When members of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Nasarawa State Chapter, gathered at the Nigeria Union of Journalists ( NUJ) Press Centre in Lafia recently, it was far more than a ceremonial gathering to toast over two years of leadership of the Smah George-led administration. It served as an avenue designed to sharpen the tools of sports journalists while laying a blueprint for grassroots sports development across the State.
The anniversary celebration prioritised capacity building around one of the world’s fastest-growing sports: Teqball.
The SWAN Chairman in the State, Comrade Smah George in his opening remarks said, “Since our election as EXCO, we’ve clocked two years, and we decided to come together as a family to celebrate.
“Our intention is to also educate ourselves on one of the newest games in Nigeria-Teqball. How can we report this game? What are the technicalities involved? That is the reason why we chose Teqball for our conversation this morning,” he said.
Delivering the keynote seminar paper entitled, “Teqball: Rules, Regulations, Officiating, and Its Role in Modern Sports Development”; sports analyst and administrator , Daniel Takyun explained how the curved-table game serves as both an elite training mechanism and an accessible standalone sport.
He detailed its core parameters a 3.0m x 1.7m curved table, a Size 5 football, a maximum of three touches per return, and zero physical contact before outlining strategies for local adoption.
To overcome bottlenecks like high equipment costs and certified referee shortages, Daniel urged stakeholders to integrate Teqball into secondary school and university sports curricula while organising targeted officiating clinics.
Tracing the sport’s core philosophy, pioneer SWAN Chairman in Nasarawa State, Dr. Musa Abdullahi, reflected on Teqball’s conceptual genius saying “Football has been gaining more momentum above every other sport. So, how do we bring football to the table? They decided to bring football to the table using table tennis and lawn tennis laws with football rules. It is very interesting, and this initiative by SWAN is highly commendable.”
The educational focus resonated strongly with veteran broadcast journalists and past SWAN leaders, who stressed the necessity of continuous learning for reporters and newsroom editors alike.
Former General Manager of the Nasarawa Broadcasting Service (NBS), Mr Aloko Flashman, commended SWAN for pairing its milestone with technical training.
“The problem with our journalism is that we lack celebrating our own. But sports itself is very dynamic rules and regulations are changing daily. If you don’t follow the trends, you’ll miss out completely. When reporters go out and cover Teqball, if the editor does not know the language of Teqball, it becomes very difficult. This session ensures there will be no mix-up of reporting terminology,” he said.
Reinforcing the media’s role in sports governance, former SWAN Vice President (North-Central Zone), Danmusa Mohammed, stressed the need for constructive independence.
”Sports stand on a tripod: the sponsors, the participants, and then we as sports writers the promoters. Without us, the tripod cannot stand.
“When you allow government to carry you along all the time, it becomes a problem. It’s only when you operate independently that you can speak truth to power about areas government should address critically like non-functioning associations in karate, Teqball, and other sports,” he added.
Representing the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Hon. Kwanta Yakubu, the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr. Stephen Sasetu, pledged the government’s continued partnership with the sports press.
He said that sports writers play a vital role in shaping public perception, celebrating our athletes, documenting our achievements, and inspiring the next generation.
“We see you not just as reporters, but as key stakeholders and partners in progress.”
Delivering a major highlight of the event, Sasetu revealed plans to reactivate a long-dormant state sports tradition.
“As a Ministry, we are working tirelessly to revive the defunct Nasarawa State Sports Festival, which was last held in 2003. Once we have firmed up all arrangements, we will invite SWAN to unveil the plans,” he said.
Kwanta also commended the Ministry’s Head of Public Relations, Mr. Eche Amos, describing him as one of the best in this profession whose communication leadership has elevated the state’s sporting achievements to national and international prominence.
Delivering a goodwill message on behalf of NUJ State Chairman Comrade Juliana Ofoku, NUJ State Secretary Comrade Ibrahim Dauda congratulated the SWAN EXCO on its two-year achievements and called on the sports ministry to deepen its collaboration with sports journalists.
The second-anniversary event concluded with practical court sessions at the curved table, as journalists tested their hands at Teqball ensuring that as Nasarawa State expands its sporting horizons, its press corps remains well-equipped to tell the story.
