SPORTS DEVELOPMENT IN OGUN STATE OF NIGERIA

Introduction/Rationale
Sport is made for the people and vice versa. In fact sport has been described as the opium of the people, as it can make them forget their worries, problems and
sorrows as well as forgive their enemies. No wonder then that many governments all over the world have usually utilized sport as a means of unifying the populace during times of strive, rebellion or uprising. Sport can also be used to galvanize the populace to support policies and legislations that would have ordinarily been rejected. Multi-ethnic societies where their constituent ethnic groups are always at daggers drawn with each other can also employ sport, as a means of inculcating cooperation, friendship and good neighbourliness in their citizens. All the abovementioned, are possible because sport is perhaps the most potent social integration force available to individuals, institutions, governments etc.

‘Citus, Altius, Fortius’, meaning ‘Faster, Higher, Stronger’ – the motto of the
Olympic Games - ably describes why sportsmen/women from most nations of the
world gather every leap year to contest in various sports of the Games. The contest is usually very dramatic and keen, and it is the wish of every nation to win some laurels during the Games. Towards this end, no stone is usually left unturned because, sports, especially on the international competitive front has gone beyond mere competition between individuals or groups of individuals representing their nations. The nations now take part in competitions to win and, a lot of money, energy and strategy go in to ensure victory.

This is because sport has become a powerful and veritable political tool. It is
therefore not surprising that nowadays one of the greatest and fastest springboards by which nations or individuals can achieve world eminence is through active, purposeful and result-oriented participation in sport at the international level.
Developing nations of the world without the pecuniary, manpower and armaments’ prowess of super powers have always managed to use sport to raise their ‘tiny’
voices when important points are made or sought in the intricate and ever
becoming sophisticated political arena.
Take for example Nigeria; she spearheaded the dismantling of apartheid in
Zimbabwe and South-Africa. Probably the most powerful weapon used by Nigeria
and her allies, was sport. The boycott of International Games like the 1978
Commonwealth Games in Edmonton and the 1976 Olympic Games in Canada
championed by Nigeria, went a long way in breaking the backbone of ‘apartheid’
policies as well as ‘unilateral declaration of independence’.
Individuals have also used sport to limelight societal problems or gain political
despotism. The “Black power Salute” of the Mexico 1968 Olympics readily comes

to mind. On the local scene in Nigeria, the likes of Late Chief M.K.O. Abiola,
Chief Jim Nwobodo (former Team Manager of the Rangers International Football
Club of Enugu), Chief Samuel Ogbemudia (the sporting-Governor of the Old
Midwest State), Senator Osakwe (proprietor of the former Flash Flamengoes
Football Club of Benin City) etc. are examples of individuals who have
successfully utilize sport to gain political prominence and, power.
Political voice aside, sports is now big business, a multi-billion “U.S.A. dollar”
one, especially the professional sports. Individuals get rich and become
comfortable for life through sports’ participation. Industries now churn out
memorabilia (tee-shirts, face - caps and other sportswear) in thousands for sale to
fans. We must also not forget the manufacture of sports equipment and supplies,
which on their own are money-spinners for their manufacturers. Sport also
provides means of livelihood to the following categories of individuals: coaches,
managers, grounds-men, administrators and secretarial workers, doctors, nurses,
physiotherapists, nutritionists, factory workers, journalists etc.
Sport, therefore, supports quite a numerous numbers of individuals all over the
world. Suffice it to mention that some nations especially in the third world realize
a substantial part of their GNP from a few sport practitioners! In Nigeria today, the economic gains that our ‘sport exports’ (Nigerians playing professional sport
abroad) have brought into the country cannot be easily quantified. Apart from
these professionals directly supporting their parents/siblings/extended
families/friends financially, some of them have set up businesses, which employ
some Nigerians. Professional sports in Nigeria though in its rudimentary stage, can also boast of contributing to Nigeria’s economy through the employment of both athletes, coaches and, support staffs. Other related commercial/business concerns include tourism industry, hospitality industry, soft-drinks manufacture etc. Sports could also be seen as entertainment; in this regard, it is also a big money earner,
with spectators, the media, and sales of memorabilia being major sources of
income.
A healthy mind they say, resides in a healthy body. This saying aptly captures the
relationship between active participation in sports (even for leisure sake only) and,
staying healthy. Any Nation, whose citizens engage in sporting activities to stay
fit, can always be sure that her citizens will generally be healthy. This translates
into less governmental expenditure on health care, especially prevention and
treatment of behavioural pathogen induced illnesses such as Cardiovascular Heart
Diseases of all types (CHD). Also, productivity across all spheres of human
endeavours will be enhanced, with less and less individuals staying off work due to
illness.
Another benefit derivable from participation in sport is education of the mind.
Sports build character. It is therefore not surprising that sports inculcate in
practitioners such qualities as cooperativeness, resilience, nationalism, discipline,
friendship, fair-play etc: usually, sports are played with strict guiding rules and
OGRP Main Report 17-3 Health
regulations; with other individuals either as co-actors or adversaries; and also, sport
is an avenue to burn off excess energy and keep youths away from mischief.
From the above brief description of some benefits derivable from sports, one can
easily see that sports is big, it is borderless and therefore, should not be taken
lightly.

