By Victor Okoye
Abuja, Dec. 4, 2023 (NAN) Some stakeholders have harped on sports as a veritable tool for creating awareness on the menace of Gender-Based Violence (GBV).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that this was the main focus of discourse at the grand finale of a sports competition organised by De Voice Life Builders Foundation in partnership with the Nigerian Women’s Trust Fund on Saturday in Abuja.
The football competition which was basically for young girls had five female teams, drawn from satellite towns in the FCT.
The five teams that participated in the football competition include Gwako FC of Gwagwalada Area Council, Great Babes FC of Kuje, Almond Babes FC of Kuchigoro, GNFA Queens FC of Dutse and Jesus-Pikin FC of Lugbe.
Some stakeholders who spoke to NAN on the sidelines of the event said the campaign against GBV cannot be overemphasised, especially violence against women, with specific attention to the girl-child.
They said the idea of using sports to sensitize the society on the menace of GBV was a welcome development and one sure and effective way of raising awareness about the menace.
Chairman of De Voice Life Builder Foundation, Adewale Samson stressed that the exercise promoted through sports competition underscored the foundation’s efforts to raise the people’s consciousness on the menace of gender violence.
“As a foundation, we are campaigning against GBV due to the increasing number of such cases in the FCT.
“We are focusing on the trenches in the FCT, such as Kuchigoro and the likes because these are the areas where such cases are prevalent.
“We penetrate these places by paying courtesy visits to their traditional rulers to sensitize them and also create awareness about GBV by organising a football match.
“We also use the opportunity to have interactions with the indigenes and let them see reasons why they must not be involved in GBV.
“This is why today you can see all the girls here from five communities participating in this football tournament,” he said.
Itunuoluwa Abolirinwa, the Programme Manager of the foundation said it was imperative to use female sports icons for the campaign to counter certain unfounded beliefs over women’s involvement in sports-related activities.
“The major takeaway from this event is to show that the girl-child is very important in our society and must not let anyone look down on them.
“For instance, if you take a look at recent happenings in the society today, you will notice that the women are taking the lead in major sectors of the economy and making alot of remarkable achievements.
“So, we are saying to the girls here that if people like Ngozi Okonji-Iweala, Joke Silva, Blessing Okagbare and the likes can make an impact in their various fields of endeavor, they too can achieve even much more,” she said.
Blessing Joshua, the Captain of Generation Next FC team, said she was grateful for the opportunity offered to her to showcase her football talent.
She said that grassroots programmes such as these would go a long way in changing people’s perception of the involvement of women in sporting activities.
“Playing football for me is a passion, and I love the game.
“But often times our parents deny us the opportunity to play, saying that females are not supposed to play football. They believe that it is a man’s game.
“However, watching players like Asisat Oshoala and Rasheedat Ajibade playing for the country and their clubs gives me the extra motivation not to give up on my dreams,” she said.
Saminu Dogo, an official of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) applauded the organisers for their efforts in projecting the place of the girl-child in the society.
He said that it was a welcome development and one the government ought to key into.
“It is indeed a very impressive and creative event geared towards amplifying the rights of women and girls in the society.
“For me, it is an initiative that can even achieve more than it intends to because I have seen great talents on the football pitch today.
“These girls are the future Oshoalas, Ajibades and I can tell that they will have a bright and great career in the sport.
“So, what De Voice Life Builders foundation is quite impressive and they should be encouraged.
“The NOA is open to working with them for future programmes of this nature and even creating more avenues where we can talk about GBV and the rights of the girl-child,” he said.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
