The Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports Development has reinstated three traditional sports in the forthcoming National Sports Festival in Asaba, the capital of Delta State.
This is following the public outcry, which greeted the exclusion of traditional sports from the 21st edition of the biennial games slated for November 28 to December 10.
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According to the letter signed by Okere Emmanuel, Secretary Accreditation Sub-Committee, to the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, the reinstated traditional sports are Ayo, Dambe and Kokowa.
“I am directed to inform all States Desk Officers that the following sports have been included in the 21st National Sports Festival tagged “Delta 2022” (A) Ayo (B) Dambe and (C) Kokowa.
“In view of the above, you are please advised to register your athletes online immediately from this night as the portal will close down on Wednesday, November 9, 2022.
Reacting to the return of Ayo, Dambe and Kokowa to the 2022 NSF, the President of Traditional Sports Federation, Hon. Agbadabina Olomo Perekiye, expressed gratitude to the sports minister for listening to the cries of traditional sports athletes and other stakeholders.
He said that even as some traditional sports like Abula and Langa are still excluded, the federation will continue to fight for their reinstatement at future sports festivals.
Perekiye also called on states to show more than passive interest in traditional sports as he said the federation alone can’t promote indigenous sports.
He maintained that in as much as the federation is committed to developing traditional sports, states must show the desired interest and readiness to sponsor their athletes to national competitions.
“On behalf of board members of the Traditional Sports Federation, I want to thank the Minister of Sports, Sunday Dare, for listening to our passionate pleas for reinstatement of our events in the National Sports Festival.
“As we keep saying, any National Sports Festival without traditional sports will be incomplete. We are glad that the ministry has listened to us.
“I am, therefore, appealing to the 36 states and the FCT to be more committed to the development of traditional sports. Most times, we record poor attendance at our national tournaments and this is working against us,” said Perekiye.
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