U.S. sports envoys urge Nigerian youth to embrace breakdancing
By Sarafina Christopher and Mark Longyen
U.S. sports envoys, B-Girl and Lyons, have called on the Nigerian youth to embrace Breakdancing, to enhance their dancing skills and enable them participate in future Olympic breakdancing sport events.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that breakdancing is an officially recognised Olympic sport, set to debut at the upcoming Paris Olympic Games.
The duo stated this during their grand performance hosted by the U.S. embassy’s public diplomacy section, in collaboration with FAME Foundation, on Wednesday night, in Abuja.
B-Girl, whose real name is Ms. Macca Malik, stressed that through breakdancing, Nigerian youngsters could demonstrate their creativity and skills and represent their nation on a global scale.
Being a leading female competitor in the breakdancing community, B-Girl noted that Nigeria had a rich cultural heritage, and advocated for the active involvement of young women in the dance sport.
According to her, Nigerian youth participation in breakdancing will align with global standards in Olympic sports events.
“As an officially recognised Olympic sport set to debut at the upcoming Olympic Games, Breakdancing’s dynamic movements and creativity present a significant opportunity for Nigerian youth,” she stressed.
Also speaking, Lyons, whose real name is Jacob “Kujo,” and who is a representative of the deaf and hard of hearing community in breakdancing, urged the Federal Government to invest in breakdancing, as a sport.
“We urge the Federal Government of Nigeria to consider investing in breakdancing infrastructure and training programmes.
“The substantial positive impacts of such endeavours will be felt in youth empowerment, skill enhancement, and international representation are undeniable,” he said.
He said that fostering a robust breakdancing community in Nigeria could enhance the country’s global sports presence and strengthen national pride and unity.
Aderonke Ogunleye-Bello, Executive Director, FAME Foundation, expressed gratitude to the U.S. sports envoys for providing Nigerian Breakdancers with valuable guidance to pursue success.
“We believe that through this training, Nigeria can progress towards meeting international standards in Breakdancing and prepare its youth for Olympic participation.
“The encouragement from the U.S. sports envoys reminds us of the transformative impact of investing in diverse artistic expressions and athletic pursuits.
“While the Nigerian Breakdancers may not partake in this year’s Olympic competition, this training equips them to compete effectively in future events,” she said.
Ogunleye-Bello also called on the Federal Government and stakeholders to furnish facilities that would help dancers realize their ambition.
Minister of Youth and Sports Development, John Enoh, represented by Orok Effanga, pledged the ministry’s unwavering dedication to promote and facilitate the growth of Breakdancing in Nigeria. (NAN)
Edited by Mark Longyen/Ifeyinwa Omowole
Published By
- Senior Editor
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