By Akerele Hareef
Sunday street football has become a tradition of some sort, with many able-bodied youths turning to wannabe Messis, replicating the moves of their favourite football stars, as they engage in the most loved sport in the country on a holy cum rest day.
The lore as to the genesis of the lovable street game of football which has stood the test of time is however endless. People are of varying opinion, but whatever the view held, all concur that the objective of the national pastime is to recreate and socialize.
In a nation where the youth population is far above half of the entire population, the need to actively engage the youth in social activities becomes imperative. Lack of social infrastructure such as enough play ground to meet the demands of many spirited youths has left many to take turn major streets across the nation into makeshift football field.
In this special report, Naijalog took to the street of Lagos to sample opinion of different cross section youths on the street game of football.
A Septuagenarian who spoke anonymously revealed that street football had been in existence for long and that there is no timeline as to when it started. Adding that, some football matches sanctioned by Local Governments in his days as a young lad were even played on the street to the people’s delight.
An ardent Sunday Footballer, Osikoya Gbolahan disclosed to Naijalog, that playing on the street is not as convenient as playing on a field, but when the latter becomes unavailable, the former serves the purpose since playing football is a way to engage in physical exercise.
He stressed that if there are enough fields to play and government made such facilities accessible to the public, then the days of street football might be coming into extinction.
Corroborating him, another player found on the street, Onilegbale Ibrahim said that restiveness on the part of the youth has made the activity more popular.
Ibrahim noted that high rate of unemployment which is more common among the youth give them no choice but to take consolation in social activities like Sunday football on the street.
He further stressed that if some of the youth are gainfully employed and wary of the fact that they are going to the office on Monday to face rigorous office work, the numbers found every Sundays on the street will reduce.
In the same vein, a sport analyst Adetola Faruk discussed the benefit street football has had on our football and some of the disadvantages.
He pointed out that some talented footballers have been discovered on our various streets and had in the past made the nation proud through their exploits. He mentioned players like Austin Okocha, Obafemi Martins, Ayila and others that were discovered while playing on the street. On the other hand, he stated that a lot of talented players had been lost on the street due to unavailability of sporting facility to enhance their growth. In his words, “this in no small means has weakened grassroot talent discovery and developmental efforts”.
The popularity of street football in the country has continue to soar, it is no coincidence that there is an officially acknowledged football competition by the name MTN Street Soccer, which is supported by Lagos State Government. The number of followership street football commands might have been responsible for the name.
On most streets which were visited across Lagos State, one thing was certain about the people playing and watching, they all had a countenance which shows they have casted away their individual challenges, the differences in religion and ethnic background to speak one voice, like solidarity; to recreate and enjoy the raw skill this platform afford them. Like in every endeavour which has both good and bad sides, Sunday street football exposes the youth to a lot road accidents and injuries, but the positives of helping some youths discover their potential is encouraging because it might serve as a launch pad to a prosperous football career for them.
Edited by Folashade Alli