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Irene Asiimwe and her son Abdulshakur Baba: Parents of talented school-going youths are calling on fellow mothers and fathers to support their children's God-given gifts without denying or forcing them.
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Kampala and Dire Dawa, Ethiopia
All too often, sports talents in Uganda and the rest of the world have been denied the chance to discover and develop their God-given gifts due to the misconception that such pursuits are a "waste of time."
In Uganda, many parents' refusal to let their children participate in activities outside of academic work is a major reason for the stifling of talent identification and development. This, in turn, slows down progress in the sports sector.
Football alone, which has become a dynamo of economic progress in some African countries that nurture young talent, still faces this marginalisation in Uganda.
Even after the Minister of Education and Sports, Hon. Janet Kataaha Museveni, advised letting young people discover their abilities outside the classroom, many parents and teachers have yet to accommodate this call or take it seriously.
Irene Asiimwe and her son Abdulshakur Baba
In 2021, the local football governing body, FUFA, together with the players' parents, was criticised by Uganda's academically-oriented society for allowing teenage players on the national U17 men’s team, the Uganda Cubs, to forego sitting for their UCE exams to represent the nation at the AFCON finals in Rabat, Morocco.
The situation seemed worse when the tournament was called off due to escalating COVID-19 challenges in the host country, creating a perception that the players had lost on both fronts. This was not the case, however, as their careers today tell a different story.
Currently, there are about 48 Ugandan boys on national duty at both the FIFA Men’s U17 World Cup in Qatar and the Total Energies AFCON Men’s U17 CECAFA region qualifiers in Ethiopia.
While the Ugandan flag is being raised high due to their good performances, especially in Qatar, many Ugandans have questioned the academic trajectory of these lads, as these events coincide with the closing stages of the academic year.
In the wake of societal disregard for sports, parents of talented school-going youths are calling on fellow mothers and fathers to support their children's God-given gifts without denying or forcing them.
Moses Sserunyigo never played football at a higher level, despite his talent and love for the sport, due to a lack of opportunities during his time. Now, he fully supports his son, Shakur Ngobi, who is currently in Ethiopia with the national U17 team.
He says he closely monitors and supports his child both on the playground and at school to ensure he grows both academically and through his talents.
“I did not get a chance to realize my dream in the sport I loved, and when I saw Ngobi’s talent and love for the game, I had to ensure he gets the right development. Parents should know that our children should be supported to grow into what they are capable of. Support them in both education and sports so that if one fails, the other lifts them up,” Sserunyigo says.
Ngobi, an established member of Coach Layrea Kingston’s squad in Ethiopia, playing as a right full-back, is a product of the Elgon Doves sports academy. He attends Greenlight Islamic Nansana, a school his father says he never has to pay for because his son’s talent covers the dues.
In a similar vein, Irene Asiimwe is the happy mother of a talented footballer whom she has supported for a better upbringing, both academically and in his God-given gift.
A former netballer who also never had the chance to reach the highest level—despite featuring for top schools like Kibuli SS, Asiimwe decided never to limit her children if they showed special gifts.
Like Sserunyigo, her son Abdulshakur Babi is also with the Uganda Cubs in Ethiopia. According to Asiimwe, Babi started showing signs of talent as early as four years old. She supported him by taking him to kids' football tournaments until he was spotted by a coach named Lwanga while playing for Kamuli COU Primary School.
She says he was taken to Divine Primary before joining Janan and Buddo SS, where he currently studies on a bursary because of his talent.
“It is not good for us parents to limit our children because what we demand they become might not be God’s plan for them. It is only good to support them in all aspects and guide them. I spend a lot of time guiding him (Babi) because I don’t want him to lose his way; even current footballers are educated. He has not become a star yet, but I have already benefited because I do not struggle to pay his school dues,” she said.
Simon Kiyega, father to Timothy Kiyega—the Australian-born Ugandan midfielder who was in Kingston’s initial squad of 25 but did not make the final 23—believes a successful soccer career is a process that requires both parental support and the child's determination and hard work.
Simon Kiyega and his son Timothy Kiyega. Both the dad and son live in Australia
Despite these examples, many parents remain negative about their children’s involvement in sports, dictating their academic paths instead. The key is to observe your child and listen to what they say. Instead of telling them what you want them to be, listen to what they want to be. Their interests may change over the years, and that is okay.
Children are not supposed to choose a career at age five. They need to explore different possibilities in a safe environment under their parents’ guidance and support, by taking them to different places, talking to them, listening to them, and reading to them from an early age.
Torch Media Africa
