Athlete
Irigha Eferebo was a professional wrestler and judoka born in Ogbia (Bayelsa State), who won numerous gold medals in the Men’s freestyle wrestling championships of the 1970s and 1990s.
Synopsis
Mr. Irigha Eferebo, as he was fondly called, was a famous and successful athlete from the Niger Delta who won 19 gold medals and other accolades for himself and the Old Rivers State government during the late 1970s and 1990s in both national and international championships. He was a prolific wrestler and judoka in the men’s freestyle wrestling category (125 kg / 276 lbs). However, he was best known for his brilliant performances at the Old Rivers State traditional wrestling championships of the 1980s. Subsequently, he worked in the civil service of Old Rivers State, later transferring to Bayelsa State in 1996, where he retired as a substantive Director (Grade Level 17). Mr. Irigha Eferebo was a polygamist and a good family architect. It was reported that he died on May 2, 2020, at the age of 73.
Birth/Parents
Late Mr. Irigha Eferebo was born on September 9, 1947, to Late Elder Eferebo Obo of the Emein family and Late Mrs. Okeyeri Lucy Eferebo of the Osumeinya family, both of Oruma in the Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. He was the third of five children.
Educational Journey
Late Mr. Irigha Eferebo attended Community Primary School, Oruma, where he obtained his Elementary School Certificate in 1969. He then proceeded to Government Trade Centre (GTC), Ahoada, where he earned a Trade Test Certificate (TTC) in Motor and Automobile. Driven by a strong desire for education, Mr. Irigha Eferebo continued his studies at Community Secondary School, Okodi, where he obtained his West African School Certificate. Still unsatisfied with his educational journey, in 2010, he boldly pursued and obtained a Diploma in Public Administration.
Wrestling/Judo Career
Late Irigha Eferebo was born into a family deeply passionate about sports, particularly wrestling. His elder brothers, Asa Eferebo, popularly known as Olotu, and Christopher Eferebo, were both wrestling legends in the then Rivers State. Together with Blacky, another wrestling giant from the Ogbia region, they dominated the wrestling scene in their time. Asa Eferebo, the eldest, achieved stardom in wrestling, while Christopher Eferebo became an expert in both wrestling and weightlifting.
Before following in his brothers’ footsteps, young Irigha Eferebo was a talented footballer, playing a defensive role on his elementary school team. However, true to his family tradition, he began his wrestling career in 1974 during the Chief Medford Okilo Wrestling Cup Competition, contested among wrestlers from the ten divisions of the old Rivers State. While his elder brothers participated in the top categories, Irigha made his mark in the lower category, catching the attention of Mr. Jonathan Peter Mazi, the then Secretary of the Sports Council of Rivers State.
Mr. Mazi, impressed by Irigha’s intensity and skill, sent him for further training in Lagos in 1975, where he specialized in judo, as freestyle wrestling was not yet established at the national level. Irigha Eferebo won his first gold medal at the 1976 National Wrestling Championship in Kano, which marked the beginning of his illustrious career in wrestling and judo. Through determination, resilience, and hard work, he rose to the position of National Captain of the Nigerian Judo Team, a role he held for eight years. As captain, he led the team to the 8th All African Games in Algiers in 1978, winning a bronze medal. This achievement paved the way for his subsequent success in judo, including a silver medal at the African Judo Championship in Cairo in 1979 and participation in the World Junior Judo Championship in 1979.
Irigha Eferebo became a beloved figure among his peers and a role model for younger athletes. In 1983, together with his friend and colleague, Chief Champion Emmanuel Ekpokoba-Ode, he participated in the British Master’s Intervention World Championship in the light-heavyweight category.
Champion Irigha Eferebo: Chronology of Wrestling/Judo Laurels
| Date | Name of Competition | Medals Won |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | National Wrestling Championship (Kano) | 1 Gold |
| 1978 | 8th All African Games (Algiers) | 1 Bronze |
| 1979 | National Sports Festival | 1 Gold, 1 Silver |
| 1979 | Inter-State Zonal Competition | 1 Gold |
| 1979 | ECOWAS Competition | 1 Silver |
| 1979 | Oluyole Competition | 1 Gold, 1 Silver |
| 1979 | World Judo Championship (Paris) | Participant |
| 1981 | National Sports Festival, Bendel 81 | 1 Gold |
| 1981 | All Nigerian Open Judo Championship | 1 Gold |
| 1981 | All African Judo Championship | 1 Silver |
| 1982 | Zonal National Judo Competition | 1 Gold |
| 1982 | Zonal National Competition (Lagos) | 1 Gold |
| 1983 | All Nigerian Judo Championship | 1 Gold |
| 1983 | All African Judo Championship | Bronze |
| 1983 | Traditional Wrestling Rivers State Championship | Undefeated |
| 1984 | All African Judo Championship (Tunisia) | 1 Gold |
| 1984 | Open Judo Championship (Akure) | 1 Gold |
| 1985 | All Nigerian Judo Championship | 1 Gold |
| 1986 | All African Judo Championship | 1 Gold |
| 1986 | All African Judo Championship (Casablanca) | 1 Silver |
| 1987 | Zonal National Championship (Lagos) | 1 Gold |
| 1987 | All African Judo Championship | 1 Bronze |
| 1988 | 7th National Sports Festival | 1 Gold |
| 1990 | National Sports Festival (1st Inter-Zonal Champion) | 1 Gold |
| 1990 | Okilo Unity Championship | Gold |
| 1990 | 1st Opigo National Cup for Ijaws in Nigeria (Gold, Heavyweight Category) | Gold |
Civil Service Career
Late Irigha Eferebo’s skill in the ring not only earned him accolades but also a pensionable appointment in the civil service of the old Rivers State. Through Mr. Jonathan Peter Mazi, he was employed as a Stadium Assistant in 1977 and eventually rose to the position of Director (Coaching) on Grade Level 17 at the Bayelsa State Sports Council, retiring meritoriously in 2014. Throughout his career, he was frequently appointed as a coach and instructor for wrestling and judo contingents in both old Rivers and present-day Bayelsa State.
A Loving, Caring Husband/Father
Late Irigha Eferebo was a loving, caring, and God-fearing husband, father, uncle, and in-law. He was married to four wives and had 17 children. His devotion to his family was unparalleled, and he extended his love and care to everyone he met, regardless of their relationship to him. Irigha Eferebo was not only a father figure to his children and in-laws but also a friend, mentor, and confidant.
Christian Life
Irigha Eferebo was born into a devout Christian family. His parents, the late Mr. and Mrs. Eferebo Obo, were committed members of the Anglican Communion. His name “Ayebairigha,” meaning “God is always right” or “God does no wrong,” reflected his strong belief in the infallibility of God. He was baptized and became a member of the Anglican Church in his youth, but in his later years, he and his family were dedicated to serving God under the Pentecostal platform of the City of Zuph Ministries, Yenagoa.
Demise
Irigha Eferebo passed away on May 2, 2020, at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, after a brief illness.
