I grew up as a kid that never got into trouble due to living in a very peaceful environment, so I never saw the need to learn any martial art. I only got bullied once in a blue moon and the bully wasn't anything very physical, but I knew deep within me that I was physically weak and couldn't defend my self if the slightest altercation occurs.
I also got scared very easily and this meant I would not be able to react promptly in the case of any emergency which my require my involvement, this two reasons made me love martial arts though I was to scared to try learn it... apart from through movies of course needless to say, this was pointless no amount of Bruce Lee movies or John Cena fights can increase your physical fighting prowess especially not for someone as scared as i was.
fast forward to 2016... My Secondary School went for a competition at the Kwara State Stadium Complex, Ilorin, Nigeria.
My fear of physical engagements didn't allow to be part of the school team, I just went as an onlooker.
While the football match was going on, I and some other onlookers left the pitch to take a tour of the Stadium, while we were walking around without any destination in mind, a particular building caught my mind due to the several shouts emanating from it, a loud shout(s) was heard at least every half a minute and nobody seemed to care, I made enquiries to ascertain what was going on in that particular building and was told it was KARATE!!!
OMG
I thought it was a dungeon meant for torture
The experience of that day made me re-ascertain my conviction not to get involved in physical demonstrations of any kind.
Two months after the football match, The Kwara State Karate Association organized a contest between Secondary Schools in the State, my school was invited, unknowingly to me, my french teacher was a karateka. He was to brief those of us interested on the Modus Operandi of the contest. I was reluctant to register until I confirmed that the competition wasn't going to involve Kumite (sparring), It was going to be based on only Kata (A sequence of demonstrations). I thought, well... that won't hurt, so I agreed to participate.
KATA
KUMITE
While rehearsing the demonstrations with my french teacher, I was thrilled beyond my expectation, it was like fighting imaginary opponents, so no one could get hurt, cool... cool... cool. While my classmates where busy kicking rubber balls, I was kicking people, imaginary people, my self-esteem rose automatically and I enjoyed the feeling. I couldn't wait for the day of the contest to arrive to showcase my imaginary-opponent-thrashing skills.
The day of the contest arrived and I was fully propped up, I went to the venue of the event, the Kwara State Indoor Sports Hall and met a ton of other guys as eager as I was to compete, although unlike them, I was a little overdressed for the occasion, wearing a native white top on a borrowed white trouser.
I qualified for the second round after defeating my first opponent 5 - 0 (the score is based on the flags raised by the 5 line referees, red or blue, I was red). That guy obviously didn't know what was coming his way. The Kata I presented was Taikyoku-shodan, the first kata taught to beginner karatekas.
I decided to present Heian-shodan, the second kata taught to beginner karatekas . It turned out most of the participants that attended the event didn't know the second kata, I was booed when they noticed movements different from the first kata, needless to say, while presenting I was demoralized, I made mistakes and subsequently lost in the second round (1 - 4). Bad... very bad.
But as they say, there's sense in nonSENSE, and every disappointment is a blessing. There and then, I loved karate and I was willing to register for it.
I registered one week after the competition, and now I love Kumite (Sparring) more than I love Kata (sequence of steps).
I think about it every time, everywhere and look for opportunities to practice it even when I went on an excursion to Ikotun hills
