By Rauf Oyewole
The Federal Government through the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) in partnership with various state universal education boards (SUBEBs) has intensified efforts hunting for sports talents amongst secondary school students across the country.
The Commission, during this year's tournament of Basic Education School Sports (BESS), houses 20 states that converged on Bauchi State, said that it is looking for new ‘Okochas, Anthony Joshuas’ and many others.
The President, National SUBEB Sports Officers Forum NASSOF, Mr Ipede Joseph, while speaking in Bauchi on Sunday said, the event was to sensitise all the participating children on their future career, stressing that education and sports work together for success.
Joseph explained that the purpose of the annual sporting event was to discover and nurture young talents among the pupils, citing examples with the discovery of Okocha in football, Muriel Yalin in Athletics and Anthony Joshua in boxing.
According to him, more than 20 states are participating in this year's event, while commending SUBEB and UBEC for initiating the games to promote unity and peace in the country.
A medical expert with Niger State contingents, Dr Faruq Abdulyakeen, urged the pupils to pay attention to managing stress and other forms of anxiety to remain fit, improve mental and physical health which are crucial to sports.
Faruq tasked to the children to prioritise hygiene management, especially while taking drinking water and food to ensure balance diet, cardiovascular management which deals with heart related issues.
A Sports Desk Officer, Enugu State Universal Basic Education Board, Mrs Odika Antonia, urged the participants to have self confidence in their respective sports events, and ambassadors to their states, coaches, officials as well as cordial relationship among other pupils.
In an interview with some participating pupils, Eborka Guinevere from Delta State and Ibrahim Muhammad from Gombe state said, the BESS GAMES gives them the opportunity to make friends from other parts of the country, exposed them to lessons and promised to step down the experience gained to other pupils at home.
The participating states are; Abia, Adamawa, Anambra, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Delta, Ebonyi, Enugu, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Niger, Plateau, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara.
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