By Aisha Sambo
The two things Nigeria successfully exports more than oil and entertainment are art and sports. The drive and zeal of our youthful population is leaning towards sporting activities and there is a clear sign that it is driving, patriotism, good sportsmanship, leadership and teamwork. These are my top pick of organisations and athletics in Nigeria to look out for in the Future but most importantly now.
SWA SPORTS
Take a wild guess what do you think SWA stands for. SUPER WOMAN AISHA, my namesake and someone I have grown to admire. Aisha Shuaibu is a serial entrepreneur, business consultant, and youth women empowerment advocate. Born out of passion for playing and watching sports, Aisha and her brother started this company in 2021. The aim of the company is to contribute to the growth of African sports and development, in particular, the Nigerian sports industry. Her brother Sh, is the X of the organisation and started the first flag football team in Abuja which is now three years old.
This year alone SWA sports has hosted three sporting events already. The first two, titled Dambe is a popular local wrestling in Nigeria which literal translation mean fight. With a presence of a growing community in Abuja of fight clubs and other niche sports, it’s evident that SWA Sports is on a verge of something spectacular for the future as Aisha appears to have a clear understanding of where she is taking SWA to. So keep an eye on them too.
Anthony Mmesoma Madu
An art form that takes a lot of time, training, and effort is ballet, it is known as probably the most difficult dance styles to master. The discipline, practice and skill needed to complete some of the ballet steps takes dedication but once learned they are beautiful to watch. Ballet dancer Anthony Mmesoma Madu became an internet sensation in 2020, during a seminar at American Dance School Wantage. Within months, his video was being viewed more than 20 million times. Madu was offered multiple scholarships, including one at the American Ballet Theatre’s Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School in the United States of America. He is currently studying at a ballet school in Birmingham, in the UK.
Nwachukwu Goodness
This 23-year-old won a gold medal for Team Nigeria in the women’s Commonwealth Games. Nwachukwu broke the world record in the Women’s Discus Throw event not once but twice. At her first attempt, had a throw that stopped at the 34.84m mark, breaking the existing World Record. Then she set a new record afterward with a throw of 26.56m. She drew spectacular applause from the fans following her performance. Goodness has now secured Nigeria’s fourth gold medal at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
Poco Lee
Poco Lee is one of the most popular dancers in Nigeria. He went from being a street dancer to becoming one of the most popular dancers in Nigeria. His real name, Iweh Pascal Odinaka, a 26-year-old from Orlu LGA in Imo State. He became a sensation after he trended on Instagram with a dance video on one of Zlatan Ibile’s songs. Poco Lee won the “Best Dancer” award during the Naija Hype Award (NHS), 2019. He has worked with several artists in the Nigerian music industry, including; Burna Boy, Davido, Olamide, Naira Marley, Tiwa Savage, Reekado Banks and Niniola.
Tobi Amusan
Oluwatobiloba Ayomide “Tobi” Amusan is a Nigerian track and field athlete who specialises in the 100 metres hurdles and also competes as a sprinter. At the Commonwealth Games this year, she emerged World Champion in the 100m hurdles as well as the record holder in the three competitions. The first batch of record-breaking Team Nigeria athletes returned home with 12 gold, 9 silver and 14 bronze medals at the just-concluded Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. A total of 35 medals and seventh positions on the medals table. The athletes were treated to a heroic welcome by the federal government on their arrival at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, after their successful outing. The minister who was represented by the permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Alhaji Ismaila Abubakar, expressed the joy of the entire country over their outstanding achievement, which was the first in the history of the nation.
Art and sports can help to increase foreign trade and promote global economic integration. In the third quarter of 2021, the sector of arts, entertainment, and recreation accounted for 0.18 per cent of Nigeria’s GDP. The industry’s participation slightly declined compared to the first quarter of 2020, when it reached 0.31 per cent. I believe stories, culture and talents are one of Nigeria’s greatest assets. We often think and speak of things Nigeria can export in tangible terms such as rice, oil, and natural resources however we talk about intangible things perhaps not often enough. We talk about how Nigeria can export some of its services to the world, especially in the financial industry, but there are far more options to explore. Stories, art, culture, and talent are some of Nigeria’s most priced assets, and they have been for many years. The moment Nigerians realised we can package culture into stories and develop ourselves into world-class talent, the door will open up for immense opportunities.