Why sports activities are declining in primary, secondary schools

Despite the benefit embedded in sports activities, it is amazing that sports activities have left the curriculum of some primary and secondary schools in Nigeria.

Obviously, some schools do not have a playing ground for sporting activities while some do not even observe the weekly Physical Health Education P.H.E on Wednesdays. It is surprising that schools that suppose to be the hub to discover talents sports wise have turn out to become a grave sports yard.

Unhappy by these circumstances, a former Green Eagles player Chief Segun Odegbami expressed that stigmatization leveled on those who involve in sports in school has been the cause why some have been discouraged of marrying sports and academics.

Odegbami who relieved his exploits during his footballing stint while delivery his speech at the inaugural Deji Tinubu Memorial Symposium, themed: 'Combining Sports and Education', added that he started his career as footballer from his alma mater in Jos.

"My journey in sport was purely accidental. I grew up in Jos playing football. We represented our school, for me I represented my state, that was what the colonial gave to sports and education.

"But somewhere, there was stigmatization of those who participate in sports. They thought participating in sports, their education will suffer. Stigmatization has grossly affected in schools,  sports in primary and secondary are death." He said.

The Mathematician lamented that lack of knowledge of opportunities embedded in sports in Nigeria have robbed young ones of the benefits of participating in sports as a career, recreation and for economical purposes.

"Sports have become industry but mankind is still struggle and has not seen the power of sports to change the world. It was in 2010 World Cup in South Afrca, I discovered that sports ware related to security, tourism businesses, infrastructural development, food, immigration. 

"We found that what we could what our founding father wanted to do." He said.

He stressed that the combination of sports and education can not be over emphasized, saying that this was what the late Deji Tinubu stood for promoting sports from the grass roots.