Power Lee is the current National and Pro Wrestling Africa (PWA) heavyweight-wrestling champion. He has represented Nigeria in many wrestling championships both locally and internationally, winning many laurels for the country. In this interview with Ifeanyi Eduzor, he spoke on his plans to rule the World in the matsman game. He also talked about the state of Nigerian wrestling and many more.
Marvellous Buffalo in 2016. What’s really happening?
I’ m very much around, training everyday and helping to develop new and upcoming wrestlers in my gym at Ajah, Lagos. Apart from that, wrestlers both in Nigeria and Africa are afraid to challenge me for my title. They are afraid that I will retire them the way I retired Marvellous Buffalo of Angola at the Asaba Township Stadium in 2016. I keep on telling them that I am ready to defend my titles anywhere and any time in the continent but nobody is interested in challenging me.
But Michel Noudem of Cameroon whom you defeated in September 2015 to win the title challenged you at Asaba Township Stadium. Why have you not accepted the challenge?
Michel Noudem was only trying to be mischievous. This was a wrestler I defeated before his home fans in Yaounde. He knows he is not my match and having beaten him to win the vacant title and also gone ahead to defend it against the number two contender, I think the best thing for me to do is to move on and take more serious challenges, which includes having a shot at the World title.
READ ALSO: Why Nigerian players now end up in Vietnam, Cambodia -Ifeanyi Ekwueme
You planned travelling to the United States to continue your career shortly after the fight; why didn’t that pull through?
It’s true that I planned travelling to the United States to get more exposure and face the best wrestlers in the World but logistics hindered that plan. I got all that were needed, including American Visa but lack of sponsor thwarted the plan and that’s why I am appealing to my state Government, Delta State, and corporate Nigeria to help me financially because I know that I am capable of ruling the World in the matsman game if given the opportunity. I say this because most of those wrestlers abroad are not better than I. All they have going for them is good training facilities and adequate exposure and I know that if I have such exposure and training I will definitely be on top of my game.
Looking at Nigerian wrestling generally, are you satisfied with its level of development?
There is no way I will be satisfied with the level of Nigerian wrestling. I remember with nostalgia the popularity of wrestling during the time of the late Power Mike, John Bamidele, Ben Lion Heart, Super Armstrong and others when wrestling was the second most popular sports in Nigeria after football and every strong person wanted to be part of the game but suddenly everything went down.
Wrestlers are not only suffering neglect and living in penury but lack of encouragement and good training facilities is affecting their performance. We have good wrestlers in this country, who can win World titles but lack of adequate exposure and encouragement is affecting all of us.
Don’t you think that setting up of many wrestling bodies in the country is part of the problem?
This can never be a problem; rather it is good for the development of the sports. In all parts of the world, you have many wrestling bodies all geared towards the development of the game. What is needed is for corporate organisations to invest in the game, as is done in developed countries of the world and the sports will bounce back and take its rightful position in the country.
What is your take… Many believe in some quarters that most wrestling fights are stage-managed?
It is only the uniformed that will say that. Everything we do in wrestling is real. You only need adequate training and good diet to master the art. All they see us do whether slamming, head butt, pin falls and all the rest are real. I keep on telling people that if they say what we do is stage managed why is it that people at times die in the ring and there is always a warning that fans should not practise what they watch at home.
Which fight would you describe as your toughest?
The fight I will describe as the toughest is the title fight against Cameroonian Michel Npudem. The fight was held in Yaoundé before thousands of his supporters and he employed all sorts of tactics to frustrate me but at the end of the day, I defeated him.
READ ALSO: Brazil dam disaster death toll rises to 169
Do you have any regret venturing into wrestling?
I don’t have any regret going into wrestling; rather I feel fulfilled because wrestling has made me a role model for the youths and a household name in the country. I always feel fulfilled when I look back and remember the reception given to me by the Isoko Ethnic community and the Delta State Government when I won the African title and the turnout of fans at Asaba Township Stadium for my title defence. I feel fulfilled and if given the opportunity, I will be a wrestler again.
What should your fans expect from you this year?
My advice to my fans is that they should have faith in me because I will not rest on my oars until I win a World title, as appreciation of their support. I also want to assure them that this year will be better and Power Lee will continue to make them happy.
