Mr. Emeka Chuks-Nnaji, aka Swim Guru, Founder of Swim in 1 Day (SID) Africa Charity Initiative Project has attributed the poor rate of swimming in Africa to ignorance, insufficient education on enormous benefits of swimming mentally, physically and otherwise, underestimating the power swimming possesses as a life saving skill as well as religious and superstitious beliefs. In this interview with the Editor, NETA NWOSU, Swim Guru spoke passionately about the importance of swimming as survival and water safety measures, the essence of the Swim in 1 Day (SID) Africa Charity Initiative Project amid other contemporary issues.
How and where did the Swim in 1 day initiative start?
The Swim in 1 Day (SID) Africa Charity Initiative Project started on May 19, 2022 with a one and half hour Marathon Swim across the bay of Oniru beach Lagos by Swim Guru Emeka, the Founder of SID and Coach ldeba, a Nigerian Swimming coach that had previously never been in the sea. He used the confidence booster called the Swim buoy, which the project has several of that we are using in for our SID Swim @ Sea Buoy Survival classes. The first candidates to receive our SID Scholarships are the Oniru kids who were part of the inspiration and motivation for the founder to start the SID project. They live in front of the beach in plastic bag tents with their mothers. Starting from Lagos Nigeria the intention of SID is to take África by storm.
As a trainer, is one day truly enough to learn to swim?
The answer is an absolute No! One Day is not “enough” to learn to swim. I guess the question you perhaps are trying to ask would be, “Is it possible to learn to swim in one day? To respond to this latter question, first, it is important to understand the meaning of Swimming. Swimming is the self-propulsion of a person through water, or other liquid, usually for recreation, sport, exercise, or survival. So, the answer to this is an absolute yes! It is possible to learn to swim in one day, but it is not “enough” and I repeat one day is not enough to master swimming thereby becoming a good swimmer, nor is it enough to have it engrained in your memory for good.
By doing sufficient repetitions through having a minimum of three swimming lessons which could vary from person to person, the skill will be engrained as procedural memory in your brains. Swimming knowledge is something that you will have for a lifetime, once acquired. Implicit or procedural memory cannot be forgotten because we learn it through repetition, and hence our brains recall it subconsciously from our long-term memory. This is why when I started the SID Project we gave one Day classes but we do not do that anymore. We give a minimum of three classes. The fact that I, the Swim Guru I am able to speed up the learning process so that people that have a phobia and are terrified by the water could actually get over their phobia and learn to swim in one day and most times are able to sit dive or dive same day, doing maneuvers that surprise them, which I call “the Naija Guru Magic” is great.
However, I found that the people after one day class would feel they have arrived. For most of them swimming is a hobby for doing selfies and showing off so they would run away and not book the second nor the third class recommended by SID. This attitude is very dangerous because with the amount of repetitions they would do in one class, they could never have sufficient for the brains to recall it subconsciously from our long-term memory the next time they go swimming, it is possible they do not recollect any of the great moves and swimming they did that first day at all, next time they find themselves in water.
How many swimmers has the initiative produced since inception?
It is important to note the difference between professional swimmers and regular swimmers. For the six months to eight months that we’ve been in existence I would say that we have produced quite a lot of swimmers we have really not kept count. We have given over 50 SID scholarships to disabled and less privileged in Lagos. The best and most dedicated student we have had is a visually impaired lady that we call Zizoa, the SID visually impaired star. However, producing professional swimmers is something that we have as part of our SID action plan that we started rolling out this April. It takes time and dedication, and in this regard we count on the goodwill of the media to help us put the word out there that we have started building the first of its kind in Nigeria: Paralympic teams for the visually impaired (blind) kids, Autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) kids and Mobility impaired (physically challenged) kids. We are starting off their training from one-year olds and above already. For parents with these special kids that want to give them an opportunity for a future of greatness and accomplishments they need to contact the SID management team. We are also building the first of its kind in the world: SID Afro Cultural Artistic Swimming SACAS Team.
