Cheerleaders Nigeria is a sobriquet of the Sports Cheerleaders Development Initiative, (SCDI). Although the group began plainly as a cheerleading troupe - first in Nigeria - in January 2014, they have swiftly metamorphosed into a platform for young people to express their creative abilities and enjoy promotional advantage for it.
It is worth highlighting that the group began as an auxiliary inspiration to a plan by the Coach, Emmanuel Okon, to kick-start American Football in Nigeria. He began with a nationwide camp in Akwa Ibom State, with teams travelling down to compete in a mini-tournament. The tourney was a success and so was the side-inspiration that became Cheerleaders Nigeria.
Their first occupation was to cheer at Football games. Welcome by the Akwa United management, they were given the opportunity to cheer at the team’s home games, soon travelling with the Akwa United fans for the same purpose.
The novel idea began to gain high profile attention, and before long, the group was invited to create daughter units in other clubs. And then in early 2016, they entered into a deal with the League Management Company(LMC) to provide cheer entertainment before games, during halftime and after the games; a deal to provide cheer leading in perpetuity.
The NFF has also engaged Cheerleaders Nigeria to cheer at the nation’s senior football team home games. The girls stole the show in particularly two Super Eagles big games; the Nigeria vs Tunisia game at Kaduna and the Joseph Yobo Testimonial game in Port Harcourt.
Their performance at the Yobo testimonial game resounded across social media, attracting endorsements and contract offers. They have been consistent at thrilling Sports lovers across the country, cheering their teams during games, and entertaining at off-match time, for nearly 3 years now.
A not-for-profit organization, Cheerleaders Nigeria is divided into 4 creative departments. There is the Cheerleaders unit, who provide cheer entertainment at Nigeria Professional Football League games. They are in 4 cities home to 4 clubs in the NPFL-with two more branches yet to be inaugurated.
There is also LaPearl Entertainment, a record label with three artistes signed on; 3-member LaPearl girls and TG Martins a talented singer and composer. Martins, for example, started singing at age 5, wrote his first song at age 10, and he is a Winner of talent scout show Nigeria-itone Search.
La Pearl entertainment was founded by Emmanuel Okon, managed by Clara Ojinnaka and has Bard Bishop as official producer.
The la pearl girls is made of three talented young singers, and their team of 4 dancers, called the La Pearl Dancers, with a male instructor.
A third department is the Cheerleaders Magazine, with members being writers of prose and poetry, media researchers, photographers, make-up artists and graphic designers.
And then there is the department for Gymnastics. The gymnasts add acrobatics to cheerleading and boast of 6 members, one of them the instructor( Aniebiet John)
Nigerian youths are as passionate as they come. They desire to explore their potentials, develop these possibilities and express them as perfected skills ready to compete favourably with their peers elsewhere on earth.
This drives them to go after self capacity development with aggression. Yet they have to confront countless setbacks and impedances as they probe into prospects.
There are fewer opportunities, the economy is worsening, and investment in human capacity development is lessening. Yet, young people are resilient in believing for their own future. Perhaps the commonest setback these young people have to contend with is finding who would believe in their dreams.
They want to know who can support them to grow, who will pay attention to their talents, who can mentor them in their quest for self realization and who will answer their numerous questions.
Of the young people who find themselves striving to realize their potentials, the female folk are the most disadvantaged and the most vulnerable. In the Sports Cheerleaders initiative, however, there is not just an entertainment outfit, there is a much needed platform for these self realization needs to be met.
The members of this outfit are provided with the right framework and enabling platform to express the impulses of their passion.
“We are a not-for-profit organization. We’ve done much of what we’ve achieved using personal funds. Everything we make in terms of revenue goes into charity and human capacity building.
Our objective is not just to entertain at events” Mr. Okon said, adding “We also prioritize the welfare, personal and career needs of our girls, helping them realize their potentials and passions. Through several voluntary services, we also contribute social service to our society”.
In 2015, their Breast Cancer awareness campaign took them to several schools and social centres in Akwa Ibom, where they went to raise awareness on the scourge of Breast cancer. This also brought tremendous renown and positive reviews for the Sports Cheerleaders Development Initaitive organization.
Anybody can be a member of Cheerleaders Nigeria. The criteria are simply talent identified, passion for creativity and residence in Nigeria. Non residents can also join but participate via partnerships, financial and otherwise support and international endorsement.
Intending members may simply contact the C.E.O ojinnaka Clara or visit the website (http://Www.cheerleadersnig.com) the Sports Cheerleaders Development Initiative, there is a talent division for every member.
Written by Uduak Umo
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