Hon. Omonlei Imadu, Vice President of African Boxing (AfB), has raised concerns over what he describes as the growing departure of Nigeria's National Sports Festival (NSF) from its original grassroots sports development objectives.
In an opinion article titled “The National Sports Festival: A Nursery No Longer at Ease,” Imadu argued that the festival, established in 1973 under General Yakubu Gowon and the National Sports Commission following the Nigerian Civil War, was originally designed to promote national unity, discover young talents and encourage investment in grassroots sports infrastructure.
According to him, the competition was intended to encourage states to identify and nurture athletes through schools and local government areas rather than rely on recruiting already-developed competitors from other states.
However, he warned that the festival's original mission was increasingly being undermined by practices that prioritise medal victories over sustainable sports development.
Athlete Poaching and Recruitment Spending
Imadu criticised what he described as the growing practice of states recruiting athletes developed elsewhere instead of investing in their own grassroots programmes.
He cited the example of a young athlete discovered in Bayelsa who could end up representing Delta State within the same year because of financial incentives.
He argued that such practices reward states that recruit established talents while discouraging those that invest resources in discovering and training young athletes.
Concerns Over Age Fraud
The AfB vice president also raised concerns about alleged age fraud and the participation of older, more experienced athletes in competitions intended to provide opportunities for younger talents.
Using boxing as an example, he questioned the fairness of allowing an alleged 32-year-old boxer with extensive professional experience to compete against an 18-year-old athlete who has only recently completed secondary school.
He warned that such disparities could undermine the confidence of young athletes and discourage genuine grassroots participation.
Pressure to Win at All Costs
Imadu further expressed concern over the emphasis some states place on winning medals, noting that substantial budgetary allocations and the pressure to emerge victorious could compromise the integrity of competitions.
He also alleged that questionable negotiations involving officials and judges could become entrenched when young sports administrators are exposed to such practices during the festival.
Winners Need a Clear Development Pathway
Beyond the competition itself, Imadu lamented the lack of structured opportunities for athletes after winning medals at the National Sports Festival.
He observed that some medal-winning athletes return home without scholarships, specialised training camps or integration into their respective national federation ranking systems.
According to him, the absence of a clear development pathway means that athletes may have to start afresh at subsequent editions, allowing valuable talents to fade without adequate support.
Four Reforms Proposed
To address these challenges, Imadu proposed four major reforms to restore the festival's grassroots development mandate.
First, he called for stricter eligibility requirements, including state of origin verification, at least two years of residency and school certificate documentation. He proposed that athletes should not represent states in which they have neither lived nor attended school for at least two years.
Second, he recommended splitting the festival into two categories: an NSF Grassroots competition restricted to athletes under 18 and strictly school-based, and an NSF Elite competition for open participation.
Third, he advocated integrating festival results into national sports federation rankings. Under his proposal, every gold, silver and bronze medal won at the festival would automatically earn points in the relevant federation's national ranking system.
He argued that this would strengthen the relationship between the festival and national sports federations, ensuring that the competition serves as a talent pipeline rather than an isolated event.
Fourth, he urged organisers to introduce a development-based assessment system that rewards states for nurturing home-grown athletes, rather than relying solely on medal tables.
He proposed special recognition for states that field at least 90 per cent of athletes discovered and developed within their territories.
A Call to Restore the Festival's Original Purpose
Imadu maintained that the National Sports Festival must return to its original purpose of discovering, developing and nurturing Nigerian sporting talents.
He warned that without meaningful reforms, the country could continue celebrating champions on paper while struggling to produce enough home-grown athletes capable of representing Nigeria in sports such as boxing, wrestling and swimming.
His recommendations place renewed emphasis on grassroots investment, fair competition, athlete development and accountability as essential pillars for the future of Nigerian sports.
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