TheCable

The ministry of sports and the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) have highlighted the influence of sports to promote peace and positive change in the world.

The government department and agency collaborated to organise the first-ever conference on ‘Sports Diplomacy as the Driver of Nigeria’s Foreign Policy Agenda for Africa’ at a colloquium held at the NIIA headquarters in Victoria Island, Lagos on Thursday.

At the colloquium, Sunday Dare, the sports minister, and Eghosa Osaghae, the director-general of the NIIA, elaborated on the need to use sports to enhance social well-being and build bridges among nations and peoples.

“Sports has become a tool for the unification of people with diverse backgrounds and cultures and the time has come to make it a central part of international diplomacy is now,” Osaghae said.

The NIIA DG also described athletes as peace ambassadors whose influences transcended the tracks, fields, courts, and other areas of their sporting exploits.

Dare, who said the power of sports and its intricate relationship with politics dated back to Greco Roman times, also described the Olympics Games as a positive fallout of this interplay.

The minister dwelt on the sports branding for nations, giving examples of India (known for cricket), Kenya (known for its middle and long-distance racing), Jamaica (for sprints), and Brazil (football).

“Sports can stimulate economic activities and improve the cause of humanity, emphasising the need to transit sports to business models that will deliver all-round value and ensure sustainable and incremental growth,” he said.

The minister said sports as a business was critical as a tool for cohesion, development, and elevation of the black race.

“One of the first steps I took as Minister was to seek President Muhammadu Buhari’s approval to reclassify sports as a business, to which the president accented in 2020. With the work done with private and other public sector partners, as well as the National Economic Summit Group, we produced a draft of the National Sports Industry Policy which will soon be presented to the Federal Executive Council for its consideration and hopefully approval,” he also said.

“This policy is anchored on three triggers, the three ‘I’s which are Infrastructure, Investment and Incentive; all embedded in the sports policy.”

Dare said some collaborative steps that include a memorandum of understanding (MoU) were signed with the Egyptian, Algerian, Ghanaian, South African, and Turkish governments towards youth and sports development.

According to the minister who revealed Nigeria’s support for Egypt’s campaign to become Africa’s first hosts of the Olympics Games in 2032, “the capabilities of our Egyptian brothers and sisters are significant as those who have visited recently will testify. This will really showcase the capabilities of Africa to the world and bring the world even closer to Africa through this very powerful tool. The economic opportunities for our people are of course significant as the symbolic importance of hosting the world.”

Segun Odegbami, former Nigeria international, facilitated the colloquium which also had Idy Uyoe, a USA-based sports scholar; Tanzania-based Ikaweba Bunting; and Ron Davis, international administrator and successful track and field coach, as panelists.

Dignitaries at the event include Segun Runsewe, director-general of the National Council for Arts and Culture; Amaju Pinnick, NFF president; Morounkola, director-general of the National Institute for Sports; Banji Oladapo, secretary-general of the Nigeria Olympic Committee; and some directors in the sports ministry.