UYO – In a heartwarming display of school pride and support for budding cricket talent, three members of Nigeria’s record-making U-19 female cricket team were recently celebrated by their secondary schools in Uyo and Benin City.
At Community Secondary Commercial School (C.S.C.S.) Ibiaku Itam in Uyo, star cricketers Deborah Bassey and Inyene Umoh received a rousing welcome from fellow students. The duo was honoured with a guard of honour, led by players from the school’s cricket and netball teams. Inyene—also a member of the school netball team and a cricket newcomer with just two years under her belt—could hardly hide her delight at the VIP reception organized by both students and school management.
Speaking at the ceremony, Principal Mrs. Mary Okon and Mr. Ifiok Imin praised the pair for being exemplary ambassadors of a school that has dominated various secondary school competitions in Akwa Ibom State in recent years. Assistant coach Blessing Etim of the Nigerian U-19 female cricket team, also in attendance, expressed her hope that such recognition would inspire more students to explore sports ranging from cricket to netball, rugby, football, athletics, and even American flag football.
Adding to the celebration, C.S.C.S. was honoured with the prestigious Mrs. Alice Imaria Ehimiaghe Award for using sports to engage and empower its 2,000-plus students. The school was awarded ₦150,000, while Bassey and Umoh each received a token of ₦20,000 from the event organisers, CSED Initiative.
Over in Benin City, Iyoba College marked a similar occasion by warmly welcoming cricketer Adeshola Adekunle at its assembly ground. Adeshola was commended by the school management for making the institution proud with her performance in Malaysia.
Iyoba College, which recently triumphed in the Elizabeth Osato Edebiri Memorial Cricket Tournament for girls, also earned the Mrs Alice Imaria Ehimiaghe Award for its commitment to using sports as a tool to build character and enrich learning experiences. The school received ₦150,000, earmarked for purchasing basic sports kits in preparation for upcoming inter-house events and future competitions.
Both schools boast dedicated cricket grounds with practice nets—Iyoba College features a modest cricket stand, while C.S.C.S. is nearing the completion of its new cricket spectator stand.
These celebrations are part of the “Catch Them Young” grassroots development programme by the Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF). Beyond nurturing young sporting talent, the NCF, under the leadership of President Uyi Akpata, has extended its support to provide psycho-social assistance to residents of IDP and refugee camps and has facilitated educational opportunities for cricketers through scholarships and maintenance grants.
The enthusiastic receptions at both schools underscore the growing popularity of cricket in Nigeria and the significant role sports continue to play in shaping the lives of young athletes.