Copa Coca - Cola : Interview with Olabisi Joseph- National Secretary, NSSF

“We are not taking the students to football; we are bringing football into the school system” – Olabisi Joseph: National Secretary, Nigerian School Sports Federation

Q1 – How did the Federation get involved in Copa Coca-Cola and when exactly?

Ans – I know Copa Coca-Cola has been on for some years, but this edition has got it right. This is because Copa is a developmental initiative and the school system is the right place for any developmental program. And as long as we are using the school system, it has to be with NSSF, which is the only statutory body which is sanctioned by FG to organize sports in the school system. So the NSSF came on board for this edition. This is the first edition we’re running with Copa Coca-Cola.

Q2 – What are your thoughts on this edition?

It’s fantastic. You see the idea is to make sure the students not only participate in sports but also get sports alongside education, that’s the basics. Now, Coca-Cola Nigeria is leaning into this vision of making sure that in the very nearest future we will have enlightened sports men and women across the country. It’s not that it’s very bad right now, just that we’re getting it very right by making sure we start from the very young age of 13, it’s a U-15 tournament, so you can imagine what the impact will be by the time these kids have the opportunity to interact and play among themselves. And all this is within the school system for the first time. We are not taking the students to football; we are bringing football into the school system. So it’s fantastic, it’s a great initiative and we are enjoying it with Coca-Cola Nigeria.

Q3 – Can you give us the specific ways in which NSSF has been partnering or supporting this programme?

Ans – NSSF is the key organizer of the event, we did the mobilization of schools who are participating in the Copa Coca-Cola. We arranged for medical precautions. At all centers, we ensure that we have ambulances and medical personnel, and adequate security, although we have not witnessed any form of violence. Gone are those days when you want to do school sports and everyone is afraid. Now the kids are well enlightened, and we don’t have such cases of violence but still we made all necessary arrangement.

Q4 – What have your thoughts been about the level of play and the performance from the beginning of tournament till now?

Ans – It won’t be too much to say that Nigerians have got talent. These talents abound in the school system. You need to see the show of skills, how children display their skill—they are raw, some of them initially played on their bare foot, and we had to tell them to put on the appropriate football footwear. Overall, it’s been great, they are happy doing it, they are excited about doing it and we’ve seen a lot and we’re impressed and sincerely, I must say thank you to Coca-Cola Nigeria for accepting to host the Copa Coca-Cola within the school system. Throughout the tournament, we used the school fields, we didn’t use any stadium in Nigeria. We used the school system and it’s been a great experience. And aside from the football, we also came up with dance, you know dance is actually a sport too and we saw fantastic dancers among the kids. Even today for the finals you may witness a great show of talents in terms of dances, in terms of songs and great skills of football, so it’s been splendid.

Q5 – What do you think other people in the private sector can take away from Coca-Cola’s involvement in this and its commitment to involving stronger sport system in Nigeria?

Ans – Can we say take a cue from Coke? As NSSF I am calling on other wonderful organizations to emulate Coca-Cola Nigeria. Sincerely, we have some other companies partnering with NSSF and Coke is coming in to join them. I’m also calling on other eminent organizations to please train these children. They belong to all of us, they are the future of Nigeria, they are the future of the world as a whole, if we don’t train them now, if we don’t occupy them positively now, we won’t be able to curb social vices in the future. So I’m calling on even well-meaning individuals, people in high level of government and private sectors to please sponsor school sports, you don’t have to come National, you can adopt a school in your local government, you can adopt a school in your senatorial district, together we can get this going.