WITH MIKE ADEYEMI
Tunde Abdulkareem, the immediate Vice President of Athletics Federation of Nigeria and current Chairman of Kwara State Athletics Association in this interview with MIKE ADEYEMI speaks on why Kwara Athletics developments is dwindling and the way out. Excerpts:
What is the state of athletics developments in Kwara?
Well, the state of athletics in Kwara is not a rosy affair. And the main reason is traceable to lack of funds.
Whatever we have been doing in the last two years, especially from 2013 to date is mainly through funds from individuals who have passion for tracks and fields. We have not gotten support from corporate organisations or Kwara State government per se.
The only time we got meaningful support was last year when the Kwara State Internal Revenue Service (KWIRS) sponsored our atheletes and officials to represent Nigeria at the under 18 West Africa track and field championship that was held in Capetown, Ghana.
Other than that, we ‘ve not have any support from the state government or corporate individuals.
Athletics just like any other sports is a business. It requires fund and so many over runnings like, media coverage, security, training, medicine and hostel accomodation.
What I can tell you so far is that right now, we are happy that four of our young discovered athletes have gained scholarship into American universities. Two of them have graduated, two are still there. One of them is Omotayo.
You will recall she won four gold medals out of 6 gold medals Nigeria won in all sports at the last commonwealth youth game. She is now in the US.
In addition to that, two of our young athletes recently have also gained scholarship to US. We are presently processing their visas at the US embassy, Abuja. So, that is what we have been able to do for now.
At what par is Kwara athletics with other states in Nigeria?
Well, like I said earlier, because of lack of funds, we are not at good par with other athletes.
Kwara is known for years, even from my days at the secondary School, the state is filled with bundles of talent in athletes.
Kwara supposed to be in the same rankings with Delta, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Lagos States. But, truth must be told, these states are far ahead of us not because of lack of talent, but lack of funding.
A good example you can see was in the last National Sports festival held in Abuja. Some of our athletes that we have trained for years at the last minute went to represent other states.
David Olowookere is our athletes. In fact, he has come back to us – we trained him, he schooled here in Kwara, but went to represent Oyo state and won gold medals at the last National Sports festival late last year in 400 metres. In fact, he broke the national records of 27 years.
Joy Abu also ran for Rivers State where she got a gold medals. We have also Sikiru Adeyemi who ran for Bayelsa. We believe we have talent and coaches that are good here. I can tell you for free that it cost us much to develop all these athletes.
Like this year, we have done training for game masters and mistresses in Kwara secondary schools to pick our athletes that will represent Kwara State in the national under 18 athletic championships coming up in Ogun state by March.
How would you rate the performance of Kwara athletes at the last National Sports festival?
Our outing and performances was not too good because we have athletes who jettison Kwara for other state at the event.
In fairness to them, the boys have to go and look for states that will allow them to represent them. It was only at the last minute that KWIRS came to the rescue of Kwara State, and we were able to go. What KWIRS actually did was, the provision of track suits, spikes, liver pants and T-shirt.
What is your vision for Kwara athletics?
I want Kwarans to remember me that I have passion for athletics and I have tried to develop young Kwara Athletes. I pray we will be able to sustain it so that the state will in future produce athletes that would represents Kwara and indeed Nigeria at the Olympics and win medals for us.
What is the way forward for Kwara poor athletics developments?
Thank you. That is a one million question. The issue is not just athletics in Kwara. I believe it applies to all other sporting events including the almighty football.
Funding is a key issue. What we are thinking about is that either with the athletics association alone or along with other sporting associations, we should be able to come up with a fund raising event where we will be able to gather fund to enable us at least have some basic fund to run our activities in future.
With this, I think we will not go cap in hand when competition is around looking for fund. That is the way we want to do it.
We appeal to kind hearted individuals and corporate bodies to come to our aid. Kwara state government so far have not been up to date in her responsibility to funding sports in the state the way it was in the past.
What are the athletic lineup activities in the state for 2019?
Right now for this year, we have conducted training for our game masters and mistresses in junior and secondary school across Kwara. We have done Offa/Oyun zone, Isin, Oke-Ero/Ekiti zone, Edu/Patigi zone. Unfortunately, we are yet to get to Kaiama/Baruteen.
We have also did trials for secondary schools athletes and we have discovered about 88 young promising athlete. We host Kwara rallies this year to intend.
