Nigeria Sports Heroes – JSS3 Physical & Health Education Lesson Note (Second Term)

A hero (male) or heroine  (female) is a person who has done something remarkable that makes people admire him or her. Nigerian sportsmen and women have put Nigeria’s name in the record books as a sporting nation. Similarly, several people have excelled in physical and health education and made the country proud. 

The following people have contributed to the development of sports and the nation at large: 

1. Harding J. Ekperigin ( Father of Physical Education in Nigeria)
2. Samuel Okwaraji
3. Falilat Ogunkoya
4. Mary Onyali Omagbemi
5. Patrick Oluwasegun Odegbami
6. Mr. Richard Ihetu (dick tiger)
7. Teslim Balogun
8. Christian Chukwu
9. Chidima Anyway
10. Modupe Oshikoya
11. Stephen Meaning
12. Austin Okocha
13. Nwankwo Many
14. Jerry Okorodudu
15. Nojim Mayegun

(A) Contributions of Harding J. Ekperigin to Nigeria

He is popularly referred to as the father of physical Education in Nigeria.

1. He formed the Central Committee of the Amateur Athletics Association in 1944
2. He encouraged the formation of a professional organization for physical and health education in 1961.

(B) Samuel Okwaraji

1. He won a silver medal at the 1988 African Nations Cup for Nigeria
2. He had a career in Europe which included playing for (As) Roma, Nk Dinamo Zagreb, VFB Stuttgart, and SSV ULM

 (C) Falilat Ogunkoya

1. Gold medals at the national championships
2. 1996 (400m)
3. 1998 (200m)
4. 1999 (400m)
5. 2001 (400m)
6. Bronze medal at Atlanta 1996

D) Mary Onyali Omagbemi

1. She was the fastest woman in Africa for many years

 She has won the following :

Bronze medals

1. 1992 Summer Olympics (4 by 400m relay race)
2. ‘1996 summer Olympic 200metres
3. 1996 Commonwealth games

 E) Olumide Oyedele

He played professional basketball in the NBA. He has played for C.B. Granada basketball club in Spain.

(G) Nojim Mayegun

He is a retired boxer who won the bronze medal in the men’s light middleweight (71kg) category at the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.

(H) Nwankwo Kanu

He was a member of the triumphant Golden Eaglet in Japan in 1993 under 17 World Cup.

He was part of the team that won gold medals for Nigeria at the Atlanta 1996 Olympics in soccer event.

  Assignment

1. List five Nigerian heroes and heroines excluding those listed above and state two of their Contributions to the development of Nigerian sports.

Contributions of some professionals to physical and health education in Nigeria 

Some of the professionals in physical and health education in Nigeria include:

1. Harding J. Ekperigin
2. Prof. M.O. Ajisafe
3. Prof. John Adedeji
4. Prof. James Abodunrin Amala
5. Isaac Akioye

A). Harding J. Ekperigin: He was an all-round sportsman in his days.

1. He formed the central committee of the Amateur Athletics Association in 1944.
2. He encouraged the formation of a professional organization for physical and health education in 1961.

(B) Prof. M.O Ajisafe: He is one of the pioneers of curriculum and instruction materials in physical education.

1. In 1969, he with others successfully canvassed for the adoption of a syllabus that will reflect the geo-cultural background of Nigeria to replace the 1933 syllabus imported to the country by the British Government. This gave birth to the current  6-3-3-4 system of education

  (C) Isaac Akioye: He was the first professional to be appointed as Director of sports at the National Sports Commission. During his tenure, the Nigeria Polytechnic Game Association (Nipoga), the Nigeria Colleges of Education Games Association (NICEGA), and the Nigerian Schools Sports Federation (NSSF) were founded

(D). Prof. John Adedeji was one of the pioneers of physical and health education in Nigeria. He started as a lecturer at the University of Ife at the Institute of Physical Education

He was a member of the committee that wrote the physical education syllabus for junior and senior secondary schools in Nigeria.

 (E). Prof. James Abodunrin

• He has been involved in the promotion of Health Education
• He served the country in various capacities., especially as a consultant on health education for the World Health Organisation (WHO).

 There are other outstanding professionals, many of whom are university professionals who have contributed greatly to the development of physical and health education in Nigeria.

Some of these professionals include:

•  Mr Funsho Adeolu
• Mr  Hemi Tells
• Prof. Dr Eniola Lasun etc