By Godwin Otang
As part of events marking the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, the Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF) and CSED Initiative recently held a three-day Cricket training for eighty (80) Cameroonian refugees at the Adagom 1 playground in Ogoja Local Government Area of Cross River State.
The training supervised by Bibiana Ngwenifun (Leader of Adagom 1 Camp) ensured that the females were equally represented at the training event. NCF Development Officer, Blessing Etim and Patrick Edidiong taught the new cricket players and ten first-time trainee coaches the basics of cricket.
Day one, the training involved the introduction of cricket to trainees, fitness drills, basic batting, bowling, and fielding drills, and day two involved mixtures of classroom-based training and field training. The areas covered were cricket seminar, a detailed explanation of cricket laws, and a demonstration of batting and bowling techniques.
The last day of the exercise witnessed a practical game between residents of Adagom 1 and Adagom 3. Attendees at the groundbreaking training were drawn from the three camps based in Ogoja LGA – Adagom 1, Adagom 3, and Ukende.
At the end of the exercise, cricket start-up packs for training and match purposes were freely donated and distributed to the Sports Committee Leaders of Adagom 1 and Adagom 3 camps by Lord’s Taverners and the NCF.
Organizers said there will be separate training for Ukende representatives in six weeks.
The Chairman of Cross River Cricket Association, Dr. Macfarlane Ejah assured the Association will build on the success of the training to develop grassroots cricket in the Ogoja and northern region of the State.
“Going forward, based on the NCF experience of using cricket to support IDPs in Uhogua Camp in Edo State, the current leadership of the NCF is expected to support their new cricket coverts by using cricket to provide them with psycho-social support, empower them in terms of using the game of cricket to learn soft skills like computing/coding, as well as promoting tolerance and respect for each other. More importantly, living in peace and harmony with the other residents of Ogoja community is also a priority.”
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