A BRIEF OUTLOOK INTO THE HISTORY OF SPORTS IN NIGERIA

Nigerian sports, though always exercised, was noted first in the 1950s.

Nigeria had its first appearance in the Helsinki Olympic Games in 1952, and

it’s first victory in 1954, when Emmanuel Ifeanjuna won a gold medal in the

high jump at the Commonwealth games in Cardiff

         

In 1962, the Nationals Sports Council was set up, and in 1971, the National

Sports Commission, and they had the following responsibilities (stated

exactly as is):

* To coordinate and integrate efforts to raise the standard of performance

in sports in Nigeria.

* To encourage the development, organization and participation of sports in

Nigeria.

* To make any arrangements on behalf of the States’ Sports Councils for

Competitions, technical assistance, recruitment of coaches and for any

other matters as the Commission sees fit.

* To promote physical fitness and general well-being of all persons in

Nigeria

In terms of football/soccer, the Nigerian Football Federation was created

in 1945.

Nigeria emerged on the international football/soccer scene in 1960 when it

first entered the World Cup, but failed to qualify for the finals. It

eventually qualified for the 1970 World Cup in Mexico.

Sports played

The following sports are currently played in Nigeria (listed

alphabetically):

Athletics (track and field), Badminton, Basketball, Baseball, Boxing,

Chess, Cricket, Cycling, Football (most popular sport in Nigeria),

Gymnastics, Golf, Handball, Hockey, Judo, Lawn Tennis, Rowing, Shooting,

Squash rackets, Swimming, Table Tennis / Ping-Pong, Taekwondo, Volleyball,

Weight-lifting and Wrestling

While in the Olympics, Nigeria usually participates in soccer, judo,

wrestling, boxing, weightlifting, tennis, long jump, triple jump,

table-tennis and the sprints.

Nigeria has made its mark in global sports competition. Its national soccer

team, the Super Eagles, is optimistically adjudged the best in Africa and

one of the best ten in the world.

Its Under-20 soccer team won the bronze medal in the Junior World Cup

competition in the Soviet Union in 1985 and the silver medal in Saudi

Arabia in 1989. In the 1994 World Cup competition, Nigeria led its group to

qualify for the second round.

Meanwhile Nigeria has produced three world champions in the field of

professional boxing, (Hogan “Kid” Bassey (featherweight, 1957-1959); Dick

Tiger, (middleweight, 1962-1963) and Massachusetts resident, Bash Ali

(cruiserweight, 1987). Nigeria’s athletes have also won Olympic medals in

long jump, 400 x 4 relay and several other track and field events.

Dozens of Nigerians are today professional athletes in Europe and America.

A Nigerian based in the US, Hakeem Olajuwon, is today roundly adjudged the

best basketballer in the world.