‘Culture, Ignorance, bane of Athletics development in North-East’

“Bako insisted that before the kids could be attracted to sports, some incentive should be guaranteed such as more local competitions, scholarships, access to urban and model schools where sports facilities are available.”

By Uzor Odigbo

Factors hindering the development of AthIetics in the North-East of Nigeria have been traced to culture, religion and ignorance.

This was the opinion of Ahmed Yunusa Bako, a Primary School teacher who attended the first Ahmed Shuaibu-Gara Gombe AthIetics Grand Prix at Pantami Stadium with his pupils in February.

Bako said that kids between the ages of 10 and 13 years old are ripe to engage in sports of their choice but noted that the environment, culture, and religious beliefs often obstruct their aspirations.

“I brought these kids to Pantami Stadium to witness for the first time Athletics actions at this level. They love AthIetics, but due to faith, culture and the environment, their parents don’t allow them to participate in sports,” Bako said.

According to the teacher, another factor affecting the participation of young girls in Athletics in the North is the sports attire which parents often view as appearing nude in public.

“As you know, culture and religious beliefs abhor such revealing attire for girls here. I’m not an indigene of Gombe State, I came from Kaduna where sports for girls are viewed a lot differently. I believe with time things will improve here in Gombe and entire North-Eastern Nigeria,” he said.

Bako, who didn’t reveal the name of his school for obvious reasons, noted that students in most urban and state capitals in the North have access to sports facilities than their counterparts living in communities, rural areas and villages, adding that cultural and religious values sometimes hinder the catch-them-young sports programmes like the Gombe grand prix.

On Gara Gombe initiatives, Bako said: “He started well and if he continues, the result will manifest in the near future. These kids want to embrace sports despite the limitations some of them are facing.”

Bako insisted that before the kids could be genuinely attracted to sports, some incentives should be guaranteed such as more local competitions, scholarships, and access to urban and model schools where sports facilities are available.

“The AthIetics Grand Prix in Gombe State has rekindled interest in the kids, so we the games masters in the schools have to further it in our respective schools for the interest to grow. In our various schools, we don’t have sports facilities or tracks where these kids can practise, but with this programme, a lot would be achieved,” Bako further said.

On what would be done to galvanise parents to allow their kids to embrace sports, Bako said: “Incentive is important while the good relationship between teachers and their parents will go a long way in making parents understand what their kids are doing aside from education. Government should also support the kids in view of ignorance, and cultural and religious influences. It was not easy for teachers to bring these kids to the stadium as it took a lot of explanation for parents to allow them. But it is settled now.”