In light of the impressive triumph of Nigeria’s national team, the Super Eagles, at the ongoing AFCON 2023 in Ivory Coast’s capital city, Abidjan, the festivities have garnered attention not only from sports enthusiasts but also from heads of corporate organizations, security agencies, political officials, and the entire Nigerian population. This celebration serves as a testament to the profound impact and immeasurable influence of sports within society, transcending social divisions such as status, ethnicity, race, and age.
However, it begs the question: does this celebration contribute to the development and growth of our youth, fostering character-building and capacity development? Many of the players on the team compete outside of Africa, while a few are based in their home country.
This highlights the issue of neglecting the importance of nurturing and identifying talent from a young age, replenishing our resources when our “powerhouse” becomes depleted.
Prioritizing this refueling process can potentially save us from future challenges that may be difficult to eradicate.
The government should collaborate with the agency responsible for youths, sports development, and school sports to create a comprehensive long-term partnership plan for the next 50 years.
Sports, particularly involving young people, is highly valued in any society.
Diversity within sports can be harnessed to bolster our nation’s economic power.
Sports greatly contributes to tourism, trade, and commercialization; it also holds the promise of fostering peace and unity. It serves as a unifying force that transcends other religions.
Significant investment is required for school sports across all levels.
The government’s active involvement in school sports would facilitate the discovery of numerous talents that our nation can nurture, groom, and support, leading to success in national championships such as NUGA. We should establish both a main team and feeder teams in various sports categories, allowing them to represent the country in international events.
I believe that it is now essential to shift our focus and prioritize school sports in order to identify and nurture hidden talent for future competitions at all levels. Merely celebrating and showering the Super Eagles with luxuries does not address the issue of sports development in Nigeria. These celebrations are short-lived, and the media attention subsequently fades away.
We should give special attention to school and grassroots sports in order to uncover the potential to produce exceptional athletes like Cristiano Ronaldo, Pele, Lionel Messi, David Beckham, Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Serena Williams, and many others in our country, Nigeria.
Furthermore, it is not too late to cultivate our own legends in football and other sports. We can still produce players of the caliber of Segun Odegbami, Rashidi Yekini (may he rest in peace), Daniel Amokachi (known as ‘The Bull’), Austin Jay Jay Okocha, Nwankwo Kanu, and also legends like Segun Toriola, Daniel Igali, Aruna Quadri, and more in other sports.
Olatutu Oladunni is the incumbent Chairman of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Lagos chapter. She is a member of Aviation Round Table, Publisher of Corporate magazine NEWS POST MAGAZINE, Public Relations Officer of Certified Diplomatic Protocol Professionals in Nigeria, International Center for Protocol and Diplomacy London, UK and Executive Director Carolkings Media Ltd.
