Olukayode Babalola
Lafia – The Nasarawa State Government on Monday in Lafia appealed to the media and sports stakeholders to give more publicity to encourage women’s participation in sports.
Bamaiyi Anangba, Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, made the appeal when he received the new Executive Committee members of the state’s chapter of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN).
He said the government was worried that adequate attention and publicity was not given to encourage women to participate in sports.
“Whatever you can do to help develop and project sports, especially women in sports do it as doing so will reverse the trend.
“We have realised that whatever is done without adequate publicity is done in vain.
“I urge SWAN in Nasarawa State to be up and doing to write on sports, give good reports and criticise objectively to develop public interest in sports generally,’’ Anangba said.
He explained that the government would continue to give sports women adequate support to excel in any competition.
He urged SWAN to ensure its members give to Nasarawa Amazons FC, the same attention it accorded Nasarawa United FC, adding that with adequate publicity, they could be inspired to win the women’s league.
He, however, warned that without support and input from private organisations, individuals and the media, not much could be achieved in promoting women in sports.
Anangba said the tradition of media houses publicising foreign sports and stars and neglecting local content was bad for the development of sports in Nigeria.
“Our sports magazines only advertise and publicise foreign sports, sometimes national league but we don’t see any for the professional women league and the league is not an amateur league.
“All we see is foreign sports and the male league. If you are writing for sports, you should write on sports generally and not just focus on male league and football alone.
“There are other sports that need coverage from sports journalists.
“If we are really going to put in Nigeria in focus, we should give update on what is happening in sports as compared to the foreign reportage,’’ he said.
He pledged the government’s continued support to SWAN in its mandate of publicising sports in the state, especially the provision of a bus and a befitting office accommodation among others to the body.
Earlier, the Chairman of SWAN in the state, Emmanuel Cheke, said the visit by the new officials was to introduce the team and seek for stronger synergy with the government.
He thanked the government for the support given to sports development and appealed for concerted efforts to improve grassroots sports development, especially the reintroduction of the Governor’s Cup.
Emmanuel promised that SWAM members would ensure adequate coverage for women sports.