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Nigeria: The future is now for Nigeria's Howzat Foundation for Cricket

Cricket was reportedly dying in Nigeria in the early 1990s until a group of enthusiasts, keen to see the game develop at the grassroots level came together and decided to do something about it - and the Howzat Foundation was born

Olisa Egwatu

September 9, 2001

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Cricket was reportedly dying in Nigeria in the early 1990s until a group of enthusiasts, keen to see the game develop at the grassroots level came together and decided to do something about it - and the Howzat Foundation was born.

The Foundation and its members have since become an inrtegral part of the game in a nation widely regarded as the sleeping giant of African cricket.

After starting out as a private organisation responsible for numerous initiatives aimed at promoting the game's growth, its members are now in the main stream of cricket establishment occupying key roles in the Nigeria Cricket Association.

Please click on the links for further info on the Howzat Foundation.

Introduction
Mission Statement & Goals
Structure
Developmental & Promotional Work
Training Programs
Competitions
Other Activities

Introduction

The Howzat Foundation For Cricket is a private, non-profit sports organisation, committed to the development and promotion of cricket in Nigeria, especially at the grass roots level.

The Foundation came into existence in 1991 at a time that cricket, almost dead in the country, needed a boost.

The Nigeria Cricket Association, the official government body charged with the administration of cricket in the country, is fully aware of our existence. Together, on a number of occasions, we have collaborated to expand the frontiers of the game, not only domestically but internationally.

Because the Foundation recognises the unique features of cricket as a moulder of character, effort is not spared to include in our programmes workshop and seminars on topical issues like AIDS, reproductive and adolescent health, career counselling and cultism. These programmes, especially the annual holiday cricket coaching clinic in August, bring together many students from Primary, Secondary and Tertiary institutions.

As a private non-profit organisation, we rely entirely on friends of cricket, individuals, international and corporate bodies for material and financial support to run our numerous programmes. It was in recognition of our objectives that in the past the British, Australian and South African High Commissions gave financial and material support to our programmes.

The International Cricket Council, through its African Development Manager, Hoosain Ayob, has donated bat shapes and rubber balls for our programmes in 1999.

As part of efforts to contribute to the development and promotion of cricket in Nigeria, the Foundation, in September 2000, took a team of youngsters on a playing and educational tour of England. This year (2001), we are planning, in conjunction with Hoosain Ayob and Ahmed Cassum an under 19 tour.

:Mission Statement & Goals

To develop and promote the game of cricket in Nigeria to international standard by:-

(a) encouraging the playing of cricket amongst youths
(b) collaborating with cricket authorities in Nigeria to improve the standard
(c) working with individuals and corporate bodies to nurture and support the game of cricket
(d) empowering the members of the Foundation and cricketers in general to demonstrate excellence in life through cricket

Goals

  • develop youths through cricket
  • give our youth cricketers international exposure
  • produce cricketers for Nigeria

    Structure of the Foundation:

    Board of Trustees
    1. Chairman - Professor Osato Giwa Osagie
    2. Vice Chairman - Dr John Abebe
    3. Chief Executive - Dr. Micheal Ayivor
    4. Secretary - Mr. Olisa Egwuatu
    5. Member - Mr. Busuyi Onabolu
    6. Member - Chief Chris Okunowo
    7. Member - Mr. Kola Ojutalayo
    8. Member - Hon. Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour

    Membership is spread through seven states of Nigeria and we have some sponsors from corporate bodies and a few individuals. Office staff and cricket coaches are employed, and foremost among those youth coaches are Endurance Ofem and Onome Oghenekevwe.

    The Nigeria Cricket Association new executive board:
    Three trustees and four other partners of the Foundation are now members of the NCA, the governing body that regulates cricket in the country. They include the following: Chairman - Dr. John Abebe; Members - Hon. Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour, Mr. Olisa Egwuatu, Mr. Chima Anosike, Alhaji Umar Abiba-Gana, Mr. Yusuf N'jie, Mr. Pat Opara

    Developmental and Promotional Work

    This has been the main thrust of efforts for the past 10 years, and so far it has been a monumental success. We are the only organisation in Nigeria to be involved in developmental work at the grass roots level. Evidence of this is:

  • The entire Nigerian contingent of under 19 players to the mini-Quadrangular in Ghana (November/December 2000) and the ICC's African/Associate championship in Kampala, Uganda in January, 2001 were all products of the Howzat Cricket Academy
  • ·Coaching clinics held throughout Nigeria by coaches brought from England
  • In September, 2000 organised and funded an under 19 team's tour of England.
  • The Foundation formed and funds two clubs in the Lagos senior club league - Howzat Pioneers and Howzat Dolphins.
  • Howzat has been in touch with cricket enthusiasts in Benin and Togo. Our chief executive, Dr. Michael Ayivor, travelled to Cotonou and hard a meeting with the Benin representative, Mr. Raju Gurbani. Soon the Foundation will visit/host a side and from Benin and possibly Togo. We have tried to open up contact with Mr. Eusa Enow, the cricket development manager in Cameroon. We have also contacted Dr. Belarmino Lucas in Cape Verde though we are yet to hear from him. We are aware of cricket happenings in Burkina Faso.
  • Two of our products, Tayo Okusany and Dapo Adegoke, discovered in 1993, played for the country at the African Cricket Association Cup in Kenya in September, 2000. Adegoke was selected as a member of the West African team to the ICC Trophy in Toronto, Canada.
  • Dolapo Gaffar, Nigerian wicket-keeper at the 13th WACC quadrangular cricket championship in Freetown, Sierra Leone, was discovered during competitions in 1993.
  • ICC Development Programmes in Nigeria - The Howzat Foundation has always collaborated with the Nigeria Cricket Association to organise coaching and administrative courses conducted by Hoosain Ayob, the ICC Development Officer for Africa, mobilising participants and providing technical and logistical support.

