By Ben Efe
The Mabel Madojiemu Schools Athletics Championships came to a fitting climax last weekend at Igueben, Edo State with over 100 students participating.
Participating schools, citizens including the Onogie of Igueben and Okaigun of Esanland HRM Ehizogie Eluojierior were elated with the outcome. The Igueben monarch commended the efforts of Princess Mabel Madojiemu a former national 400m runner and Olympian who for four years has kept the competition going.
But he lamented that governments at all levels in Nigeria have failed to invest in youth sports development in recent years and it was the reason the country continues to struggle for results at internation competitions.
“A youth like Mabel had passion for athletics right from her school days and she was able to develop herself into an international athlete, because there was a school sports programme,” said HRM Ehizogie Eluojierior.
“Those were the days when government was government, they love sports and recognised its importance in youth development…then we had students, even those who are not very talented going into sports and the country had a pool of athletes to show for it.
“But what do you have today? Government is neither interested or unwilling to invest in sports and so with that kind of atmosphere, it is difficult to find potential athletes. I don’t have any idea if schools still do interhouse sports.
“It requires little efforts to organise sports in the grassroots because that’s only avenue to catch them young, I remember back in the days how we prepared for interhouse sports, I do not know if they still have that kind of passion.”
He urged the government policy makers to develop a sustainable sports development programme and it does not matter which party is in power so that the chain of athletes’ discovery and grooming will not be broken. He added that education should also be a priority.
“Even there is nothing much to celebrate about academics…if the core reason a child is in school is not functioning well there is nothing that could be done with sports a secondary aspect of development.”
