Dove Taekwondo winning Gold with Oyelakin Opeyemi Lydia of Laupech wining silver and Taddawus Destiny of Dove Taekwondo wining bronze

The Male Light Weight saw Anya Joseph Ndukwe of Asorock Taekwondo wining Silver, Joel Mario of Asorock Taekwondo won Gold with Abdulmalik Saidu of FCT Taekwondo wining Bronze.