From under tree shades in Wunti, near Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium in Bauchi State, some youths in the state, use just bare hands to produce footballs that one can hardly tell apart between them and the imported quality. BEATRICE GONDYI writes.Some of the jingles on the Change Begins With Me campaign persuade Nigerians to patronize made in Nigeria goods. Well before the present administration even began to preach the message of looking inwards and diversification with a view to encouraging locally produced goods and services, some youths in Bauchi State have been putting their ingenuity to use by producing some local versions of some hitherto solely imported items for local use.It could be recalled that the federal government recently organised a Made in Aba trade fair to show goods made in Aba, and in the Eastern part of the country as a whole. Also, the Senate has moved to promote the made in Aba initiative with Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, vowing not only to be wearing clothes produced in Aba, Abia State, but also to encourage other distinguished senators to patronise Aba products. These effects are all aimed at boosting the local industries and the countrys economy.Nigerians are passionate about the game of soccer and will leave no stone unturned to ensure that they are involved in it one way or the other. This may be a likely explanation for the emergence of viewing centres in virtually every nook and cranny of the country today. The youths awareness of the game of football has risen to a height never attained before. One can will find them every day in a pitch or in football academies training to be footballers or watching the game either live in the stadium or at the viewing centres.While a good number of todays youths dream to be professional footballers, playing either in the domestic league or going abroad to ply their trade in European leagues; there are, however, a few of them who decided to facilitate the game by producing the balls, which is the main object of action in the game of football.All on their own, these youths, found in Bauchi State are involved in local production of balls, which is in tandem with the present administrations campaign for made in Nigeria goods.In Bauchi metropolis, these youths are very conspicuous plying their trade near the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium. Their workshops are under the trees from where they churn out hand sewn balls at the Wunti end of the stadium close to the popular Wunti Gate. When our correspondent visited the place, some of them were seen busy sewing the balls manually, while others were cutting leather into shapes which they would use in sewing the balls. These Bauchi youths have applied their natural talent to overcome their financial constraints, which made it difficult for them to acquire machine and necessary tools for producing footballs as done in technologically advanced countries.One of them is 24-year-old Imrana Idris, who told our correspondent that he learned the art of producing balls, just to make ends meet. According to him, he was able to master the act of balls making within one year of engagement, though he acquired the required basic knowledge in six months.I sew footballs for living. I was trained by my master who taught us to sew the balls. I learned this since 2007. It took about six months for me to know the basics and by one year I have mastered the trade. Normally it takes about one and half hours to produce a single ball. In a day I produce about four to five balls, Idris told our correspondent.He, however, lamented that the sale of the balls is seasonal and the money earned is really nothing to write home about compared to what those who play football make.The sale of the balls is seasonal. Usually I gather the balls for two to three days before selling. At times the sale is at a snail speed and at other times it is very fast. The average cost of the balls ranges from N1,700 to N1,800, he disclosed, adding that the situation is made worst by the lack of governments intervention for them to be able to expand the scope of their trade.According to him, There is no government intervention in any form whatsoever to enable those of us involved in this trade to expand the scope of what we are doing right now. We only try to use the meagre resources we have so that we can make a little profit to take care of our needs.On his part, Yusuf Garba, 41, explained that his love for the game of football led him to learn the skill of producing footballs and in turnmentor other youngsters. He stated that he was formerly a driver with the Awalah Hotel in the state capital but decided to learn the trade so that he can fend for himself and others better.I started teaching some youngsters this trade since I learned it about 12 years ago. When I came to learn it, I was told that I must pay before I would be taught. That was in 2003. I said there was no problem with that and I paid N2,500 to learned it.When I completed the training, I started gathering the youths around to teach them free of charge what I learned. So far I have taught five people, three are still with me and two have established themselves, Garba said.He informed that they are patronised mostly by local football teams as teams playing in the professional league do not patronize them, adding that, it is youths and local football teams that patronise us. They are the ones who buy balls from us. The youths are many and the business is booming because if you want to gather the youths, football must be involved. Professional teams like Wikki Tourists do not buy our balls but I use to repair and work on their balls if they damage. But they dont pay me and I have since stopped working for them. Wikki usually bring authentic balls from outside, but youths within town and amateur teams use our balls.Garba equally lamented the lack of any form of government assistance to them but blamed it on the absence of a strong cooperative society. He noted that those of them currently involved in the act could create employment opportunities for other youths if the government move in to assist them by providing the necessary machines and tools to boost their production.There is no assistance from government for us. The reason is that you must form cooperatives before you can be assisted and we dont have that. The problem is, we dont have someone that can stand for us so that he can lead us to the appropriate authorities. We really need assistance because we are doing everything manually.There are machines and tools that will aid us in this our work. If there is a way I will be given machines necessary to boost this business I know how to do it. If we are able to get the machines, we can open a company that we will generate employment for the unemployed youths in the state and at the same time be self-reliant, he stated.A footballer, Ahmed Salim, 24, who said he plays for a local team, Wunti Unity Waves Football Club, said his team uses both the locally-made and foreign balls, revealing that there is a world of difference between the two though.According to him, we use both the locally made and foreign balls. The foreign balls have more quality and finesse. The way it is made is of better standard. I like football and I got interested in the way it is being played. I believe if the necessary tools are given to our people in Bauchi here who are producing these balls locally, they will produce better balls.While speaking with our correspondent, the vice chairman of Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL) side, Wikki Tourists Football Club of Bauchi, AhmedAlhaji Azare, though acknowledged the production of balls in Bauchi but admitted that the Bauchi State government-owned club does not use the locally made balls. The reason for this, according to him, is that the balls used for premiership matches are specifically prescribed balls.Wikki do not use those locally made balls because the balls that are used for premier league are prescribed balls and initially, they are supplied by the League Management Company (LMC) with all the sponsorship plan and so on. As a result of this, we dont use the locally-made balls. Another issue is the issue of quality. The boys that are trying to manufacture those balls are trying but if you look at the quality compared to the one supplied by LMC, you will find that there is a lot of difference. That was basically the reason why it is not being used by us.Local teams run by other associations in the town use the balls. If you look at the quality the only issue is that of weight and size but actually the manufacturers are trying and the standard of Nigerian professional league demand high quality balls. If they can be further encouraged, I am sure with time they will be able to produce those balls that even premier league teams can use, Azare stated.He admitted that roadside football manufacturers in the state ought to be encouraged with a view to boosting the countrys economy.We will patronize them if they produce quality balls and because it is good to encourage indigenous manufacturers and that is how they will develop and the country will develop too. If we say we will only depend on foreign products without patronizing those indigenous manufacturers they will not grow, Azare added.The Wikki Tourists vice chairman, however, made a case for assistance for the local manufacturers in order to improve the quality of their products and submitted that, If the get support, especially if they can consult some agencies of government who can help them buy some machineries that can further help them, I am sure the quality will be improved.The balls are of average quality; they are not that bad but like I said the premier league demands the most standard quality. If you look at some of the balls used by those local teams you cannot even say they are locally produced because they used high quality leather and so on and it is hand sewn. With encouragement and modern machinery, I am sure they will be able to come up.
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