From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
A US-based Nigerian, George Egesi, has earmarked amounts running into millions of naira to organise a weeklong tournament aimed at professionalising the game of draughts in Nigeria.
Egesi, who made the disclosure while answering questions on telephone from Saturday Sunsports from USA, disclosed further that the tournament will debut in Owerri, the Imo State capital between December 15 to 23, with expected 10,000 participants.
Disclosing that the winner of the weeklong tournament will pocket a cash price of N250, 000, he explained that: “The tournament is about draughts, an indoor game. It has always been played as game for fun without anybody really trying to professionalise it in Nigeria.
“The reason we opted for draughts is that it is one of the games that require mental alertness. If professionalised, draughts is capable of helping the society. Secondly, as a mind game, it will help improve our health.
“It is a game capable of helping Nigerian youths to take away their minds from criminalities. It is a game that can prevent dementia and make one think better and more calculative.
“If only we can invest small fund in a game like draughts, it will help professionalise it. The sports administrators and the government concentrate so much on the popular sports. In every country, sports like draughts help improve the living condition of the less privileged,” he noted.
Asked how he intends to change the perception of many that draughts is more of gambling than a game of sports, he said: “I don’t know about people regarding draughts as a gambling game. I only know that it is a game for the matured minds.
“Most people playing draughts are not into crimes. They are having fun and enjoying the mental game. The reason for organising the draughts tournament is to correct such impression.
“As for the price money, the winner of the tournament will get cash reward of N250, 000. We are to disburse cash of over a million naira to the participants. It is not a one-off thing but a continuous tournament which could be annually or quarterly,” he disclosed.
On the commitment the participant must make, he said that: “every participant shall pay a paltry sum of N500 only as registration fee. We are expecting that at least 10,000 persons will participate. It will be held in Owerri, the Imo State capital.