Segun Solanke is the founder and president of the Provazios Academy in Nigeria. The academy is an all-inclusive organisation built specifically to promote the sports sector in Nigeria and across the world. In this interview by ROTIMI IGE, he speaks about the company and the plan to achieve with the academy, from Nigeria to the world.
What birthed the idea of Provazios?
For many, sport is business as usual or an event to fall back on at their leisure time. While this is correct for a lot of sport enthusiasts, our belief at Provazios sports is that we can harness the potential in sport and nurture it to stardom, where the greatest and brightest minds in different categories represent nations across the world.
We offer trainings in different sports like football, basketball, karate, swimming, dancing, athletics, cycling, handball and so many others.
Provazios sports also has a CSR arm called (Tide foundation) and it is through this foundation that we reach out to the less-privileged. Tide’s full meaning is Transformation Through Innovation Development And Empowerment. While our focus is on the children, the parents are not left alone, they are engaged in fitness exercises while they are around, waiting for the children.
How well do you think sports can contribute to Nigeria’s economy?
Sports has a unique way of making a positive impact in society. Whether it’s helping children, communities or even nations, sport makes a difference on a daily basis. Sports contributes to the national and economic development of the country, jobs, national unity and pride of the nation. It also helps in community relations and to also manage emotions.
Sport all over the world, generates income in excess of over $20 billion annually thereby contributing to the GDP of any nation taking it very seriously. It is this impact that keeps us going at Provazios Sports and we are only just scratching the surface, there’s more to come.
How will you appraise the Super Eagles of Nigeria at the just concluded AFCON?
It is a known fact that the Super Eagles were not considered to do well at the start of the tournament but steadily, they began to win the hearts of the nation and the world by not losing any game, until the final. In fact, they were even favourites to win the final match but unfortunately lost out 2-1.
While we must applaud the team for making us proud, this is now the time to focus on home grown talents in making football and sports in general in the country to thrive. I personally have always craved for a local coach to lead our national team.
A coach like Emmanuel Amuneke can be given the chance of a five-year contract to build the team and I am sure he will do wonders. He has shown us what he can do if given the chance from the examples of some African countries that he has already coached. Development at the grassroots in all sport is very essential as we have many talents in Nigeria waiting to be discovered and given the opportunity to soar higher by representing the country anytime.
Our local league needs to thrive so we can make impact at various tournaments and look towards winning the next edition of the AFCON.
How do you think we can develop more sport talents in the country?
Sports at the grassroots are extremely important to any developing sporting nation. When well-delivered, it creates immense value and develops more talents for the country in the years to come. We must recognise that in order to achieve strategic outcomes, more emphasis must be given on the delivery of innovative sports programme at the grassroots.
We must join hands to begin the repositioning of sports from our various communities and this would continually reflect in the larger society. We must explore sport partnerships for economic growth and youth development.
Football, for instance, is a global game and also a profitable venture for potential brands willing to take advantage of it. Like the European leagues, the Asian and South American nations where sports business, especially football is a major revenuedriver, Nigeria too can revolutionise its sports industry and benefit from the revenue windfall.
Sport holds a huge prospect in Nigeria with an estimated population of over 200 million, a growing middle class and about 65 percent youth population. Nigerians’ interest in sport is legendary. Asides, sport has been a uniting factor in the country despite the ethnic, regional or political divides. Sports is a unifying catalyst and the role of collaboration cannot be over emphasised.
It has the capacity to foster unity and peace and can also enhance self-development; hence, it can be explored as a great way to unite a polarised society like Nigeria.
Given the potentials of the Nigerian sports sector in fostering peace and development, it is currently riddled with various challenges and the way out is by collaborating and coming together to achieve greater feats.
Collaboration and strategic partnerships will help us reach the heights where we desire.
How has Provazios fared over the years?
Considering our model, being the first of its kind in Nigeria where we train and nurture in all kind of sports unlike the saturated academies where it is mainly football or basketball, we have surely done well.
We are already in our fourth year and are touching lives one step at a time. Many of the children with us or those who have passed through us, including their parents, can attest to the fact that they get quality education and training of different sports at our academy.
Unfortunately, we cannot run the academy in isolation of the country because we will need the support of everyone in making our dream of a super sport arena come true where all the children can call their own and train to become superstars.
We aim to make Provazios sports the centre point for children, youths and their parents where they can train, relax and achieve all their heart desires when it comes to sport and fitness.