The inventor of Abula ball game, Mallam Elias Foluso Yusuf, has assured trado-sports fans that he will work towards reviving the fortunes of the sport if elected into office as the President of Traditional Sports Federation of Nigeria (TSFN) today.
Speaking to reporters on Monday in Abuja on his ten-point agenda for trado-sports, the highly travelled sports technocrat said he will embark on massive sponsorship drive to revive trado-sports in Nigeria.
“I am going to embark on massive sponsorship drive for trado-sports if elected into office as TSFN boss and will also resuscitate Royal Fathers’ Traditional Sports Championships like the Oba of Lagos Ayo Championship and Oba of Benin Sports Championship as I started in my first tenure in 2001.
“I will also embark on partnership programmes via International Olympic Committee patronage through Sport for All Nigeria and the Nigeria Olympic Committee,” he said.
Yusuf affirmed that he will use ICT promotion to bring the various trado-sports closer to the fans and further assured that his return to office will see trado-sports officials undergo more coaching clinics and seminars to expose them to the latest techniques of the various sports.
“Research units will be set up and made to purse trado sports development in the school curriculum and we will work towards establishing Traditional Sports Academy.
“We shall also convey the congress of Confederation of African Indigenous Sports and resuscitate the body established in Nigeria at the 8th All Africa Games in 2003.
“Above all, we will honour international competitions with sponsors’ support and work towards participating at the next All Africa Games,” he stated.
Yusuf in his agenda further revealed that TSFN constitution will be well implemented by his new board and that they will collaborate with the Ministry of Information, Ministry of Culture/Tourism and National Orientation Agency (NOA) to promote Nigerian indigenous sports.
He concluded by stating that some state governors will be made Patrons of specific trado-sports to revive our indigenous games.
