I listened to the Sports Development Minister, Senator John Enoh delivering his opening speech to declare open the 8th National Youth Games in Asaba on Thursday. He talked about using the Games to discover young talents who would be nurtured to stardom to replace the aging national athletes.
What immediately played back in my head was Jimmy Cliffs song, Going Back West. And the lines that struck me in the song goes thus: I met a businessman who said he got some friends back East.
Said, Why dont you come along? Well we could help you at least, make you into a big star by playing your guitar.
So the right thing to do to realize Senator Enohs dream of using the National Youth Games to discover talents who would then be nurtured to become stars is by going back west like Jimmy Cliff crooned, in this case, school sports that is the real nursery for catching them young.
We had a National Schools Sports Federation, NSSF, but like every aspect of the Nigerian life, it has been neglected by the authorities who careless or dont think that sports is worth giving any attention.
