NAF Calls for Archery Mainstreaming in Nigeria
Sunday Ehigiator
The Nigeria Archery Federation (NAF) has called for the inclusion of archery in national and state-based games to create awareness of the sport among members of the public as well as promote public interest in the game.
NAF Secretary General, Mr. Olatunji Boluji, made the call in Lagos while giving his remark at the opening ceremony of the third private archery club in Nigeria, Zen Archery.
Boluji stated that although the sport is integral to ancient African societies, not many people know about the game as a contemporary sport and are not aware of the sport as an internationally thriving game.
“At the local level, we have archery but not many people know about modern archery. We have over 300 registered archers in Nigeria. At the Nigerian Art Festival (NAFEST), there are always archery participants from each state.
“It should be included in games at the national and state levels like the National Art Festival. Members of the public will embrace it more. Every sportsperson wants to go to the Olympics. When they know that it is in the Olympics, they would want to embrace it more.”
On his part, the Founder of Zen Archery Club and celebrity photographer, Mr Emmanuel Oyeleke, shared that the club was born out of his love for the ancient sport and a desire to preserve the sport while raising a community of archers from various age ranges saying that the dream is to nurture archers from the “seeds of curiosity to the blossoming of ambition.”
Oyeleke, who is a member of the Team Nigeria at the just concluded 13th African Archery Championships and supported the team to win a silver and two bronze medals, expressed his delight at the opening of the Club stating that the “Zen Archery Club is not just about hitting targets; it’s about fostering a sense of community and passion for archery.
“I am thrilled to witness people of all ages taking up archery and nurturing their passions and we hope that we get more grass-root involvement of youth and children early on.”
