President Jonathan To Unveil Rhythm 'N' Play In June.

Necessary arrangemnets have been concluded for the unveiling of the Rhythm 'N' Play, an intiative of of Nigeria Academicals Sports Committee,NASCOM.

President Gooldluck Jonathan will on Thursday, sixth of June in Abuja launch Rhythm 'N' Play as the programme will also be launched in London,United Kingdom, on Friday, 14th of June.

 The launch in the UK is to create a model for Nigerians in other countries of the world to follow suit,stressing that NASCOM members in Diaspora are also expected to coordinate activities across the world.

NASCOM Chairman, Yemi Idowu, said Rhythm ‘N’ Play was an exciting youth-friendly campaign aimed at enhancing mass youth participation in sporting activities and age-grade competitions.

He said there was need to reposition sports in order to facilitate the mass participation and early discovery of young sporting talents at the grassroots.

At the Presidential Retreat held last year, NASCOM was identified as a key component of government’s efforts at developing sports at the grassroots and Rhythm ‘N’ Play is a brand created by NASCOM to serve as its flagship campaign to drive and revolutionize grassroots sports in Nigeria.

He said Rhythm ‘N’ Play would rely heavily on the use of music, celebrities, volunteers, new media and other elements of pop culture to amplify and realize its objectives.

 Idowu, who is passionate about the project said that Rhythm ‘N’ Play would exist as a platform for implementation partners and stakeholders to deliver a wide range of strategic interventions and sporting activities, which work towards achieving NASCOM’s key goals.

He further explained that Rhythm N’ Play would work with the Nigeria School Sports Federation (NSSF), Youth Sports Federation of Nigeria (YSFON), NSC Zonal Coordinators, State Governments (Ministries of Youth & Sports and Ministries of Education) school principals and proprietors, Parents-Teachers Associations (PTAs) to establish the values of the campaign in secondary schools across Nigeria.

 For him, the campaign would be integrated into junior and secondary school sporting activities nationwide with Rhythm ‘N’ Play Clubs set up in schools nationwide.

Five sports – football, athletics, ball games, calisthenics, martial arts and racquet sports are the sports that Rhythm ‘N’ Play will use, while the best sporting talents discovered through the platform of programme will converge, fraternize and participate at the National Youth Under 17 Games.