By Dare Kuti

The gods of the foreigners by now will be laughing at the gods of our land (Nigeria); Sango, Obatala, Oya, Amadioha, Ikuku etc while the dead Baloguns must be weeping profusely in their graves.

How can sports of foreigners be made compulsory at our own indigenous sports festival while our own Tiwan Tiwan sports relegated, i mean totally removed. I always tell people close to me that I am an African man (FIRST) before chosing the white man religion; an Asian, American or European will never chose an African sport over theirs. My Late extended Uncle, Fela ANIKULAPO Kuti sang a song titled: “Kolomentality”, I’ll suggest you listen to it during your spare time.

Kung Fu, Taekwondo, Judo, Kickboxing, Tai Chi are all traditional sports of Asians, how on earth can we choose them over ours. When you visit most states in the North, Dambe is watched more than football; spectators leave their various houses, shops and work to watch Dambe because it reminds them of their origin. In fact, Dambe is our MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) due to its brutality.

In the Southern part of Nigeria, Kokowa is practically their way of life. Kokowa is fought at every traditional occasion including New Yam Festival. It is also on record that most of Nigeria wrestlers that hails from Bayelsa were once Kokowa wrestlers while others are very much active. I’m sure some of us know the slogan of the Offa people in Kwara; it states “Ijakadi loro offa”.

Back to our National Council on Sports that decided not to leave the Traditional Sports as option but sanctioned the removal. They are indirectly disrespecting the gods of the land, all the traditional rulers, all the chieftaincy holders in the land and all the masquerades (awon Ara orun).

Traditional Sports reminds us about our history, how wars were won and lost; reminding us of who we truly are. Nigeria has always dominated West Africa whenever we participate in the events. Traditional Sports is not expensive to organise and not time consuming like other sports listed at the forthcoming National Sports Festival.

I don’t know if the Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Chief Sunday Akin Dare who doubles as the Chairman of the National Council on Sports has forgotten in a hurry that he is a titled Chief (the highest in Ogbomosho) bestowed by the Late Soun of Ogbomosho.

If other members of the National Council on Sports and host of the National Sports Festival (Delta State) are using their left hand to point at the Traditional Sports, the representative of all the Chiefs (Sunday Dare) should be the one to uphold our tradition. Dear Chief Sunday Dare, you are not only the Agba Akin of Ogbomosho but the Agba Akin of all the Traditional Sports in Nigeria.

I am using this medium to call on all the Kings (1st, 2nd and 3rd class), Queens (Oloris), Traditional Rulers, Chiefs (including Chief priests) in the North, East, West and South in Nigeria, market women, lovers of traditional sports, Director of Sports, Commissioner of Sports, House of Representatives and Senate Members on Sports and ultimately the Federal Government of Nigeria to help appeal to the National Council on Sports to include Traditional Sports.

The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari has always lay emphasis on patronizing home made products and Trado Sports is our own.

God bless you all

Government High School (GHS), Adeta will face Apata Ajele Secondary School, ASA in the finals of the through to Kwara State Inter Secondary School Volleyball Competition on Friday.

The finals will be played at the indoor sports hall of Kwara State Stadium, Ilorin by 3pm.

Government High School (GHS) beat University of Ilorin Secondary School 2-0 (25-20, 25-7) in the first semifinals match while Apata Ajele Secondary School, ASA defeated Erinile Secondary School 2-0 (25-20, 25-21) in the second semifinals match on Thursday.

An elated coach of Government High School, Abdul-Lateef Saheed told newsmen that the players played according to his instructions throughout the competition.

Saheed said he is an Ex student of GHS, Adeta adding that since he left, he decided to assemble children to play the game of volleyball

“I thank God for the opportunity to enter into the finals because no can do it except from God. The boys do train regularly and it is what I taught them they are displaying.

“I formed this team because I am an Ex Student of Government High School (GHS), Adeta; since I finished secondary school I decided to form the team and train them.

“I strongly believe GHS can win the competition because I am confident of what I taught them during training”.

In the third place match, Erinile Secondary School meets University of Ilorin Secondary School for the bronze medal by 1:30pm.

The Special Adviser to the Kwara State Governor on Sports and Youth Development, Mallam Attahiru Ibrahim has commended the initiative of the maiden edition of Kwara Inter-Secondary Schools Volleyball Championship.

The former Patigi volleyball player described the championship as a watershed which will help discover more talents in the State.

“This is indeed a great development. I believe that the competition will afford us the opportunity to discover more talents that will do the State and the Country proud in the nearest future” said the Philanthropist.

In the same vein, the management of La Planet Sports Academia has donated a giant trophies to the cause of the championship.

The trophies, according to the Tournament Initiator will be savoured by the first and second positions team in the tournament

Appreciating them, the Initiator of the Programme who is also the Media Officer of the Nigeria Volleyball Federation, Dare Kuti thanked SA Sports for his financial contributions and the management of the La Planet Sport Academia for supporting the initiative with trophies.

“We are really appreciative of their gesture and for identifying with this project. We believe it’s a common goal to see that we provide opportunity for our youths- and their support will go along way towards achieving success in the programme”.

A total number of Eight teams will be rolling out their aces for the championship billed for Wednesday, June 8th to 10th at the Indoor of the Kwara State Stadium Complex, Ilorin.