posted July 5, 2023
Ohio-Michael Elakhe, the Nigerian-born Chief Instructor of the African Goju system of martial arts and self-defense in Nigeria, who recently made headlines after attaining the prestigious level of 6th Degree Black Belt, has been granted the seminal backing to commence writing his thesis for the award of a Doctorate Degree in Martial Arts Education.
Prof. Gwira- 10th Degree Black belt-10th Degree Red Belt, Ph.D.- Martial Arts Education, founder of the Martial Arts Institute, Accra, Ghana, African Goju and South American Goju eclectic systems of martial arts/self-defense (which are currently practiced in 37 countries worldwide), disclosed the honor to Goju Grandmaster Elakhe while speaking to journalists after one-day seminar and exhibition on Martial Arts/Self-Defense, Health, and Fitness in Sports by African Goju adult and child practitioners in Accra, Ghana.
He said, “Grand-Master Ohio-Michael is now a 6th Degree Black Belter. That attainment automatically conferred him with the status of Great Warrior/Grand-Master; Nigeria’s second, in the self-defense system, following on the heels of Great Warrior/Grand-Master David Ayutsede, the immediate past Chief Instructor of African Goju Nigeria and the current Chief Instructor of African Goju Netherlands.”
“So, in line with the constitutions of both African Goju and the parent body; Martial Arts Institute, he’s now qualified to apply for a doctorate degree in Martial Arts Education. But to be honored with the prestigious title of Professor, he must write an original and home-developed 60,000 – 80,000-word essay on African Martial Arts/Self-Defense or Security. “
Explaining some of the requirements for the proposed doctoral honor, Professor Gwira said, “On the practical side, he (Grand-Master Ohio-Michael) must execute the entire African Goju syllabus from White Belt to 5th Degree Black Belt (Katas, the 6-6-6 Attack-Defense syllabus, the 50 Self Defence Techniques and Fighting Techniques); all at one stretch. “
Furthermore, “he must present a group picture of him with a minimum of 50 duly registered and practicing students; all clad in their official African Goju Nigeria uniform, to guarantee he has a future legacy for African Goju in Nigeria. It is imperative that he meets these criteria because they’re important to publicly establish his credibility as a practitioner before he can be called a Professor, otherwise, he’ll not command the necessary respect from and among his peers.”
While he has been given two years syllabus circle to fulfill the onerous task before he can be presented with the certificate at the ceremony to mark Martial Arts Institute/African Gojus 40th anniversary in 2025, Prof Gwira urged Grand-Master Ohio-Michael to take the challenge seriously, adding that; “I’m confident Great Warrior Ohio-Michael is capable of meeting the requirements, which will make him the honor of being the first African Goju or South-American Goju practitioner to attain the illustrious rank of Professor, after the founder”.
Prof. Gwira, who has practiced numerous martial arts systems, was a student who grew under the tutelage of seasoned and internationally recognized instructors like Ju Jitsu’s Mr. Chapman, Edmondson, and others, Taekwondo’s Simon Zagore, Shotokan’s Prof. Enoeda, Kyokushinkai’s Jan Reeberg, Wado Ryu’s Bernie Fowler, Kempo’s Miguel Espinoza, etc. However, he cut his practicing teeth under the tutelage of Chinese Goju founder, 5-time World Karate Champion, 6-time USA Karate Champion, and actor- 10th Degree Red Belt, Shidoshi Ron Van Clief (who sowed the seed of an Africa-based martial arts system in his heart), and later bagged his Doctorate at the Shidoshi’s prestigious University of Martial Arts and Science, New York.
Fielding questions on the honor and development, Great Warrior/Grand-Master Ohio-Michael said; “As a Security cum Close Protection Operative, I had been observing and studying the current evolving trends and challenges to security, and based on the discoveries of the studies and research I’ve done so far, I had already begun developing an African Goju based civil self-defense and security concept called Acute Civil Self-Defense System, which is based on the knowledge of Nigeria’s relevant laws of self-defense, and the formulation of this concept will form the basis of my thesis.
