Female journalists protest non-inclusion of women’s category in media games

The Bauchi State chapter of Nigeria Association of Women Journalists has protested the non-inclusion of female category in the ongoing media games in the state.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Friday, the Vice Chairman of NAWOJ in the state, Bulak Afsa, lamented the non-inclusion of female category.
Afsa said: “It is possible to have female categories in games like table tennis, lawn tennis and volleyball.
“Unfortunately, there is no such arrangement.
“We have just been left with the role of cheering the participants, without being fully part of the events.”
Susan Edeh, a Reporter with Vanguard Newspapers, told NAN that because there was no provision for the female category, she opted to join her male counterparts in forming the football team for the Correspondents’ Chapel.
Edeh said she had passion for the game of football and as such decided to play in the midst of males.
“It was interesting playing the match and I enjoyed it because I have passion for football,” she said.
Reacting to the complaints in an interview with NAN, the Chairman of the Sport Writers Association of Nigeria, Bauchi State chapter, Alhaji Nasiru Kobi, apologised to female journalists in the state for not introducing women categories.
Kobi said apart from the fact that female journalists in the state were not much in number to warrant the introduction of their categories, there was also the problem of financial constraints.
Also speaking on the issue, the Secretary of SWAN in the state, Paul Orude, said the
association would continue to encourage female sports writers to participate in sporting activities.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the games, organised by the state chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, kicked off on January 11 and will last five days.
Four games – football, badminton, chess and table tennis – are being featured.
NAN.