By Nnabugwu Chizoba
Nigerians are hardworking and committed people known for their interest and willingness to diversify their efforts and engage into different ventures trying their hands in new areas of life. Experience reveals that Nigerians have consistently excelled in the things they embrace, sports inclusive.
The above assertion notwithstanding, the Nigerian economy remains largely under developed, weak and poor performing, trailing far behind the developed economies of the world as mono oil dominated economy. Unemployment, poverty and hunger mark the economy and the effects reflect glaringly on the people. Low productivity, loss of skills and hopelessness are order of the day, with no sign that help is on the way. Regrettably these happen in the midst of abundant human and mineral resources endowment and in the presence of other available very lucrative, employment oriented and skills development opportunities waiting for the citizens to tap into to improve their lot in life and diversify; grow and develop the economy sustainably.
The economic woes of Nigerians is due largely to the fact that the managers of the system and
the economy, have not been responsive enough to understand and align
effectively with the yearnings of the citizens who desire engagement, support
and commitment, in exchange for their determination and willingness to move the country away from the dungeon of economic obscurity to a viable
one.
Publicity, awareness creation and sensitization of the citizens in terms of the opportunities that abound in the economy have been inadequate. Poor information flow within the public sector Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) at the tiers of government; and between the MDAs and the private sector economic actors remain suspect and frustrating of the people’s efforts and desire to carry out their economic activities, spreading and venturing into new areas of life, and making diversification of the economy a reality rather than an oxymoron.
Nigerians plying their trade over the years in diverse areas of sports have proven that Sports hold a lot for the country. They have won laurels in the continental and global sporting events. This includes the able and Persons-With-Disabilities that have represented the country at the male and female categories. Results posted by Nigerians in sports bear testimony to the fact that the country harbors hidden talents in the game of Polo. The sport has been in existence in the country for years yet most Nigerians lack information about the sport. They argue that it is new in the country.
Most Nigerians are
surprised to hear that Polo is a sport that has been in Nigeria since 1904. The
groups of Nigerians that know about the sport know next to nothing about what
the sport entails. According to Mr. Hassan Gashash, Public Relations Officer (PRO),
Jos Polo club, a onetime Assistant Secretary of the Nigerian Polo Federation and
by the grace of God the voice of Polo in Nigeria:
“Polo is a game that has been in this country for quite a long time. The first Polo game was recorded in Nigeria in the year 1904. That is a long time and because some people identified it as the game for the rich, a lot of people don’t know about Polo though it has been in existence in Nigeria. I think Polo is one of the longest team sports in the world”.
Mr Hassan Gashash, the voice of Polo in Nigeria
A combination of
factors obviously conspired or is responsible for creating a scenario where the
sport that has been in existence since 1904 is unknown. Among the factors is the
inability of the public sector institutions to provide the expected enabling
environment required of them by the laws that established them. Similarly, in the
private sector where the Business membership organizations (BMOs) hold sway
there is no serious deviation from already identified challenge. The Nigerian Polo Federation, the umbrella
body for Polo clubs has not performed creditably in terms of advocacies, publicity,
promotion and deepening of peoples understanding of the game. The same is true
about ensuring that the sport spreads round the country. Engagement of the relevant
stakeholders whose services are required to provide proper assistance and
direction in awareness creation and sensitization about Polo is seemingly at a very
low level.
The implications of the value are very huge. Numerous value chain opportunities that ordinarily would accrue or thrown up into the economy is missing. The wealth generation and job creation activities with increased degree of empowerment of Nigerians of different ages are stalled. The energy that Nigerians, most of them the youths are deploying into very worrisome, deplorable and inimical activities, may have been channeled to better use if the economic opportunities are widened and diversification occurs at regular basis. Diversification will accommodate diverse interests and passion. The level of unemployment, poverty, hardship and pains that loom in the land, and the rate at which negative stories are spreading like wide fire must be checked and this as a matter of fact requires urgent response in order to stem the ugly trends and achieve significant reduction in the works of the conflict merchants and entrepreneurs, and agents of doom that have found easy recruits within the list of the unemployed, idle, poverty stricken and traumatized youths. The attendant consequences of consistent rise in unemployment are too grave to dare.
Polo as a sport will contribute its own quota and significantly too at opening the economy of Nigeria and since job creation, wealth generation and economic development do not happen or occur by fluke, commitment, collaborations and partnerships, awareness creation, sensitization and planning, organization, policy reforms and genuine support of all well-meaning Nigerians are necessary towards throwing up new products and services must be considered seriously and appropriate machinery put in place to move Polo away from a mere entertainment object to an economic diversification and job creation tool needed to resurrect the ailing Nigerian economy to put it back on track as a self-reliant and self-sustain economy.
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