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INTRODUCING THE NEW SECRETARY GENERAL, NIGERIA WEIGHTLIFTING FEDERATION – ESTHER OLUWATOYIN ALUKO Ph.D

Dr (Mrs) Esther Aluko was born in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria on November 28, 1961. She grew up in a Police Barracks where she learnt various sports such as netball, table tennis, cycling, sprints among others.
While in Secondary School, she concentrated on netball and sprints where she bagged an award as the “Queen of the Track” in 1976.

The game of handball was introduced to her school when she was in her final year in College and she had the priviledge of learning the game that brought her into limelight.

In 1977, she left Secondary School and got an employment with the Oyo State Sports Council as a performing athlete. She represented her state in so some sporting events such as shot put, javelin, discuss and handball.

In 1977, she got her first invitation to national camp to play handball for Nigeria. She played handball for Nigeria up till 1985 before she took coaching as a profession. She was a national coach from 1985 – 1999 before leaving the coaching job for sports administration.

She became a sport adminstrator in 1999 and has since served as Secretary General of Nigeria Rowing Federation, Nigeria Yatching Federation, Nigeria Hockey Federation, Nigeria Shooting Sport Federation, Nigeria Judo Federation, Liaison Officer, National Sports Commission, Lagos Office and presently, Secretary General, Nigeria Weightlifting Federation.

Weightlifting Background- I started lifting weight right from my playing days for conditioning training after which I now lift weight for fitness training. I took interest in Weightlifting sport because of the contact I had earlier with weight training. I love weightlifting sport and I am an ardent supporter of the sport anywhere I have the opportunity to watch the sport. I was at the Beijing Olympics and I watched with keen interest most of the weightlifting events especially where Nigeria athletes featured.

ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS.

I have the following qualifications:
Dip. in Physical & Health Education, University of Ibadan
B.Sc in Physical Education, University of Lagos
M.Ed in Sports Administration, University of Ibadan
Post Graduate Dip. in Olympic Studies, International Olympic Academy (IOA) Greece
Ph.D in Sports Administration, University of Ibadan

As a career Civil Servant, before you become the Director of Sports, you must have knowledge of organisation of many sports and that explains the reason why sports secretaries are moved round Federations. As Director of Sports, Director General or Minister of Sports, you direct the affairs of all the sports Federations not just one sport.

Dr (Mrs) Esther Oluwatoyin Aluko is happily married with children.

I therefore solicit the cooperation of the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) to take Nigeria Weightlifting to a greater height.

Thank you.

ESTHER OLUWATOYIN ALUKO Ph.D
SECRETARY GENERAL
NIGERIA WEIGHTLIFTING FEDERATION