    Training programs

  • Holiday coaching clinic:Aimed at introducing cricket to youths in a formal setting and highlight the game's contribution to character building. This clinic, which is usually held in August every year, began in 1995 with 19 participants. In 2000 it had over 170 youngsters particpating. It is used for practicial examinations.
  • Basic coaching course: This course is designed specifically for schools, sports officers and would-be coaches, aimed at giving them the basic skills to enable them to coach and organise cricket in ther schools. The cirriculum is designed as such so that the coaches would progress from one level to another, At the end of the theory and practice examinations, certificates would be awarded. The course started in 1997 and so far four sports officers and 10 young coaches possess our Howzat Basic Coaching certificate
  • Howzat Corpers:A voluntary group, the Howzat Corpers teach cricket in Primary and Secondary Schools. The Corpers are post-Seconary school students and are largely responsible for introducing cricket to Primary schools in Lagos, Nigeria.

    Competitions

  • Howzat Junior Cricket Leagues: Our junior competitions in Lagos, Edo, Ogun, Oyo and Kaduna are designed to boost cricket at the Secondary school level. Eventually, it is intended to include all the states of Nigeria. These competitions have been run since 1995 in the five states and so far, over 1500 boys have participated. This year, two more states, Anambra and Delta, will join the league.
  • Howzat Primary Schools Cricket League: Following our successful introduction of cricket into 15 schools in Surulere, Lagos, we set up in 1999 the first ever Primary school cricket league for boys and girls
  • Howzat National Primary Schools League: We encouraged and facilitated the introduction of cricket to Primary schools in Sagamu and Abeokuta both in Ogun State. This led to the staging of the Primary Schools interstate Championships between the winners of Lagos and Ogun. Lagos won the Championship played on June, 2001
  • KIGS Quadrangular Cricket tournament:This is the annual tournament amongst the four premier cricket playing schools of King's College (Lagos), Igbobi College (Lagos), Government College (Ibadan) and St.Gregory's College (Lagos). A cricket quiz features before the tournament starts. The tournament, which is held in February each year, first started in 1993.
  • Howzat Colts League: A league series for junior secondary school students in Lagos. The students are usually aged between 10-15. The series started in 1997.
  • Howzat National Junior Six-A-Side Championship: A fun packed tournament open to all schools. A school can register as many teams as it wishes. First held in 1999, it attracts school teams and junior clubs from three states.
  • Howzat/Adewale Solanke Memorial Match: Named for the late Adewale Solanke, a former coach with the Ogun State cricket association, who planted cricket seeds in Ogun and Ondo States. The Annual friendly, fixed for children's day, May 27th, is the foundation's way of honouring this great man. A selected Howzat junior team plays against Ogun junior side
  • Howzat Junior Cricket Super League: The state champions from Howzat organised junior cricket leagues come together at Easter for a three day tournament. This annual tournament first started in 1997.
  • Howzat University Classics: An invitational unviersities championship
  • Howzat International Friendlies: Touring sides from top cricket playing countries will be invited to give our cricketers international exposure, or Howzat teams will go on playing tours of some countries

    Other Activities

    Publications

  • Howzat Magazine: Nigeria's first cricket magazine - the most authoritative magazine on cricket in Nigeria, aiming to keep all followers of Nigerian cricket informed
  • Howzat Newsletter: Keeps cricketers informed on events in the movement

    Equipment

  • The Foundation seeks donations of cricket equipment, new or old, from sources anywhere in the world. Such equipment will be distributed to schools and youth clubs throughout the country
  • We have been fortunate to receive a large donation of cricket boots from M&M Sports in Leominster, England through the efforts of Ross Turner, the fomer International Cricket Council Development Manager. We have also met Andrew Eade, the current ICC Development Manager in his office in London. Alan Burridge of the The Cricketer's Club of London has also generously donated cricket equipment to the Foundation.
  • Howzat Scholarship Scheme: Aimed at providing academic and non-Academic scholarship to cricketers, training opportunites to coaches, administrators both inside and outside Nigeria
  • Howzat Awards Night: Honours young cricketers, principals, Games M, sponsors and all individuals and corporate bodies who have contributed to our programmes
  • Collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund and other non-Government health organisations to hold workshops and seminars on adolescent reproductive health, aids etc

    • © ESPN EMEA Ltd.

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