So we appeal to parents that want their children to become part of this history making, dance/swimming revolution to contact us to sign up their kids. For now, only children with no disabilities can make this team. SID is building a new generation of professionals highly qualified in every aspect, but especially health conscious swimming coaches that have safety as priority number 1. They will also be skilled in teaching survival swimming the way it should be done in open waters. And giving water therapy to alleviate and heal in some cases diseases that need this type of therapy that is not very common in Africa. The Swim in One-Day SID project is hiring, preferably fresh graduates that are passionate about swimming, even if they do not know how to swim, and who are also passionate about helping the less privileged. They must have a strong desire to make a difference in a world where this is scarce right now by being willing to enforce this change through swimming.
How do you get funding for your activities?
The Swim in 1 Day SID Project is a Self Funded Charity for now. Challenging our people to self sufficiency and to stop waiting for their ill prepared governments (with no climate plan nor climate change preparedness nor relief strategies in place) to do anything for them, or for Western/ foreign aid to come be their salvation in disaster times like is often the case in Africa, is essential. The SID Empowerment Programme with the aim of empowering African societies with the life saving skill of Swimming at the most rapid pace possible is the only pro active solution available for now with regards to Climate change with the intention of giving back the power to save themselves back to the people who need it so much, now more than ever. As Africans we need to realise the urgency and importance of the Swim in 1 Day SID project, especially for the present safety of our people, society building, growth and development and to safeguard the future and existence of the Black African Family long term.
Encouraging pro activity among us and promoting education by providing needed valuable information and awareness opportunities through all necessary media sources available to us in Africa to liberate us from myths, false assumptions and superstitious and religious beliefs that hold us captive as a people with regards to ignorance about both swimming, and disability awareness as well as inclusion and ignorance about climate change in general, could be of great help in this climate emergency that we live in. Apart from spending personal money and resources giving SID Scholarships to the disabled and less privileged, the only external funds or support SID has had so far is from my Mother, Chigolum, the biggest donor and supporter of the project, then my Sister Chinasa and my Brother Ikechukwu. Their love and moral/financial support have been my greatest motivation and strength on this mission. The idea for creating the resources needed to fund the Charity is that using and offering our unique and exceptional service of being able to hasten the swimming learning process like never before, we will teach swimming to those who could afford to support the project financially and use the funds to give out more SID Scholarships.
I, Swim Guru Emeka the Founder of the Project, apart from being a Business/ Hospitality Consultant, I am also lucky to be an Events and Tourism Expert. So, SID is looking forward to hosting some of the most unique Charity Fund raising events in future that would not only help us fund this Charity, but that would help us realise our biggest dream of making swimming accessible and affordable to all by starting off and completing the construction of one or more Unique Fun Swimming Academy Complexes in different parts of Nigeria and Africa in the next few years. This is one of our many objectives. And so, is bringing to a halt, incessant preventable drowning incidents that are rampant mostly with black people. To achieve the SID Mission and Objectives, SID is hopeful and open to getting collaborative partnerships with every willing person/s and/or organisation/s. For what we seek is for the common good and must therefore be every African’s cup of tea. We therefore call on well meaning Nigerians and Africans to make our Mission their mission because no one could possibly escape the consequences of our inaction and the backlash would be enormous.
Since you arrived Nigeria, what has the reception been like?
I have received so much love and support in general, much more than I could ever have anticipated, because I knew coming out here that I was coming for an almost impossible mission. However, for me that word ‘impossible’ doesn’t exist. I knew that even though there would be opposition that I have divine support to lead me through. I would like to address the Nigerian swimming coaches that see me as a threat because of my Swim in One-Day Initiative to relax and realise that SID is here to increase and not reduce their client base. And that speeding up the learning process is for the good of all and there is so much more to do as a Swimming coach than just teaching swimming and making sure your students do not learn fast because you want to keep them as your steady source of income. SID is here to help.
Why do you think Africans swim less than Europeans or other foreigners?
Africans swim less for so many reasons. I can point out only a few because I am human and as such I am limited only to my research findings as a Social Scientist. As a Climate Activist and Swimming Enthusiast, I have been talking a lot to Africans over the years and I believe that I have some typical responses you get from the people about why they are not interested so much in swimming. Firstly, Africa is a blessed continent when it comes to natural disasters we have had so little and far in between that people tend to believe that it is not our portion and could never happen to us in a big way. So when you talk climate change even educated ones tell you it is a western problem. No one seems to understand that it is a direct outcome of our harsh and unfriendly human activities against the climate that is actually on the increase in Africa. So unlike other parts of the world where they are not as lucky, our people see learning swimming as key to preparedness for climate eventualities as completely unnecessary.