Continuing, Ohio-Michael said, “The concept is being formulated with a view to educating practitioner’s and the larger public on the appreciation, knowledge and understanding of the realities, challenges and dynamics of safety and security, viz the new wave of threats and the ever-shifting thinking of criminals, assailants and terror peddlers in Nigeria’s current socio-political environment, and inculcating in them new paradigms and rudiments of proactive, pre-emptive and responsive civil self-defense- the ability to recognize threats, flash-points and hostile elements, so that should they find themselves confronted with danger and the need to engage is unavoidable, they can deploy the proper level of intelligent, self-defense initiatives, because they’ve been properly instilled and equipped with the practical know-how and skill-sets- the autotelic mindset, composure, mental strength, discipline and decisive willfulness, to execute any and every right measure of protective response necessary to emerge alive and unscathed.”
“The system is under-girded by the need and wisdom in introducing African Goju as a vital component of security appreciation and development, and addressing the challenges of insecurity and civil self-defense, in the face of prevailing hostile environment in the 21st-century third world and Africa, especially with Nigeria’s evolving insecurity challenges, where the dynamics of threats, crime, insecurity, terror, increased aggressive interactions, terror peddling, the unhealthy rise in organized and targeted attacks on schools and institutions with kidnap and abduction of students, have changed”.
With the objective to secure the honor, he revealed that he has embarked on a ‘Be Safety, Security and Self-Defense Aware’ drive to promote this concept as the new paradigm of security awareness and self-defense capabilities, using free talks, seminars, practical demonstrations to present African Gojus unique brand of self-defense to schools; with emphasis on self-defense for children and women. He is also championing a ‘Train-the-Trainer’ program across the three tiers of government, from Local, State, and Federal Governments security organizations and paramilitary organizations, and schools.
Ohio-Michael, who is a Security Operative and Certified Close Protection Operative, currently runs clubs and also offers private classes in Lagos, where he instructs people and corporations on security, martial arts/self-defense, keeping fit, health/nutrition, laws of self-defense, etc., and he’s in the process of setting up more clubs (all with special curriculum developed for female and children across the state and beyond).
It would be recalled that Ohio-Michael, together with four other Nigerians, which included Great Warrior/Grand-Master David Ayutsede, and Warriors Henry Akpode, Godwin Ozeigbe, and Henry Lopenz Umuai, were among several African Goju and South American Goju practitioners from across the globe who were honored at a ceremony which held at the Bokum Hall in Accra, Ghana, in July 2022, where he was decorated with the official Red-White 6th Degree belt.
Inducted into the African Goju/South-American Goju Hall of Fame in 1998, he is the current, undefeated Nigerian, African, and World Welter-Weight ‘no rules apply’ full contact champion, a title won by a 6th round technical knockout in 1991 at a 15-round title fight at the Tip-Toe gardens, Accra, Ghana, where he defeated compatriot Henry Akpode.
Among other awards garnered over his thirty-five years of practice, he was the Best Welter Weight Fighter (1991 – 1996), won the joint prizes for Fight of The Year and Demonstration of The Year in 1992 (with Sensei Yinka Onaolapo), the Goju Prize in 1992, was awarded the prize for Best Kata Demonstration in 1995 and again, the George Herward-Mills Award for best Kata Demonstration in 2022.
Great Warrior Ohio-Michael holds professional memberships of the African Goju/South American Goju Federation (AGSAGF) and the Caucus of African Goju/South American Goju Instructors (CAGSAGI), is the convener of the forthcoming African Goju/South American Goju Festival 2023.
The one-day exhibition of African Goju/South American Goju syllabus contents, displays of feats of physical endurance and thresholds of pain, Gojurobics, etc, is billed to hold in Lagos Nigeria come December 2023, and will among other things look forward to Prof. Gwira honouring several front-runners and stakeholder across the Martial Arts family in Nigeria.
He is also the convener of the forthcoming African Goju/South American Goju Olympiad 2024, a three-day international ‘rules apply’ amateur rank full contact event designed to afford a wider range of African Goju and South American Goju practitioners across the four different weight classes from any of the thirty-seven-member nations, a platform where they can pith their fighting skills in a competitive setting less ferocious than the system more professional fights. It is scheduled to take place in Ireland.