Abia Unity Games to be Awarded as Obisie Nwankpa Medal in Honour of Late Legendary Boxer

The Abia State Secondary School Unity Games will now be awarded as the Obisie Nwankpa medal in honour of the service and commitment of Abia born Olympian and legendary boxer, Bishop Obisie Nwankpa.

The Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development, Nwaobilor Ananaba made the pronouncement on behalf of Governor Alex Otti at the Umuahia Township Stadium during a state burial organised by the Government in honour of Nwankpa.

Ananaba said through the initiative, Nwankpa’s name will live in Abia schools, sports development system and in the dreams of young Abians who believe in excellence.

Ananaba whose address was read by the Special Assistant to the Governor on Sports, Raymond Ukwa condoled with the Nwankpa family on behalf of the Abia State Government, noting that the deceased ‘belonged to the generation that defined sports in Nigeria.’

“Today we gather as a state united in gratitude and a solemn reflection to honor the life and legacy of one of Abia’s most illustrious sons, late Obisie Nwankpa, who was fondly called the Golden Gloves,” Ananaba said

“Obisie belonged to the generation that defined sports in Nigeria. They defined it through discipline, sacrifice and uncommon patriotism.

“And all through his sporting and boxing career, he represented Nigeria and Abia State at the heights of sports excellence. He didn’t just represent the state, he represented the hopes of the people and of course the resilience of the country.

“He invested his time and resources and personal influence into the lives of young people, you know, young athletes and opening doors and creating opportunities that would not have been assessed on their own.

“So today, we say and bid him farewell. And on behalf of the government and people of Abia State, I say today with clarity and gratitude, Abia State remembers Obisie Nwankpa.”

On his part, the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Sports and Youth Development, Chief Cyril Nwaigwe noted that a vacuum difficult to fill had been created in the field of sports and in his family but advised the family of late Obisie Nwankpa not cry as people without hope.

In his tribute, the Abia State Director of Sports, Comrade Obioma George, noted that the late Obisie Nwankpa chose boxing as a profession and excelled in it, revealing that he won 23 of his 29 fights as a boxer, 16 of which was a

He said: “Our brother lying down here today started boxing from the amateur level and he made it to the professional level. Obisie Nwankpa got a gold medal in all African Games as far back as 1973 in Lagos.

“He also got a gold medal in Commonwealth Games. He was a light, welterweight boxer. He was in Munich Olympics of 1972.

“Obisie Nwankpa had so many boxing titles. He fought 29 fights and out of the 29 fights, he won 23. And out of the 23 fights he had, 16 were knockout.

“So he was a warrior. He was a fighter. He was a talented boxer.”

In a brief sermon on the Topic: “Divine Responsibility” Mr. Stanley Adindu, noted that everyone is assigned a role and time to fulfill it advising tgat one should identified and accomplish ones assignment within the allotted time frame.

In an interview, bishop Nwankpa’s first daughter, Mrs Victoria Ngozi described her late father as kind, generous, loving, and accommodating, adding that he was a father to all.

“He was one man that doesn’t like cheating, he doesn’t want anybody to be cheated. So, he takes everybody as his own. He doesn’t discriminate. Whenever you see daddy fighting, you see him getting angry because he feels like somebody is being cheated. So, my daddy is a kind man.”

The wife of the deceased, Mrs Franca Obisie Nwankpa said her late husband was very caring to her and the children.

“He doesn’t sleep until his children sleep and at midnight, he wakes up to check on his children. And whenever he gets angry with his children, he doesn’t hesitate to warn them and tell them to forgive him.”

The late Bishop Obisie Nwankpa, a boxing legend and an Olympian, was born in Okpulukwu Umuosu, Nsulu in Isiala Ngwa local government area, Abia State, on May 19, 1950 and died on June 3, 2025.

His remains was later laid to rest on Friday December 12, 2025, in his hometown