User:Masgee

Master George Ashiru is the 7th Degree black belt Taekwondo hall of Fame honouraree.Bold textIn In 2008 he was appointed by the Nigerian Government as the Team Manager to the Nigeria Olympic Taekwondo Team. The Team won a bronze medal in the +80kg category at the Beijing 2008 Olympics courtesy of Mr Chika Chukwumerije.

Master Ashiru has the singular honour of being a master in three Korean martial arts and made history as Africa's first ever 7th degree black belt awarded by the International Taekwondo Federation (ITF). Additionally, he was Nigeria's national taekwondo champion 7 times and awarded "Best National Player" in 1989 after the Korean Ambassador's Cup of that year and later he was also awarded "Best National Referee" in 1992 at the National Sports Commission's Chairman's Cup Taekwondo Championships.

He was Nigeria's only recipient of the Federal Government's scholarship after winning a Silver medal at the 4th All Africa Games Taekwondo Championships in Kenya in 1987. Subsequently he has been a state coach, technical adviser, executive committee member at various associations. In 2001, recognising his tremenduous multi-martial arts expertise the Federal Government appointed him to the national executive board of the Nigeria Juda Federation. Subsequently, the Nigeria Olympic Committee appointed him to its Marketing Commission. For ten years he has remained the chairman of the Ogun State Taekwondo Association in Nigeria and was the founding president of the Martial Arts Commission of Nigeria.

Master George Ashiru is well regarded world wide for his achievements and promotion of Korean martial arts, particularly, WTF/ITF Taekwondo, Tang Soo Do and Korean Kempo and he has given seminars all over Africa, United States and Europe. He was a guest of the Kukkiwon and WTF in 2008 and is also the Chairman of ITF Africa. Additionally he was appointed Technical Advisor to the Taekwondo Hall of Fame and a Special Correspondent to the legendary US based Taekwondo Times.

Master George Ashiru was taught & certified directly by several notable grandmasters of Korean martial arts, including; -GM Jong Hee Yoon, 9th Dan Kukkiwon -GM Kun In Lim, 8th Dan Kukkiwon -GM Kim Moo Cheon, 8th Dan Kukkiwon (KTA Team Manager) -GM Choi, Jung Hwa, 9th Degree, President, ITF -GM Jae Chul Shin, President, World Tang Soo Do Association (Chuck Norris' maiden instructor) -Master Trevor Nichols, 8th Degree, Sec. General, ITF -GM Mick Mulroy, 8th Dan, Founder of Korean Kempo (RIP) -GM, Emmanuel Ikpeme, 8th Degree Jidokwan, a pioneer of Taekwondo in Nigeria.