Sports
Sports Can Rehabilitate Militants –Kokoriko
National President of United Youths Sports Federation of Nigeria (UYSFON) Chief Godspower Kokoriko says sports is one of the major ways of rehabilitating and re-integrating the pardoned militants into the society.
Chief Kokoriko made public his view in a chat with Tidesports on Wednesday, saying that rehabilitation should not only be concentrated in skills and crafts.
The sports administrator said aside from football, other sports such as judo, karate, boxing as well as swimming should be exploited as a means to engage the minds of the youths.
The National Youths Sports Federation boss cited the case of Mike Tyson who was discovered during rehabilitation, adding that is an example of how sports an be used to empower an individual despite his or her ugly part.
Frowning at the poor sports facilities at the Social Rehabilitation Centre at Okehi in Etche Local Government Area, Chief Kokoriko argued that what is on ground is not enough to contain the militants, especially in the recreational aspect.
“Sports is a powerful weapon to tackle youth restiveness and other vices”, Kokoriko remarked.
He called on the Presidential Committee on Amnesty and Rehabilitation, not to confine the repentant militants in one place but to establish centres with sports facilities in other centres like Port Harcourt, Okrika, Bonny and Opobo.
Other activities Kokoriko recommended include organising football competitions for the groups, stressing that such competitions would unify warring parties and take their mind away from drugs and instil peace in the state.
The football administrator also tasked churches and other religious groups to establish fish farms and other ventures to assist in rehabilitating the militants, emphasising that all efforts should not be concentrated on the spiritual aspect.
Youths in basket ball competition
Iwobi spoke to Tidesports source ahead of Nigeria’s crunch playoff semi-final against Gabon on Thursday, November 13, in Rabat, Morocco.
The 28-year-old was reacting to Nigeria’s shaky World Cup qualifying campaign that saw the Eagles finish second in Group C behind South Africa’s Bafana Bafana.
“We’ve managed to rescue ourselves from the dead,” Iwobi told Tidesports source.
We know we have the players and the abilities to compete against any other country in the world.”
The Fulham star pointed to Nigeria’s star power, highlighting African Footballer of the Year winners Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen as proof of the squad’s quality.
“We have last year’s African best player (Ademola Lookman), the year before that (Victor Osimhen),” he said.
“It’ll be a shame if we don’t make it, but we have a lot of confidence. We just have to prove it to ourselves.”
Nigeria’s path to the United States, Canada and Mexico has been turbulent, with two coaches departing during the early stages of qualifying before Éric Chelle steadied the ship to steer the Super Eagles into November’s CAF playoffs.
Four nations from the continent – Nigeria, Cameroon, DR Congo and Gabon – will vie for a solitary spot to compete in next March’s inter-confederation playoffs, with a view to joining the already nine qualified African nations at the Finals.
It would mark Iwobi’s second appearance at the World Cup Finals and the Super Eagles’ first since the 2018 edition of the competition.
Back then, Iwobi featured in all three games as Nigeria was knocked out in the group stage.
The Chief Executive Officer(CEO) and Publisher of the Atlantic Bell Online medium, Mr. Celestine Ogolo has advised sports writers in Nigeria to diversify in sports writing and not to concentrate on football reporting alone.
The Deputy National President of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Mr. Bonny Nyong has expressed commitment to support sports development and move SWAN forward.