…tasks sponsors on trado-sports development
SECRETARY General of the Traditional Sports Federation of Nigeria (TSFN), Alh. Ahmed Abdullahi Libata, has made a passionate appeal to Corporate bodies and individuals to come forward and bankroll traditional sports in Nigeria.
Speaking in this exclusive interview with ANDREW EKEJIUBA in Abuja the workaholic sports administrator expressed satisfaction at the approval of traditional sports as part of the sporting events that will be showcased at the National Sports Festival slated for Benin, Edo State and called on all participating states to prepare very well because the competition will be keenly contested.
Excerpts:
What efforts is the Traditional Sports Federation of Nigeria making to promote trado sports in Nigeria?
Frankly, we are working hard to popularize our traditional sports because we in the federation are not sleeping either. We strongly believe that our indigenous sports will go places if the necessary things are done.
However, I have to express my gratitude to the President of TSFN, Usman Musa, for all his support because he has supported the Federation in times of need without any complain. I also want to thank the Minister of Sports, Sunday Dare and the Permanent Secretary in the Sports Ministry for all what they are doing positively for sports development in Nigeria.
Coming back to your question, I want to reveal that we in TSFN have written a lot of proposals to states and organizations to come forward and bankroll our events. We are hoping that very soon, our Dambe Championships will be staged in Kano and Katsina states respectively. We also have our eye on Bayelsa State hosting our Abula National Championship.
Recently, we sent a letter to Senator Aleru to help sponsor our Kokawa Championship in Kebbi and our letter is receiving attention in this regard, so we are making serious effort at taking our trado-sports to the African continent and then to the world. We believe in TSFN that Nigeria cannot remain a dumping ground for foreign sports.
Nigerians and many stakeholders of sports in the country are seriously worried that our dear country is a real dumping ground for foreign sports, what is the federation doing to curb this anomaly?
I want to say that very soon our trado-sports will hit the limelight internationally and be a veritable tool for earning our dear country Nigeria foreign exchange.
For now, many African countries are coming together and popularizing their indigenous sports like what is happening in Senegal where an annual Kokawa Championship attracts many African countries including Nigeria. What we need in Nigeria is for sponsors to help give our trado-sports a push.
Few weeks back, a Nigerian company came for an interview and showed interest to bankroll Abula, Ayo, Langa and Kokawa. So, we need more companies to come forward and help us in TSFN to popularize our games.
Ram fighters and their promoters want to be part of TSFN family and when they came to us, we had to accept them. For the records, and as I speak, Ram fighters Association are affiliated to TSFN.
Why is it that TSFN is among some of the sporting federations that have not been holding executive meetings to fine-tune their activities since the Board was inaugurated?
I have just been posted to the federation and since I came on board I have enjoyed tremendous support from the President of TSFN and some Board members. My candid appeal is that Board members should not leave the burden of getting sponsors of our competitions alone to the TSFN boss. Most of the Board members came from different zones of the federation and little contributions in terms of sponsorships will definitely boost our activities.
When I was the Secretary General of Karate Federation of Nigeria, sponsorships for all our activities or events were coming from all the six zones of the country. We were kept busy because we had vibrant Board members and I pray such should happen in TSFN.
Like I said earlier, TSFN President should not be left with the duties of getting sponsors alone. Even when we schedule for Board meetings, cost of transportation will be left for the TFSN boss to bear and that is why we agreed that the best time to have a Board meeting is during the National Sports Festival in Edo.
What are your expectations for trado-sports at the National Sports Festival holding in Benin, Edo State in April?
Our expectations are high in TSFN because the festival will afford us an opportunity to showcase all our indigenous games like Abula, Dambe, Kokawa, Langa and Ayo to mention but a few. And the beauty of our trado-sports is that each of them are ‘crowd pullers’ and much of that will be seen at the National Sports Festival in Edo.
Action will commence in our traditional sports from April 4 till the end of the festival, so visitors or fans will have their hands full. It is going to be action galore from the start till the end.
Arrangements from our technical personnel is top notch and we are assuring every state coming to feature in trado-sports that no one will do anything to rubbish the federation. We are in a democratic era where best decisions are taken.
I want to appeal to all states to prepare very well for the various trado-sports events they will be featuring in because the competition will be keenly contested. Since the approval of trado-sports in Edo, many states are encouraged to feature in our events thereby keeping our practitioners and stakeholders busy.
I want sponsors to rekindle their interest in sponsoring our indigenous sports because I foresee a new dawn for our trado-sports.
The festival in Edo will mark a new dawn for our abandoned trado-sports because it is my strong belief that Nigeria should not remain a dumping ground for foreign sports. We need to popularize our indigenous games.
Finally, what is the way forward for trado sports in Nigeria?
The only way forward is that stakeholders of trado-sports in Nigeria must come together and work like one family. The Board and administrators in TSFN should redouble their efforts at promoting our indigenous games. I expect our trado-sports coaches and technical officials to avail themselves of the opportunity of attending coaching courses and seminars locally and internationally to update themselves with the latest technicalities of trado- sports.
Finally, I want to appeal to government, trado-sports stakeholders and sponsors to come forward and bankroll our sports because they will get the desirable mileage if they come in now. Our doors are open and we are willingly to reposition our indigenous sports through well-packaged sponsorship programmes.
Nigeria is the giant of Africa even in indigenous games, thus other African countries should learn from us, beginning from what happens here in Edo.
