Let’s revive inter-schools sports in Primary, Secondary Schools for talents discovery – SWAN 

Mr Kunle Tajuddeen, the immediate past Chairman, Sports Writers’ Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Kebbi State chapter, has advocated for the revival of moribund inter schools sporting activities in primary and secondary schools.

Tajuddeen made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Birnin Kebbi on Wednesday shortly after handing over the mantle of leadership to association’s new executive members.

Tajuddeen, who spent two tenures of six years as Chairman, said reviving inter-schools competition would not only assist in fishing out young talents but would also go a long way in curtailing the current security challenges bedevelling the nation.

The ex-chairman said: “Government at all levels, the federal, state and local government have completely abandoned inter-schools sporting activities.

According to him, in the olden days this is where we discover not only new sports talents but also sports officials.

“When you want to scout for sports men and women, go to the grassroots, they are there in abundance but when these sporting activities are not there, there is no way you can discover any future champion.

“I want to particularly call on government to take a step, so that others will follow, because it is a win-win approach for everybody.

“The state government must be there, philanthropists must be there and corporate organisations must also play their role, they must all come together to develop sports.”

He recalled that in those days, there used to be inter primary schools, inter secondary schools, inter colleges of education, inter polytechnics and inter universities.

 The former chairman noted that such sports had now become moribund especially in primary and secondary schools.

Tajuddeen observed that the best way to deal with all sorts of social vices such as; political thuggery, gangsterism, alcoholism, robbery, banditry, kidnapping and other acts of terrorism was by engaging the youths in sports.

“When you develop the mindset of the youths, they will never think of engaging in social vices.

“Develop them in sports, make them what they want to become in life, remember, the most celebrated people today in the world are sports men and women. We have them in football, badminton, volleyball, basketball, atheletics among others.”

The ex-chairman called on governments, corporate organisations and philanthropists to render helping hands to SWAN in view of the fact that they were the segment of journalists who took time to give real picture of what sports was all about to the society.

According to him, SWAN needs support not necessarily financial but also through awards, moral encouragement as well as positive attitudes.