Although sport in Nigeria is dominated by football, cricket is growing in popularity which will please everyone who is trying to spread the game through Africa. In an interview with Punch, a major Nigerian newspaper, Kwesi Sagoe, the president of the Nigeria Cricket Federation, talks about his hopes of taking the game further.
I do not agree that cricket is elitist; not in the light that you have portrayed it. Cricket as a sport has been played in Nigerian schools for many years. You could say that the media attention has not been favourable to the sport and that probably would have accounted for the notion that it‘s elitist. Also, the fact that the sport has not commanded a nation-wide participation, as football does, has made it a rather southern affair. But if you observe objectively, you will discover that it is very popular in the southern part of the country. The popularity is growing as I speak and I believe that with time, it will spread across the country.
WELL I HOPE IT REALLY DOES BECOME POPULER IN AFRICA.well good news that in nigeria cricket is being played at school level.
Posted by: Nathan at October 18, 2007 9:25 PM
Nigeria has GREAT potential. Infact, I dare say the MOST potential of all the African countries, this includes the likes of Kenya and Namibia. Even though the standard of their National teams has been relatively low, they've always fielded teams with a majority of the squads being Indigenous Nigerians. The reason why they aren't stronger, like Kenya, could be possibly traced to the fact it appears that Nigeria possibly lacks the history, correct me if I'm wrong, of subcontinent peoples being moved there to work and over time developing communities there and along with that cricket leagues. Without the Asian Ex-Pat population some other countries enjoy, Nigeria has had to do it on their own, I guess.
Well given Football is the only other truly popular sport and given Nigeria's huge population and the fact they used to be a British colony and their national Language is English, they could potentially be a massive cricketing country. Hearing how they have long standing cricket programs at many schools and plan to embark national wide, is something many other associate nations can only dream of. I wonder if Kenya has programs of this magnitude?
All they need is a little help and more facilities and they could be on their way to being a Test Nation in the future.
Posted by: farhan at October 19, 2007 10:28 AM
well It be great thing for Nigeria but mostly for cricket if nigeria would attain test status.what they caN look forward to have more matches against arshrivals Ghana, i think ghana have made a strong team(seeing from thier u19 QUALIFIERS PEROFRMANCES).both of these two top teams can help each other by staging lots of lots of fixtures against one another.Money come the problem I think again in the hurdle of development of sports like cricket to some one new nation.In developing the interest of new comers for cricket i think t 20 matches can be really greatfull.is it poosible that top african associates playing more t 20 tournaments?.I think these type of tounraments can bring people so does the sponsers to cricket.If possible stage more t20 tournaments in africa. On programme of school cricket, I think african countries like Uganda, tanzania and even botswana are having great success in this regard.I think nigeria are still lacking behind in school cricket judging from thier youth team perofrmances in U19 WC QUALIFIERS.
Posted by: dipo at November 25, 2008 10:47 AM
its a great news that cricket is growing tremendously in Nigeria,am very happy to hear that.
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