Group to Stimulate Growth, Development outside Classroom

Mary Nnah

For the first time in Nigeria, School Games Limited, an initiative geared toward cultivating skills and engendering community through sports event management and marketing, is set to inspire millions of young sports enthusiasts across Nigerian schools.

The games is spearheaded by School Games Limited in partnership with the Association of Private Educators in Nigeria (APEN) and aims to foster healthy friendship and interactions amongst children from diverse ethnicities, thus promoting the one-Nigeria dream via the power of sports.

The organisers are prepared to host over 50 schools that will compete in sporting activities like football, basketball, volleyball, handball, table tennis, lawn tennis, swimming, boxing, fencing as well as track and field events.

Speaking recently in Lagos during a press conference to announce the first ever sports competition for private secondary schools across the Federation, the Founder of the Private School Games initiative, Mr. Adeyemi Egbeoluwa said it is dream come true.

“For us, it is an expression of hope in the coming generation and their hidden potentials beyond the conventional formal education,” he noted further.

Egbeoluwa said he had come to realise that sports competitions were key to the all-round development and growth of children, and noted that it was important to quantify.

Egbeoluwa explained that the public school sector had various initiatives sponsored by government both on national and state level, stressing that those opportunities are few and far between when it comes to private school sports competitions. He said School Games Limited was determined to fill the void by organising a world-class multi-sport competition and marketing it as a platform where talented private secondary schools students could be identified, developed and nurtured.

He stated that over the years, government-owned public schools have produced some of the country’s most celebrated athletes globally, stressing that the Games will extend this challenge to private schools to get more children interested in sports and possibly, pursue a career in same.

“Competitions play significant role in motivating students to effectively channel physical, mental and emotional strength for excellence performance while reinforcing the possibility mentally in young talents”, he added.

He noted, “Private School Games provides a platform to identify, develop and nurture young talents”, adding that students can participate in a rich range of sports commensurate with their abilities and while teamwork is fostered, leaders are identified, moulded and pupils learn much about themselves and others, sports also serves as vehicle for personal development.”