August 13, (THEWILL) – England’s rugby international Oghenemaro Miles “Maro” Itoje, whose Nigerian heritage is obvious from his name, was hosted by Hon. Abike Dabiri Erewa, Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) at the Commission’s Liaison office in Lagos on Thursday in the company of his parents.
At their meeting, the Chairman commended the young rugby player for being a model ambassador of Nigeria with his sensational achievements. Dabiri-Erewa was specifically enthused about the art exhibition which Itoje had in London, wherein the young star demonstrated a connection with his Nigerian roots.
She believed it was an inspiring idea and exactly what NIDCOM was happy to collaborate on. She said: “With the ‘History Untold’ exhibition, he tried to tell Nigerians and Africans generally about their history and for the younger ones to know their roots.”
“For us at the Commission, we would like to work with you, in every sense of the word. We have programmes like the ‘Door of Return’, which takes place in Badagry every year, the ‘Diaspora Day’, which is on July 25, among other numerous programmes.”
Itoje shared his commitment to doing his part to better the living experiences of the most underprivileged populations in Africa and Nigeria, in particular. His response to the hand of cooperation extended by the NIDCOM Chairman, he pledged to commit time, resources and expertise to their united cause.
The gifted rugby star revealed his close ties with Nigeria was the result of regular visits that kept him constantly in touch with the motherland and helped to fuel his determination to tell the African story through art. He said: “My last visit to Nigeria was in 2018 and I am championing the African cause in England with my art. I organised an art exhibition tagged ‘History Untold’ recently and it was a huge success.”
Itoje was clear about his objectives about the “History Untold” project which he envisioned an unvarnished and deliberate attempt at retelling the African narrative from a clearly insider perspective and through African lenses, without the admixture of Western contraptions.
Speaking enthusiastically about the significant angle that his project enters the narrative from, Itoje said, “All we have been told by Europeans about Africa has been negative. They tell you about slave trade, coups, diseases and so forth.
“So, the whole essence of ‘History Untold’ is to celebrate the power of Black history, African history that has not been told to us. It is an attempt to tell that untold story, to tell the other side of the coin.”
As part of his pledge to the country, Itoje reaffirmed his desire to commit resources, both material and time, to progress in the country while revealing his preparedness to collaborate with the commission along the path of the laudable progress they have recorded in varied projects already.
As an England and Irish Lions international, Itoje committed himself to making rugby popular in Nigeria, as the sport was still very unpopular in comparison with big-time sporting activities like football and basketball. However, there was a lot of potential in growing it with a handful of rugby academies sprouting such as Turbo Crest Sports championing rugby in the South West of Nigeria.
Itoje had this in mind when he said: “Judging by the amount of Nigerians in the Diaspora who play rugby, it goes to show how we are naturally built for the game. We have the natural talent and ability for the game, so back home there is a lot of potential and possibilities abound.
“So I will be happy to lend a helping hand to see the game grow in Nigeria.”
His prestigious reputation in international rugby makes this an immense bonus for Nigeria’s rugby development. At 26, Itoje has become brain and brawn inside England’s pack, developing into arguably the best lock in world rugby. He is almost impossible to wriggle out of during a maul and can turn over balls in a flash.
He has won four English Premiership titles with Saracens, three European Rugby Champions Cup titles, and three Six Nations Championship titles and was recently named the best rugby player in the world.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
