Bench by Culture: the struggle of female sports fans at North Nigeria University

Bello Roceebat, a 300-level social science education student at the University of Ilorin, has liked sports from previous times. Growing up, he often slipped out to watch football matches, skip lessons and jump fences, all in pursuing the desires that the community tried to deny.

When he was finally allowed to pursue his interest in football, it was not without a constant assessment and an unreasonable comment that questioned his religious beliefs. Rokebat noted that many people around him thought playing soccer hugging women into lesbians. They watched their bodies and judged their simplicity, the holy book did not forbid or limit women from sports, but religion is often used to be guilty of women’s journey out of their desires.

“I hope I was born as a boy, because there was no way a girl would do what a man did and was not criticized. The soccer camp only allowed the guardian to visit twice a week. But my father came every day, because he was worried I would become a lesbian if left alone,” he recalled.

Roceebat explains that playing soccer means developing a strong building, or other characteristics that are typical for men. This causes the absurd ideology of female athletes is lesbians. In a conservative society that is fully based on traditional beliefs as can be found in Nigeria, people only learn to ignore, work hard, and pray to do it well without being chosen as lesbians. It is a desire, effort, and mental power in one.

Simbiat Bakare, a Gender Advocate and Founder Director of one of the leading media platforms that promotes women’s rights, Feminist Media Naija, explains the stigma about women who pursue sports as a career.

Simbiat notes that the religious and cultural doctrine about politeness automatically excludes women from participating in sports. Especially those who do not have the freedom to bring down doctrine. They must sacrifice their desires to be in accordance with religious beliefs and cultural expectations.

Speaking of the importance of self -confidence in women, symbiasis explains that violating social stigmatization means not allowing the opinions of others to control your life decisions. This means normalizing doing what you like, even if people do not agree.

“If you want to be a sports star, do it! The community will adjust, and you will open the way for other female sports stars to rise,” he said.

The latest survey conducted by women’s groups in football found that 89% of women who work in the game have experienced discrimination at work, up from 82% in 2023 and 66% four years ago.

Sports as an activity requires physical strength and mental agility – Female features are generally believed to be lacking. Over the years of hard work and commitment that is consistent with crafts by capable women, it has consistently proven that sports are not only for men. The Nigerian women’s soccer team, Super Falcons, has reached the World Cup final twice, an achievement that Super Eagles cannot achieve. And they went further to the African champion to record the tenth time.

Many believe being a young adult at university is the same as the freedom to do anything at any time. This is not a case for Rokeba. Despite having the required skills, the sexist comments of the potential bottle.

When he tried to participate in the position of Sports Director at the level of 200, he was not allowed to buy a form because his position was designed in an inconsultant manner for men. His persistence in getting his shape in the end, but not a man’s voice.

In a soccer meeting, he was not seen as another soccer player, but adequate disturbance. “I get a sexual joke thrown to me. Doing a man’s work means you are always with a man, so they hope you are open to whatever they say regardless of your feelings,” he said.

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When rocebat is called disturbance, it is only the opinion of one person, it reflects a global view. The data compiled by the Women Sports Foundation shows that “Girls still have 1.3 million less opportunities to play sports than boys.”

A study conducted by UN women reflects that, globally 7 out of 10 people are now watching women’s sports. Nearly 73 percent are interested in watching women’s gender games at least a few times a year that is not too far behind compared to 81% of those who watch men’s sports with the same frequency.

Apart from this wave of interest, the world has not fully approved the greatness of girls in sports. Outside of statistics, both sports players and fans are limited in their willingness to play, watch or even enjoy sports activities in many parts of the country because of social and religious norms.

The story of the rokes is not isolated, in conservative communities such as Usmanu and Fodiyo University Sokoto (UDUS) even watching the match can be a defiance.

Arike Hassan, Udus’s third year student never showed a little love for football in public despite being a huge fan. Until he let his mind annoying his winning that night. A close friend who realizes his interest in asking if he wants to watch a sustainable match at the center of the spectacle like other people. “I can’t refuse because I don’t have any other means to watch the match that night even though the crowd filled with men is enough to remind me of silence,” he explained.

The dim space feels scary at first, it feels like he is watched not a match. But a few minutes into the spirit of sportsmanship made him relax in the crowd. “I might try it again if only that, but what happened after making me regret ever stepping there,” he explained.

Arike received a serious reaction from colleagues who felt his interest was not sissy, unexpected a Muslim woman. A few weeks after that, there were still side talks about how brave and brave he felt comfortable in the place intended for men.

The Bakare symbolic argues that the gender interest of women in sports is accepted with hostility like that because it is considered “indecent” or “not eminin,” and this highlights control over the body and life of women.

The Director of Sports of the University of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Muhammad Rahman Olamide, in an interview with this reporter explained that the low participation of female students in sports was due to lack of enthusiasm.

He noted that there were female sports fans who did not show their interest in openly for fear of judgment and criticism. But he assured that the current government is trying to promote women’s sports by creating an environment that supports where everyone feels encouraged and empowered to pursue their interests without fear.

Far ahead

Simbiat explains that one way to normalize sports women in conservative communities is to dismantle the systemic barrier they face. There must be a lot of intentional awareness to tell the public that the lives of women, first and especially, they themselves. Everything else, including religious and community expectations, is secondary.
Women are adult humans who can choose their path, decide what professions must be pursued, and determine what is comfortable to wear.

In addition, public awareness must be increased to let women choose their own path and form of their own expression, physically, wisely and so on. “Policies and institutions must also strengthen this freedom of expression. For example, an agent must be formed to report and demand people who violate the right of women to express,” he concluded.

Simbiat said such recommendations were not only bureaucratic improvement, but survival tools for girls such as rokeba which had been closed from the door based on their sex.

By: Umar Maryam Ayomide