Yahaya Ukwenya, the President of Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF), on Monday said grass roots awareness of the cricket sport would soon pay off in the long run in the country.
Ukwenya told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that it was in line with this that plans were underway to improve cricket facilities.
He added that it was also in line with the focus of making Abuja the capital of the cricket sport in Nigeria.
“We are planning for a lot of cricket facilities to be here. We are going to have two pitches here. We are even thinking of a third.
“It is important that children from FCT learn the game because they are going to be the primary users of this facility.
“There will have to be another in Lagos, in terms of being the backbone of developmental programmes and this is the whole plan.’’
Ukwenya said the whole idea was to improve the game’s awareness and “sometimes you do not carry out awareness programmes with the aim that everyone who participates will become good cricket players.
“If I carry a cricket request to an office and those there have been part of the programme, it will not be strange to them. So, the awareness will help us in the long run.
“Some of these children who will be part of the programme will then go on to become administrator, officials and even coaches. Some may actually play the game, and that is just the benefit.
“It is just to spread the idea and get people to participate and understand the game,’’ he added.
NAN reports that students of some schools in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) were invited to watch the bilateral cricket friendly series between Nigeria and Rwanda at the Abuja National Stadium.
Munisade Gindau, a female teacher from Noble Heights Academy in Karu, said the students were excited to witness the cricket match.
“This was the first time the school was invited for such games. From the excitement I have seen so far, I think the students love the game,” she said.
Eze Alfred, a male teacher from Regina Pacis College, said the key to success in the sport was “catching them young’’.
“The NCF is looking at operation `catch them young’ which is always very important in any game.
“By the time these students know it at a young age, they will transfer the knowledge to other ones and the game will spread to other parts of the nation.
“The federation (NCF) has negotiated with us, that at the end of the whole activity, they will visit our school and pick some students to teach them the game,” he said.
Julie Baly, a student from Premier Academy, said: “It is an interesting game and I will definitely like to participate in the game in future’’.
Another student, Toperat Pam, also said: “The game has been very interesting. But at the beginning, when I did not understand, it was boring.
“When the game was explained to me, it became interesting. I can play the game now, although I need to practise,” she said.
Susan Dako from Regina Pacis College also said the game was nice to watch.
“We were invited to watch the cricket match, it is a nice game.’’
“We have been here twice, and I have understood some things. But I can’t really say that I can play the game now. But I am looking forward to playing it someday.’’
