Nigeria Content Online

Last week’s
write-up ended with an appeal for reader’s contributions. Let me repeat
that no one knows it all. I want to reiterate the fact that suggestions
made by you readers, may be that which will weave all the threads –
that is, all the ideas, opinions, suggestions, plans, concepts and
thoughts, expressed so far – together in our attempt to sell the idea
of ensuring a secured future, through sports, for millions of talented
Nigerian youngsters.

I cannot sincerely
think of a better way to explain the Diamond Structure Philosophy, more
than simply saying, that, it is the marriage of sports and education in
order to ensure a secured future for millions of Nigerian youngsters,
already destined for future leadership roles through sports. (Please
the repetition/emphasis is deliberate.) It is worth mentioning that
there are about 40 million young boys and girls of Primary and
Secondary School age in this country. This is apart from about 150, 000
graduates produced annually by our Universities.

Sports promotion vs development

Let me also confess
that taking up this aspect of sports journalism has not been easy at
all. Maybe it would have been more comfortable to tow the line of
sports promotion as against grassroots sports development. It would
have been more profitable or rewarding, to tell our sports
administrators and managers what they feel comfortable hearing or
reading. Why create problems for myself? Why experience sleepless
nights; thinking of the how not to and how to take this Diamond
Structure idea to the next level, thinking about making Nigeria the
greatest sporting country in Africa and one to be reckoned with once
again, internationally, thinking about the socio-economic, health and
political benefits of sports. Is change itself, not the greatest
insecurity of our sports administrators in the Abuja glass house? Yes,
it has been a very emotional experience. But my heart is fixed by His
very special grace.

Readers’ reaction

Some of the
reactions received last week, are very encouraging. I appreciate the
comments posted online, by J.O. Iyiola, Jane and Frank. I want to
appeal to Jane’s children, not to be too upset with me, because of the
Dodo issue. It is not only dodo, there is a lot more I hope
nutritionists will help us with. For instance, it is very dangerous to
eat puff-puff before embarking on any form of exercise. It is not safe.

Of interest,
however, is the suggestion that the Diamond Structure idea be sold to
faith-based organisations involved in sports. That move has been made
and the result is positive. We are following up and will get you
informed at the right time.

The suggestion of selling the same idea to, the football-playing and sports-loving governor of Lagos State is also interesting.

Something rather
interesting was discovered in a statement made by Ken Anugweje,
President of the Nigerian Universities Games Association (NUGA): “In
the last Beijing Olympics, for instance, every medal that Nigeria won
had a NUGA imprint. The Chukwumerije chap who won a medal in taekwondo
was the NUGA taekwondo champion in his weight class in the last NUGA
games. The relay quartet that won bronze … all four of them were NUGA
athletes. Gloria Kemasouede was in the University of Ibadan … she ran
for NUGA in 1999 at the World Universities games. So, you see that
everybody who won anything in the last Olympic Games had a NUGA
coloration except in (the) soccer team”.

Whao! Soccer! How come? The
answer is simple because sports (especially football – the most
beautiful and most popular sport) has not been given the required
attention in our Universities. I am made to understand that our
undergraduates are made to pay a compulsory sports levy, by the
Nigerian University Commission, but this sports levy is diverted to
other University expenditures, leaving little or nothing for sports. Do
we now have to play the “blame-game”? No, we take the bulls by the
horns.

We therefore ask Niky Igbokwe – the NUGA Sports Director, if it is
possible for us to work towards floating a football club to consist
mainly of graduates from our tertiary institutions. Is it not possible
for our U-23 to consist mainly of undergraduates? Niky made me
understand that Fashola – a University of Benin alumnus, played for his
University alongside Edema Fuludu and scored several goals during the
NUGA competitions. A pyramid with a football team consisting of
graduate football players, at the peak of such a pyramid, will motivate
and encourage Nigerian youngsters in secondary schools to aspire to
make it to the top. Is this possible in Nigeria? Time will tell.