They think “swimming na cruise” swimming equates to just having fun and nothing else. Secondly, religious and superstitious beliefs cloud our judgement and people tend to wave off natural disasters with comments, like in ‘Jesus name’ or ‘Allah’ will never allow this to happen to us even when the changes are happening right in front of their eyes. They sometimes believe prayer or juju will stop such disasters instead of learning how to swim to make sure that they are covered incase. Fear of the unknown and belief in the supernatural forces that Africans believe could be associated with water also terrifies them when they think of swimming. And in general most Africans often do not try to find logical explanations to physical events around them, they are quick to jump to conclusions and blame it on supernatural forces which sometimes are water related like water demons, mermaid etc.
Thirdly, ignorance, people are just not educated enough about enormous benefits of swimming both mentally, physically and otherwise. They do not understand or underestimate the power swimming possesses as a life saving skill that delivers them in case of accidents or disasters. So they would consciously reject the idea of swimming saying things like ‘God forbid’ that they should ever be caught in water. Fourthly, access to swimming pools, beaches and sometimes swimmable lakes, ponds, lagoons and rivers are limited to only those that can afford to pay entry, and developing swimming as a lifestyle would depend solely on if you are affluent enough to afford it. Loads of city neighbourhoods in Africa have little to no swimming facilities nearby. Fifthly, swimming is expensive and considered a rich man’s hobby for flexing, chopping life and taking selfies and showing off.
So even when a typical African claims they know how to swim, it is usually not enough for them to be able to experience or enjoy any of the numerous and immense benefits of Swimming. Sixthly, forgetfulness, even when they know about the importance of swimming and climate change and the necessity of preparedness for its consequences. Africans tend to forget about it because the society/government/media doesn’t really care about it enough to keep reminding them not only to acknowledge these, but that embracing swimming and taking proactive stands about climate change could improve their quality of life.
Seventhly and lastly, there are loads of false narratives and stereotypes that a lot of people believe simply because they heard it all their life, and they never bother to challenge rationally the authenticity or reality of these claims. Fat people don’t realise that being fat increases their buoyancy and helps them float easier in water than skinny people. So a lot of them think that their size would make them sink. There is also the talk of the density of black bones making black people sink etc. These stereotypes do not make sense to the rational mind, but just like faith in religion, belief in these stereotypes do not just go away, unless they are subjected to a conscious rational analysis of their authenticity.
Is the initiative restricted to Lagos, Nigeria now or are you working in other states?
SID goes to where it is needed and even though we are in Lagos now, we often go where we are needed. We have gone to Abuja already to give our two weeks SID Pro intensive classes. We are open to going to wherever necessary as long as it has to do with spreading the SID. In just six to eight classes we convert you into a very good Swimmer. For instance, if Davido or Dbanj knew about this programme, am sure their kids would still be alive. Everyone that owns a swimming pool in their home could take advantage of this course, because it is the only realistic water safety measure you could take to secure your household.
Survival swimming seems to be a new concept to Nigeria, why do you think it’s important?
Survival swimming is not a new concept in Nigeria. We have the Nigerian Aquatic Federation which is a very capable body that I am sure has survival swimming as part of its curriculum. It is just not emphasised enough. It is not taken seriously enough. And we go with international convention and teach it in swimming pools. The good news however is that now with the SID Project we will be making a whole lot of noise about the importance of not only survival swimming but water safety which the pair actually goes hand in hand. Making the pair our priority, and as such the priority of every African. It is not just enough to know how to swim, but of higher priority yet is learning how to survive in case a disaster or accident occurs. You don’t get an alert to prepare you before they occur and for this reason the importance of both survival swimming and water safety awareness should be priority number one for the continent if we are to reduce the high number of drowning that occur on a regular basis in the African continent. SID prefers to teach survival swimming in open waters or big mass of water, thereby breaking the norm of teaching survival swimming in swimming pools that is general practice.
Is there an age limit for those who want to learn?
There is no age limit for learning how to swim as long as the person whether they have a disability or not wants to learn and is physically capable of learning.
How long has the initiative been on?
The SID Africa Initiative Project is a new project that has been on for nine months practically, but we have been in existence from May 19, 2022, the Swim in One- Day SID Project is a year and five months old.
