By Aderonke Ojo
President of the Nigeria School Sport Federation (NSSF), Mrs. Olabisi Joseph, has reaffirmed that school sports remain the foundation for sustainable sports development in Nigeria.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the maiden National School Volleyball Championship for Boys and Girls Under-15 held on Friday in Abuja, Joseph expressed joy over the successful hosting of the historic event, describing it as a significant step toward discovering and nurturing young talents through the nation’s school system.
“I’m so excited that this has become a reality. This is the first-ever National School Volleyball Championship, and our partnership with the Nigeria Volleyball Federation (NVBF) is a major milestone in discovering volleyball players from our schools,” she said.
Joseph emphasized that schools provide the best platform for early talent identification and development, as the education policy guarantees free and compulsory education for children under 15.
“The school system is the bedrock of sports development. We have an abundance of talent, and if we truly want to discover athletes, we must look to our schools,” she said.
“From primary school at age six to junior secondary at 15, these children are within the compulsory education bracket. This is where we can identify and groom the next generation of champions.”
She lauded the NVBF for partnering with the federation, noting that similar collaborations with table tennis, badminton, and athletics federations had previously yielded positive results.
Joseph expressed delight at the level of play and enthusiasm displayed by the young athletes, some as young as 12 years old, who traveled from across the country — including Cross River, Adamawa, and Yobe States — to participate in the competition.
“Travel itself is a form of education and exposure. Beyond what we see on the court, our children have expanded their knowledge and social interaction. Research shows that sports stimulate learning — what we are doing is building total education and developing the total child,” she added.
The NSSF President also announced that exceptional players from the championship would be selected to represent Nigeria at the International School Sport Federation (ISF) World School Volleyball Championship in China, scheduled for December 3–13.
“This is an exceptional opportunity for our children to showcase their talent on the world stage, with scouts from across the globe in attendance. By God’s grace, Nigeria will be represented proudly, thanks to the support of state governments that sponsored their students to this event,” she stated.
Joseph expressed gratitude to the National Sports Commission, the Nigeria Olympic Committee, and other stakeholders for their support toward grassroots sports development.
“Everyone is coming together to get it right from the foundation — the school base. The Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Shehu Dikko, was here to encourage the children, alongside the Secretary General of the Nigeria Olympic Committee, the FCT Mandate Secretary, and officials from the Volleyball Federation,” she said.
She emphasized that collaboration among stakeholders remains essential to building a strong sports culture in Nigeria.
“When we invest in our children, we are investing in the future of Nigeria. School sports are the bedrock of sustainable sports development, and through collective effort, we can nurture champions and build a better nation,” she concluded.
She reaffirmed the NSSF’s commitment to continued collaboration with national sports federations to provide students with opportunities for both local and international development.
At the end of the championship, FCT I emerged champions in both the boys and girls categories. In the boys’ division, Kaduna State clinched silver while FCT II took bronze. In the girls’ division, FCT II won silver and Bayelsa State settled for bronze.