NAN-S-23
Cricket
By Dorcas Jonah
Abuja, Dec. 7, 2016 (NAN) Emeka Onyeama, President of Nigerian Cricket Federation (NCF), on Wednesday in Abuja promised to partner strongly with the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) to develop the game.
Onyeama made the pledge while presenting a paper titled “Cricket Development in Nigeria: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow’’ at a seminar which was part of activities marking the 2016 FCT SWAN Week.
He said this strong partnership was important because the media was a major tool of popularising the sport and raising the consciousness of Nigerians regarding the game.
Onyeama said his vision for cricket in Nigeria was to see the game played in all the 36 states and the FCT, adding that this could only be achievable with the help of the media.
“The best preparations for Nigerian cricket tomorrow is doing our best as a federation, and we will not stop until we have nationwide cricket tournaments every quarter of the year.
“We want the international cricket world to buy our talents and the Nigerian populace to have keen interest in cricket.
“Organisations will also be sponsoring cricket, and this will eventually transform the game into a profitable venture and a rewarding profession for our athletes,’’ he said.
Onyeama recalled that cricket was the first sport to be played in Nigeria, at Hope Waddell Training Institute in Calabar, Cross River in 1904.
“By 1909, the game has progressed to an international level.
“In the 60s, Nigerian cricket had become a household sports where all levels of educational institutions embedded cricket in sports sciences.
“Corporate organisations, non-governmental organisations and religious bodies also took likeness to the sport as it was used for charity events to raise funds for the less privileged.
“The unprecedented dynamic growth witnessed in the 80s later faced some problems, and the sport was unable to penetrate the youths because educational institutions turned attention to football because it was cheaper,’’ he said.
The NCF president said only the media, and SWAN in particular, could help to restore cricket to its past glory days.
Onyeama said the federation was doing its best to ensure that cricket was institutionalised in National Schools Sports Festival and the National Youth Games.
“We want to also have primary school cricket tournaments at state level and collaborate with the Nigeria Universities Games Association (NUGA) to promote cricket in universities,’’ he said.
Earlier at the seminar, Kayode Adeniyi, the SWAN FCT Chapter Chairman, had commended the efforts and commitment of the NCF president in resuscitating the game.
He said the federation’s effort towards building a cricket pitch was a laudable one which needed to be encouraged.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the FCT SWAN Week which started on Saturday with a walking and jogging programme will end on Thursday with an awards night.(NAN)
DE/OLAL
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)