Guardian

AT the Presidential Retreat for Sports organized by the Federal Government last November, virtually everybody at the forum admitted that the neglect of grassroots sports development had taken its toll on Nigerian Sports. The occasion afforded President Goodluck Jonathan the opportunity to get first hand information on the problems bedeviling sports in the country and so he challenged the Sports Ministry and other stakeholders to arrest the decay in that sector.

Rising from the retreat, the Minister of Sports/Chairman, National Sports Commission (NSC), Bolaji Abdullahi, decided to reconstitute the Nigeria Academicals Sports Committee (NASCOM), which he believes has a pivot role to play in repositioning sports at the grassroots level.

With a clear mandate to drive the grassroots development, NASCOM under the leadership of industrialist and sports enthusiast, Yemi Idowu, commenced action with the intention to put together a robust programme that would encourage sports in schools.

Six months after its inauguration in Abuja, NASCOM initiated the Rhythm ‘N’ Play, a campaign aimed at providing young Nigerians under the age of 17 with structured programmes that use sports and play as critical tools for learning.

To reaffirm his total commitment to the renaissance of sports, President Jonathan on Thursday at the Velodrome of the Abuja National Stadium launched Rhythm ‘N’ Play, amidst pomp and pageantry.

In his remarks, the President said: “Today marks a great day in our renewed sports development drive, which has already started yielding positive results and national glory. You all recall that late last year, we convened a retreat on sports, which not only analysed the challenges in the sector but also came up with a clear roadmap for sports development in the short, medium and long term. Already, 2013 is turning out to be a success for the country in sports.

“Sport is an important vehicle for posting cohesion and nation building. This has been amply demonstrated in great attempt by government in sports development. In national competitions, it mirrors our pride, emotion and unity and discipline. Aside from the obvious benefits that sporting glory brings, it is also a major tool for youth mobilization and development.

“Encouraging people to take to sports also helps to build a generation that is healthier in spirit and mind and therefore able to contribute very well to national development. Government remains strongly committed to the development of our young people to ensure that grow up as healthy, responsible and productive citizens with available opportunities to make easier life choices. This is the spirit of our government of transformation.

“We must collectively build a worthy nation for our younger people. Considering its long-term social economic benefit, this administration is irrevocably committed to grassroots sports development. We believe that our young people must be encouraged to have an early start in sporting activities. The programme that we are launching today, Rhythm ‘N’ Play is aimed at providing young Nigerians within the ages of 17 with the structured programme of combining sports with play as critical learning and development tool. As the biggest campaign in sports ever launched in our country, the programme will revolutionize grassroots sports in the Nigerian nation.’’

With Rhythm ‘N’ Play, the President endorsed the initiators’ aim of introducing two million additional children to sports over the next two years.

He said, “In this regard, I have directed the National Sports Commission (NSC) and the Ministry of Education to work in consult toward achieving this target. Through this targeted efforts, our administration intend to see physical education returned to our schools and make participation in sports compulsory for all pupils in primary and secondary schools.”

The president acknowledged the major challenges facing this initiative, which was highlighted by the sports minister, adding, however, “nevertheless, we are determined to reverse this situation, we will overcome all the existing constraints by articulating cost effective solutions to empower children and facilitate greater interest in participation in sports.

“As I launch this campaign today, I call on all state governments and all other stakeholders including the private sector to give full support to the realization of its objectives by partnering with Rhythm ‘N’ Play in developing sports facilities in the rural and urban areas to encourage the growth and development of grassroots sports.”

Buoyed by the President’s support for the programme, an elated Minister of Sports/Chairman, National Sports Commission (NSC), Bolaji Abdullahi, said the project intends to reposition sports at grassroots level, adding that efforts would be geared towards encouraging schools by providing sports equipment and helping to train games masters.

“We will rely on existing platform and leverage on existing competitions to nurture future global champions with the intention of getting two million kids to take to sports across the country. We will take the initiative across the country through the zones by ensuring that we have Rhythm ‘N’ Play clubs in schools,” the minister said.

Mindful of the challenges facing his body, NASCOM boss, Yemi Idowu, said they would work with the Nigeria School Sports Federation (NSSF), Youth Sports Federation of Nigeria (YSFON) and other stakeholders to achieve the two million target, while calling on corporate bodies to support the project.

“As you may all be aware, one of the resolutions of the Presidential Retreat on Sports was the need to reposition sports in order to facilitate the mass participation and early discovery of budding young sporting talents at the grassroots level and within our school system.

“At the retreat, the Nigeria Academicals Sports Committee (NASCOM) was identified as a key component of government’s efforts at developing sports at the grassroots. The newly constituted Board of NASCOM is comprised of the Nigeria School Sports Federation (NSSF), Youth Sports Federation of Nigeria (YSFON), the Federal Ministry of Education, NSC and the private sector,” Idowu explained.

For this initiative, Idowu acknowledged the commitment and dedication of the Minister of Sports, whom he said has displayed exemplary leadership in actualizing President’s Transformation Agenda for Sports through his playground to podium vision for sports development.

He added, “Our strategy is simple. If we have one per cent chance of finding talented children in a normal distribution of children playing sports, then it makes good sense to actively seek to increase the number of children playing sports if you want to increase your talent pool.

“To increase the number of children we will need something attractive and exciting to make them want to participate in sports. When we have a bigger talent pool, we should have enough exciting activities to keep them interested in sports for a longer period so that they can graduate to elite sports through a discovery program with the national sporting federations.”

Re-emphasising the role of NASCOM in building a strong pool of talents for the country, Idowu said: “For avoidance of doubt, NASCOM will not be organizing any event at grassroots level rather we will initiate brands, ideas and uniform products which will be recognizable for all stakeholders to support and identify.

Idowu said funding held the key to success in the venture, adding, “Grassroots sports development requires significant funding and government alone cannot shoulder this burden. As an active player in the private sector, I wish to use this medium to appeal to my constituency – the private sector and corporate organizations – to support NASCOM’s Rhythm N’ Play and to leverage on it for the promotion of their goods and services.”

He revealed that the campaign would be integrated into junior and secondary school sporting activities nationwide with Rhythm N’ Play Clubs set up in schools nationwide.

Idowu added that it would rely heavily on the use of music, celebrities, volunteers, new media and other elements of pop culture to amplify and realize its objectives, adding that six sports, including football, athletics, ball games, calisthenics, martial arts and racket sports would be focused on by that Rhythm N’ Play, while the best sporting talents discovered through the platform will converge, fraternize and participate at the National Youth U-17 Games recently instituted by the National Sports Commission (NSC).