Members of African Goju and the young trainess after the session

Practitioners of African Goju, an indigenous sports and system of self-de­fence, have been cau­tioned not to use their skill to attack security personnel in uniform.

This distinct form of martial arts, according to the Chief Instructor of African Goju, Mr. Donald Gwira, was to protect oneself, family and prop­erty other than causing fights or being on the offensive.

He said attacking per­sonnel in uniform was a breach of the tenets and philosophy of the sports which could attract dire consequences for the offender when found culpable.

“If anyone in uniform accosts you, take the ones’s name and service number and report the person. The problem with attacking anybody in uniform is that, if you touch them, you are fighting the institution and not the individual. The whole institution would come after you and there is nothing going to save you in that regard.

“We have had instanc­es where these have happened and we know what the consequences have been,” he said.

Mr. Gwira gave the warning at a Martial Arts Seminar and Exhibition on African Goju, held last Saturday in Accra as part of efforts to groom the next generation of practitioners.

The Seventh Degree Black Belt with over 40-years of experience who taught some basic self-defence techniques at the event, said the goal was to make African Goju the sole form of martial arts in Africa.

He said self-defence was crucial in all aspects of life and that children were the future of the sport, hence the need to provide the needed assistance to enable them to discover their full potentials.

About 50 children between ages five and 10 put a display on various aspects of self-defence, while the senior practi­tioners including “Great Warrior”, Patrick Mintah, exhibited other advanced styles and tactics by breaking a beer bottle with his head as part of his presentation.

Prof. Danny Gwira, the Founder of African Goju, emphasised the need to practice, promote and sustain the unique form of martial arts in Ghana instead of looking up to the Chinese and Koreans who were considered the masters of the art.

He said it was import­ant to imbue the art of self-defence in children at a tender age and encourage them to do things by themselves, hence the plan to or­ganise regular training sessions and seminars in future.

“The event marked 38 years of African Goju which was not only about building physical strength but also the ho­listic development of an individual,” he stated.

Prof. Gwira was con­fident other stakehold­ers would support the initiative to help train and produce great prac­titioners in Ghana.

The event saw Mr. Joshua Brown inducted into the Ken Gwira Hall of Fame after years of dedicated service and practice.

African Goju was formed in Ghana in 1985 by Danny Gwira, a student of Professor Ron Van Clief the Founder of Chinese Goju. It is prac­ticed in over 34 countries as there are increased efforts to promote the sport in Africa.

 BY ERNEST NUTSUGAH