Martial arts to be inculcated in NYSC members

National Youth Service Corp members

Mark Brown, the Chairman, Lagos State Karate Referees Association, on Monday urged National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members not to shy away from the martial arts during their service year.

He said in Lagos that there was need for corps members to have basic knowledge of self-defence.

“Corps members are usually involved in the electoral process in the country, some of them have lost their lives and we begin to see the need for it for young people, especially corps members.

“I feel that they should have some form of self-defence training, if some of them had knowledge of self-defence, maybe what happened would not have happened.

“With security challenges in the country here and there, everybody should have the basics of self-defence before looking up to the government to provide larger security,’’ he said.

Brown, who trains the Lagos State Corps members at the Iyana-Ipaja, NYSC Orientation Camp said: “What we did in camp for the three weeks was the introductory session to sensitise them but a lot of them after camp asked that where can they continue?

“Most times, they spend 11 months after the camp and that is a long time for them to have learnt some basics of self-defence and which can come handy when the need arises’’.

He said that he hoped that martial arts would be embraced as a general norm in all states during the NYSC, adding that sports also made people physically fit.

“A lot of young people these days are not as fit as they should because endurance trek has been cancelled because of security issues, so, most times everyone is hopping from one bus to another.

“Thereby making people less fit, martial arts are a total package, especially Karate for fitness development in a corps member as well as providing an opportunity for self-defence,’’ he said.

He also canvassed for the introduction of martial arts at every level of education, especially for instilling discipline, adding that he got introduced to the sport at age 10.

Comments

Pope not involved in Colombian peace deal- Vatican

Pope Francis Pope Francis has turned down a request to play a role in the peace deal between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebel group. The Vatican in a statement issued on Wednesday in in Vatican City said that an invitation was sent to his Holiness in early August to appoint a representative to participate in the committee that selected the judges for the talks. The statement said that though Pope Francis supported the peace process, he, however, reiterated that he would not get involved in Colombian peace deal. It said that Pope was praying for the enlightenment of the hearts and minds of those who were called to promote the common good of the Colombian nation. A deal was announced last week, putting an end to five decades of internal conflict between government forces and the FARC rebels. The agreement, which needed to be ratified through a referendum in Oct. 2, would entail setting up a special court to grant amnesties or pu...

Houthis Claim Attack on Central Israel in Response to Gaza ‘Massacres’

The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has taken a concerning regional turn as the Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed responsibility for an attack on central Israel. The group announced this as part of their escalating response to what they describe as "massacres" in Gaza amid the Israeli military’s operations in the strip. Details of the Attack The Houthis, a Shiite militant group with ties to Iran, declared that they launched missile and drone strikes targeting Israel. While the exact impact of these attacks remains unclear, reports suggest that Israel’s defense systems intercepted several threats over its airspace. This marks a significant escalation as the Houthis widen their involvement in the conflict beyond their typical operations within Yemen and neighboring Saudi Arabia. The Houthis’ Justification In their statement, the Houthis framed the attack as retaliation for Israel’s military actions in Gaza, which they characterized as indiscriminate bombings resultin...

Fall of Assad is a Blow to Russia's Prestige

The potential fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a long-standing ally of Russia, would mark a turning point in Moscow’s global influence, particularly in the Middle East. Steve Rosenberg’s analysis underscores the profound implications for Russia, which has invested heavily—both militarily and politically—in ensuring Assad’s survival over the past decade. This article delves into why Assad’s downfall would strike at the core of Russian prestige and what it could mean for the broader geopolitical landscape. Russia's Strategic Commitment to Syria Since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011, Russia has been a staunch supporter of Assad's regime. In 2015, Moscow launched a military intervention that proved decisive in stabilizing Assad’s hold on power. This intervention solidified Russia's role as a key power broker in the Middle East and demonstrated its willingness to project military power far beyond its borders. Syria is not just an ally for Russia; it is a...

Global Naija Info

Search This Blog