Serena and Venus Williams wowed me when they won gold medals at the London Olympics and now they are in Nigeria to inspire and mentor upcoming talent. Serena Williams said at their press conference that she hopes the tour of Nigeria and South Africa with sister Venus, would encourage athletes on the continent to strive for excellence in their sport.
In the picture above is Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola presenting the emblem of the state government to the Williams Sisters during their visit to the government house in Lagos. Below are more pictures from the press conference and the tennis clinic they held for kids.
No one can doubt the power of inspiration of celebrities in general and sports stars like Serena and Venus Williams in particular (women and black in tennis) but sometimes I wonder at the money spent on bringing international celebrities to Nigeria. Could the money be better used? While the questions exist, I salute their courage in taking this tour and touching lives that may desperately need it.
According to a statement by the Breaking The Mould initiative which is facilitating the tour, their trip is aimed at promoting "the role that women play in shifting perceptions and encouraging development at all levels across the African continent". Serena and Venus Williams also visited a puberty education class for girls and will play an exhibition match before they leave Nigeria. All the best to them.
You bet the money can be better used. I roll my eyes whenever I see how Nigerians and the Nigerian govt bend over backwards in the name of an international star.
ReplyDeleteAnd about the mission of the trip, it might as well have been phrased as "promoting the role that women play in shifting perceptions and encouraging development OF THE WEALTHY across the African continent," because all I see in the pictures so far are children of the rich.
I also have my reservations about this much hyped visit. I admire both sisters for their achievements in the area of Sports, but with regards to this visit and the money expended....I can only reserve my comments, and in addition, I believe that we should also promote people, who have succeeded in this country because the structures are just not there, or are barely existent. For one Nigerian woman, who breaks through and succeeds genuinely-and I know what I mean by that-she should be celebrated and held up as a role model for other young girls/women to follow, because they can truly identify with her struggles to be relevant. I hope I made sense. All I am saying is, let us also learn to celebrate our own too.
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On the surface it may seem like a laudable gesture/event, but when you hear of the amount spent to host these international stars you realize it's more a scam than anything.
ReplyDeleteA bunch of rich kids who play tennis during P.E are ones they're here to mentor? For all of 3hrs? Right?
We need to do better. And appreciate our own. And desist from this foolishness.