Nigerian Sports Journalist Sarafina Napoleon is aiming to shatter the proverbial glass ceiling despite the challenges met by most, if not all women in sport.
Her passion for sport follows that of her father who is a huge football fan. She does, however, also share that proving a point to boys from school, who once challenged her knowledge of the technical side of football motivated her to go deeper into sports.
Napoleon’s story is one of many that regrettably confirm that women across the continent suffer the same injustices in this highly male dominated industry. But, she is clear proof that with resilience and hard work, doors do eventually open. As they have for her compatriot and superstar athlete, Tobi Amusan.
Notwithstanding some difficulties in her quest to becoming a Sport Administrator and to one day work for FIFA, Sarafina has managed to get herself to the USA to further her studies.
Some of her career highlights include travelling outside of Nigeria to cover the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, an incredible feat for someone who didn’t even have a passport pre-2020.
Lonwabo Nkohla sat with Sarafina to learn more about the journey of a fellow African female journalist.
Thank you so much for doing this interview with us. Kindly give us a brief synopsis of Sarafina Napoleon.
Sarafina Napoleon is a sports journalist, a broadcaster, football commentator and currently a graduate student studying Sport Administration in the United States, doing my masters. I’m into sports event planning, execution, and project management. This is my eighth year in the sports industry, as a sports journalist. When I’m not doing sports, I enjoy cooking.
Your interest in this disproportionately male-dominated industry that we love so much, sport – how did that come about?
I think it’s down to two factors, 1: growing up, my dad was a huge football fan and 2: the main reason I decided to go into sport is not strictly because I had passion for it, it was also to prove a point. Growing up there was a Champions League game and the referee made a decision and awarded an offside. When I tried to make a contribution I was asked “What do you know about football? You should be in the kitchen and not here.” That was how I started this journey of wanting to be a Sport Journalist. That moment had me decide to pursue a career in Sport Journalism. I was already studying Mass Communication at the time, so I felt like I want to go into broadcasting and I want to make a career as a sport journalist.
Tell more about your work as a Sport Broadcaster. Where did that begin and what are some of the impressive hats you wear.
My work in sports began while I was in school during my undergraduate days. I shared something on a platform and the person in charge of sport on campus reached out to me. It was five or six guys and I was the only lady. It was more of a campus Radio setup so I was placed on a 5,000 naira (+/-R200) allowance/stipend. While I was doing that on campus, I reached out to someone at Voice of Delta, leading me to leaving campus Radio after just one year. I then joined Voice of Delta where I stayed for another year. Soon after my travels to the USA came knocking, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Nothing is without challenges, especially for us as women. What have been some of yours in sports broadcasting?
Firstly, journalists will look down on you a lot. Like, “who are you? What have you done? We don’t even know your brand.” Another challenge was that I’ve been a freelancer almost all of my life. Freelance because a lot of employers will say, “we’re giving you a platform. We don’t have money to give you.” But how long should one keep selling one’s skills but making no money out of it? So trust me when I tell you that I have been through a lot in this journey of sport journalism.
I think another one would be blending into the Lagos market when people don’t really know you. You move from one place to another trying to prove yourself. So it was challenging in the sense that you have to keep learning, you have to keep evolving, you have to keep bringing in new ideas. Also, I moved to the biggest radio brand in Nigeria, and they had big people on the team, superstars, big names, notable names in sports broadcasting, world-class commentators, resulting in treatment like you don’t belong there. So you needed to prove to everyone that you are good at what you do, that you are not there by mistake. So I had to work doubly hard. I had to put in double shifts.
How would you describe the state of women in sport in Nigeria from the field of play and off the pitch?
I think there’s been like a paradigm shift right now when you look at a number of ladies going into Sport Journalism today. It’s not like the gap has closed completely, there’s still a huge gap but I feel like it’s going to get better from here. One thing that is still of concern to me is that the top positions in sports are held only by men, it’s hard to find women in Sports Journalism who are Head of Sports, Sports Managers, Head of Production, Sports Production and the rest. It’s always men, men, men in these positions.
How much of a struggle is it for athletes to attract sponsorship from Corporate in Nigeria?
Female athletes attracting sponsorship from corporate brands in Nigeria is actually very, very hard. We hardly see female athletes being appreciated by top brands. Tobi Amusan recently became an ambassador for Glow and was in Motor Guinness simply because she had a spectacular 2022, a record at the Commonwealth Games and at the Diamond League Challenge. That already put her in a brilliant position, but if not for Tobi Amusan, I can’t even remember the last time we had a female athlete sponsored by a big brand.
Can you share a career highlight(s)?
One of them has to be when I hosted my event for the girl child sometime last year. It’s quite sad that I couldn’t do it this year because I just moved to the US. I had my Girl Child event last year on October 11. I had a two day event for girls in sports to commemorate the International Girl Child Day.
My second highlight is moving to Lagos and working with Cowa, that company changed my life. That organization changed my life. Wherever I am today, that company put me under the spotlight.
I think the third one should be being able to cover the Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham, which was my first international tournament as a Sport Journalist. Getting accredited as a Sport Journalist, that was massive.
When I look back I would say that I’m proud of myself. I’ve moved to the US and trying to explore other parts of my career. I want to take my Sport Journalism and sports interests much higher, which was why I applied to a Master’s program.
Do you think as African women we can do more across our boarders to support and help each other grow?
Yeah, I think as African women we can do more. I remember when I was putting together my event, I reached out to another Journalist from South Africa; she’s a top journalist. I wanted her to come to talk to the girls for me, and she agreed. Sadly, my timing did not match with her availability so she couldn’t come.
I would say there is actually support. There’s support from fellow female Journalists and women in sport. It can only get better from here. Even while I was moving to the US, I got financial support from them as contribution to my journey. The thing is most of us don’t like to reach out. If you reach out to the right people, you will definitely get support from African women.
What is the big dream for you? Where do hope to be in the next 5-10 years?
My big dream is to become a Sport Administrator. I also look at the possibility of wanting to work with FIFA in a corporate kind of setting in Marketing. I want to go into college sports full time. I want to work with a sports team in the American setting. Those are the three big dreams. Whichever comes first, I will be grateful to God.
To the Nigerian, South African, Ugandan little girl who stumbled upon this amazing piece on the incredible Sarafina, what pearls of inspiration would you like impart as we wrap up our conversation?
I would say don’t give up. Hang in there and keep your head above water. I would say keep breathing, because I never had it rosy. I literally had to work my way, you know. Carve a niche for myself, pave my own path. So if I can do it, anyone can.
I am currently in the United States. When I moved to the Lagos from Asaba, I didn’t even know what an international passport looked like. I didn’t even have an international passport until I got one in 2020. That just tells you how the journey has been for me. Can you achieve the dream? Yes, you can. You need to stay focused. You need to wake up every morning and make a move. Make a move. Try to achieve that dream.
It’s very important to keep the right people around you. That too matters.
Stay focused and stay motivated.
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