Driven by the desire to preserve Nigeria’s tangible heritage, especially those facing extinction, Ekiti-born product concept creator and developer, Micheal Aderemi Agbetuyi, has embarked on rebranding and standardisation of the ‘Arin’ (Dioclea reflexa) game, a popular age-long game among the Yoruba people.
His interest in developing the game started in 2017 while on a visit to his home place, Usi in Ido/Osi Local Government Area of Ekiti State.
Agbetuyi who was worried that most youths were unaware of this ancient game, recalled that growing up as a little child, ‘Arin’ was a common game among youths in most communities in Yorubaland, especially Ekitiland.
Today, he noted, modernity and urbanization had displaced the game from people’s sporting activities.
Agbetuyi explained that Arin was a game played by old and young people, adding “it has since gone into extinction and the youths do not know anything about it. It is only a few people that still engage in it in some remote villages.
“It is a game dying for lack of promotion and sustenance. I doubt if any of our youths today can identify (Dioclea Reflexa) ‘Arin’ as a seed being used for a game.”
According to Agbetuyi, the task of embarking on rebranding and standardisation of the game began in 2017 during one of his visits to his hometown, Usi Ekiti where he saw some kids playing the game.
This experience, he further stated, brought back sweet memories of when he was a little child in the community.
“It brought back the experiences of those periods when we were younger, when anxiety, dexterity, calculation, and all sorts of expertise must be brought to bear in knocking your opponent’s seed.
“That was when the process of rebranding, standardization and efforts to globalise the game started. That was when I researched and discovered that the game can actually be played in individual homes, lounges, hotels, and stadiums as a tournament.
“If Billiard, Bowling, Beer-pong, and other recreational games and sports can attain international recognition, definitely this new game will,” Agbetuyi said.
But two years later, Agbetuyi had the opportunity to present his design project of the game to the Ekiti State government through the Wale Ojo Lanre-led Ekiti State Arts Council platform for review and possible partnership.
“That review brought about the second design followed by the construction of another play table, new rules guiding the mode of play, and also instructional book on the game. However, the game has yet to receive the Ekiti State government’s attention.
“In 2019, I heard of a town hall meeting being put together by the office of the then Director-General of Ekiti State Art & Culture, Ambassador Wale Ojo-Lanre, on revamping all forgotten events and games notable to Ekiti people. I made sure I attended with the motive of partnering with the Ekiti government.
“The town hall meeting was encouraging and reassuring, especially with the personal commitment of the DG to see through for whoever comes up with a worthy proposal or project. With this in mind, I went back to the project and came up with the first design.
“I presented the first design to friends and it was reviewed. The review brought about the second design followed by the construction of another play table, new rules guiding the mode of play, and also instructional book on the game.
“The game is designed to be played by opposing players of two or more to form a team. The game will soon be unveiled as soon as we are done with the process of naming it,” Agbetuyi said.
Beyond preservation of heritage, Agbetuyi is inspired by the potential of the game to create a new line of employment for professional players, and a new line of events through tournaments among the teeming youths.
He observed that by the time it became a national and international game, crave for the seeds would be enormous, adding that although artificial might emerge later, artificial gold is differentiated from real.
“This will definitely open up a new line of agricultural production in the country. It will also give our teeming youths something to keep them busy. Being of Nigeria origin, we would have contributed to the global game village. A new game tournament will equally be created locally, nationally, and globally,” Agbetuyi added.
In order to give the game a global outlook in the event he is unable to get local support, Agbetuyi initiated a process of naming the game via a democratic process whereby people from across the world are free to nominate distinguished global personalities with positive impact.
“The 1st 10 of these nominees will stand to be voted for via the web App: https://www.pcan.ng/. The winner will have his/her name attached to the game.
