School teacher blames it on culture, religion and ignorance

By Rasheed Adewuyi

The forces that are hindering the development of athletics in North-Eastern Nigeria have been traced to the lore of culture, religion and ignorance.

This was the opinion of Ahmed Yunusa Bako, a primary school teacher who attended the first Ahmed Shuaibu-Gara Gombe Athletics Grand Prix at the Pantami stadium in Gombe with his pupils in February.

Bako said that children between ages 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 events at this level. They love athletics, 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 Northern Nigeria is the sports attire which parents often link with the demeanor of gross public nudeness.

“As you know, culture and religious beliefs abhor such revealing attire for girls here (Northern Nigeria). I’m not an indigene of Gombe State, I came from Kaduna where sports for girls is viewed a lot more differently. I believe that with time, things will improve here in Gombe and the 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 programme 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 incentive should be guaranteed such as more local competitions, scholarships, access to urban and model schools where sports facilities are available.

“The Athletics 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 practice, but with this programme, a lot would be achieved,” Bako further said.

On what would be done to galvanize parents to allow their kids to embrace sports, Bako said: “Incentives are important while good relationship between teachers and their parents will go a long way in making parents understand what their kids are doing aside education. Government should also support the kids in view of ignorance, 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.”