Damola Kadri
A call has gone to Governments at all levels to tap into the opportunity provided to them in sourcing fresh athletes and other sports men and women from the grass roots through the various interhouse sports competitions in schools all over Nigeria.
This call was made by some alumnus of Bishop Smith Memorial College Ilorin during the schools annual inter house sports competitions believing that the the government could harvest some budding national and international athletes that arise from these events.
A former director of sports in Kwara state, Coach Tunde Kazeem made this call while speaking to our correspondent at the Inter House Sports Competition of Bishop Smith Memorial College Ilorin on Wednesday.
Kazeem, an Alumni of the school, in retrospect, added that in the olden days, sport was a lucrative venture for Kwara state and as such, the state government funded inter House sports as a means of scouting for fresh talents from schools, therefore urging that government through the sports ministry and ministry of education work towards raising future stars through these avenues.
Another Alumni of the school, Hon Moshood Gobir, the Special Assistant on Security to the Governor of Kwara state, stated that he got the opportunity of joining the Nigerian Army through participation in sports, then as a student.
He recalled that he was a Game Prefect way back in his days as a student buttressing the fact that sports is very good in helping students develop better, morally, mentally and academically urging that government should make inter House sports competitions mandatory for all schools so that through this avenue, talents can be harvested for national sports development.
Other Alumnus of the school said that sports is a unifying factor that brings all Nigerians irrespective of tribe, religion, complexion and so on under same roof as one making all happy and progressive.
In his welcome address, the Principal of Bishop Smith Memorial, Mr R.O. Agunbiade reiterated the importance of sports to mental, academic and physical development of children while also stating that such event is a door way to producing sports talents to feed state and nationa sporting bench.
He also expressed appreciation for the support extended by the schools alumni association towards the success of the events adding that praying that God will replenish their sources.
In the various events which includes 100m race, 200m race, spoon egg race, Thug of War and other events, Green house comes overall 1st position, Blue House came 2nd position and Yellow House took 3rd place.
No doubt, schools inter house sports competitions is a farm land where fresh talents can be harvested to feed the state and national teams in Nigerian sports arena.