Physical and Health Education SS 1 Curriculum Guides – Origin of Traditional Sports and Games in Nigeria | Types and Values of Traditional Sports and Games

PHYSICAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION

THEME – FOUNDATIONS OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND SPORTS

TOPIC – TRADITIONAL PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND SPORT IN NIGERIA

CLASS – SS 1

LEARNING AREAS – Origin of Traditional Sports and Games in Nigeria | Types and Values of Traditional Sports and Games 

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL

1. Text books

2. Local musical equipment

3. Pictures

4. CDs

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. explain the origins and significance of traditional sports.

2. describe the traditional sports.

3. compare the traditional sports and games with those of other cultures.

CONTENTS OF THE LESSON

FOCUS LESSONS 

NIGERIAN TRADITIONAL SPORT 

Traditional sports are indigenous games played before the modern. Just like culture, sports are shared among individual and group. Sport is probably known as old as the man itself. Every country in the world has its own traditional kinds of sport.

 ORIGINS OF TRADITIONAL SPORTS IN NIGERIA

Sports have developed from the origin of mankind onwards and have left testimonies to the diversity of installations and facilities related to their practice, many of them bearing outstanding values related to the development of architecture, art and techniques.

Nigeria also has different unusual traditional sport activities which represents a part of the culture rooted in the history of the country. Among them are dambe, kokawa, abula, ayo.

TYPES OF TRADITIONAL SPORTS 

There are a number of traditional sports in Nigeria that need to be promoted. Mr. Francis Akinemi of the National Institute for Sports, Lagos listed some of them in his paper Traditional sports and games in Nigeria (1995) as Ayo, Aarin, Abula, Kokawa, Dambe and langa.

AYO OLOPON (SEEDED GAME)

Ayo olopon is a Yoruba board game. It is known as Mancala game in Egypt. It has different names in different places. It is a popular game among the western Nigeria. Ayo olopon is Intellectual game that requires a lot of mathematical skill.

AARIN (AFRICAN BILLIARDS GAME)

Aarin is a popular game known as African Billiards Game. It has a lot of similarities with the western world billiards. The place of cue in the western billiards has being taken up by the bullet seeds. The game is formally played on the group but now, there is an improvement in the game. It is now played on a well designed board. The game is commonly played among the Yoruba people of South Western Nigeria.

ABULA (BALL GAME)

Abula is a popular game game played across many parts of the country especially in the south west, Nigeria. It is like a volleyball game with a striking resemblance. The main different is that players are not allowed to touch the ball with their hands.

KOKAWA (TRADITIONAL WRESTLING)

Kokawa is a traditional fight or wrestling in Northern part of Nigeria, most especially in Niger state. This kind of sport has a close connection with traditional customs and takes place only during the festivals. In history, the physical force and techniques remain mystical and living legends.

DAMBE (TRADITIONAL BOXING)

Dambe is a traditional boxing game in Northern part of Nigeria and mostly associated with the Hausa people. It was also traditionally practiced as a way for men to get ready for war, and many of the sport’s techniques and terminology allude to warfare.

LANGA (HOPPING GAME)

Langa is one of the famous traditional sport in the Northern Nigeria. Langa means hopping on one leg in Hausa language. As famous as the sport is, it is virtually unknown to most states in the southern part of the country to say nothing of the outside world. It is mostly played by the youths aged between 10 to 20.

VALUES OF TRADITIONAL SPORTS 

1. It promotes national unity.

2. It foster peace among the people.

3. It enhance sense of belonging.

4. It promotes physical fitness.

5. It teaches important life skills such as teamwork, discipline, leadership, and respect for authority.

6. It preserves our cultural heritage.

7. It strengthen the bond of national ideology.

LESSON PRESENTATION

TEACHER’S ACTIVITIES

The teacher,

1. explains the origins of traditional sports.

2. guides students to discuss types of traditional sports.

3. invites resource persons to demonstrate some tradition sports or games.

4. guides students to discuss values of traditional sports and games.

 

STUDENT’S ACTIVITIES

The students,

1. listen to the teacher and take down notes.

2. identify some traditional sports and games.

3. practice the traditional sports and games.

4. mention some values of traditional sports and games.

LESSON EVALUATION

Teacher asks students to,

1. explain the origin of one traditional sport.

2. list four traditional sports or games in their locality.

3. demonstrate two traditional sports or games.

4. state two values of traditional sports and games.