Orumogege Cup and others: Sports development requires more than competitions

Orumogege Cup and others: Sports development requires more than competitions

Femi OGUNLANA

Sports has become a goldmine globally, top athletes in different sports rake in money in millions. The number of people sports absorb productively is impressive. It is however appalling that Nigerians are blind to this. We are not exploring the opportunities embedded in sports even though talents abound in abundance. Lack of adequate and sustainable training facilities, zero commitment on the part of those in charge, embezzlement, lack of precise development programmes and so on constitute the stumbling block to harnessing the ample sports potentials in the country.

The baffling Ogbomoso scenario – why don’t we have top athletes!

The Ogbomoso scenario is indeed more baffling. No known footballer of Ogbomosoland origin is making waves abroad, none is a household name, not to talk of making it to the national teams, none is a top sprinter in athletics, indoor games, basketball, volleyball etc. It is saddening the community is missing out in this aspect.

One thing observable as in most Yoruba communities is that much premium is placed on education and learning a trade or art preparatory to becoming an artisan or trader. Yet the number pursuing higher education is not impressive, many stop after secondary school, failing to proceed. Subsequently, many of them including those with prodigious talents in sports end up in manual work, riding Okada, when they should be honing their talents and rubbing shoulders with the best out there. Someone who should become a sports star, you see him eking out a living in petty manner, starting to raise family or becoming mendicants. That is wanton waste of talents and resources.

Not multiple of competitions but profitable approach

We need to re-appraise the situation and adopt strategies that will bring growth and development. As an instance, football competitions presently ongoing in Ogbomoso are more than ten. But is that really what we need? Players are made to play play and play in competitions, till they are wracked. How many organisers of such competitions arrange for scouting agents (local or foreign) to assess the players during competitions? Many of them are bereft of the know-how, they are not visionary. Most times they are stuck, not seeing beyond now – they are obsessed with what they will rip in the present unconcerned by future benefits. So, more than organising competitions, there should be post-competition programmes, latching on to critical connections to get the really good players go overseas to showcase their talents and earn big bucks. Getting them to play tournaments after tournaments make the players burn out, get injuried and eventually fizzle out. Dozens of competitions are played every year, how many of the participants have secured big clubs’ switch? And this is all down to vision of clubs’ owners and competitions’ organisers. Whereas if you get a player signed abroad the inflow of financial benefits will be enormous. That is not to say the sponsors of competitions are not to be commended, their role is appreciated but the focus should shift beyond the tournaments as far as the players are concerned.

Furthermore, Ogbomoso needs at least a standard sports complex, to really turn around the sector, competitions’ sponsors can consider this area for investment. Football pitches in the town have seen better days and this lack of good pitches which continue to deprecate due to lack of maintenance, extensive use for weekend parties and so on, hamstrings sports development. Building game villages too will buoy the prospect.

We need conscious and conscientious efforts to up the ante in Ogbomoso. Sports is a goldmine in today’s world. If we have a Sadio Mane, we can imagine the impact he will have. It’s so bad, Ogbomoso never had a boxer of renown, no elite marathoner, no unstoppable sprinter, no high-flying basketballer, no long-jumper, no high-jumper, no distance runner and so on. Many who could have filled the void are misguided, are not properly mentored, are imbued with the wrong mentality or mindset and sapped of burning desire to hug fame and wealth through sports.