Where Are We Now?
The problems associated with sports in our State (as well as other states of Nigeria)
will serve to highlight our present position with regards to sport and sport
development. The following are those problems:
(i) Sport is currently separated from other areas without seeing the
relationship or link between these other areas and sport. These areas include
Health, Education, Tourism and the Hospitality Industry etc. Sport can
complement all the areas, it can also stimulate and generate development and
so doing, move these areas forward faster and further.
(ii) There is a lack of appreciation of what sport can concretely contribute
to the society. It is therefore perceived as recreation (which is just a part of
sport). This has resulted in the lack of specific programmes/policies to guide
sports development/promotion. Serious attention is usually not paid to sport,
thereby relegating it to mere mentioning when policies on the Economy,
Education, Health etc. are formulated.
(iii) Lack of adequate funds to promote sports and recreation. The little
funds available are usually not judiciously spent because of lack of specific
policy on sport. The state has very little funds to spend on many ministries
and parastatals (and some of these institutions occupy higher positions than
sports in the pecking order). This paucity of funds means that there are no
adequate facilities, equipments and infrastructures in both the society at large
and in our schools too.
(iv) It can be said that sport has been de-emphasised in schools. Perhaps
this neglect of sports in schools has led or contributed to (a) a decline in the
state’s performance at National and International competitions: (b) moral
decadence in schools. No education is complete without sports. In fact we
short-change ourselves when our children go to school and do not have the
opportunity to take part in sports thereby being denied of all the abovementioned
character-building benefits from sports’ participation.

Where Do We Go From Here?
There is the need for a policy on sport and recreation. Such a policy must take care of
the following:
1. Ensuring first and foremost that sport is not isolated. Its link with
other significant vital areas such as Health, Education, Hospitality Industry,
Tourism, Culture etc. must be emphasized.
2. Popularising sport and recreation at the grass root level. Schools (both
primary and secondary) must be seen as existing vehicles for such a
development and therefore, must be concentrated upon.
3. Provision of playing grounds and other not-too-expensive sports’
equipment in each school (or, where this is impossible, jointly-owned and used
facilities, can be put in place)
4. Provision of equipment for training at the grassroots. This can be
supported with the help of artisans (welders, fabricators, architects etc) who
will put in place creative and ingenious projects to provide basic
training equipment, fabricated from local materials (sometimes disused objects
like tyres, engine parts etc.) This can even generate self-employment for
these artisans.
5. Motivating individuals at different tiers of the society to participate in
sport by enticing them with incentives in the first place. A classical
example is the provision of footballs (an incentive) to each school: one
can bet that such balls will be kicked around. If the kicking around
requires clearing a space and using it as a pitch, it will most likely be done
etc.!!!
6. Creating an event(s) within the State and getting everybody within the
state to participate. If necessary inter-primary school sports in all Local
Government Areas (LGAs) can be started, inter- LGA games also etc. LGAs
can even be zoned into a manageable number (4–8 say) and, such competition
therefore becomes inter-zonal. Such a sporting event will generate
activities across the state, as mentioned above under facilities, infrastructures
etc.
7. Bidding to host National and International Sporting Competitions. The
bigger the event, the more the prospect of feasible rewards. For
example, hosting the National Sports Festival and, linking it
with other development areas such as Health, Utilities, Facilities, Tourism
etc.
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8. Bringing in consultants where applicable to plan, source and ensure
adequate corporate sponsorship for sport projects because the government
cannot do it alone. Such consultancy projects will also include ensuring that
the state government gets adequate publicity and mileage derivable
from such etc.
9. Creating employment opportunities for youths coming out of school:
e.g. in the conceptualization/design of training equipment (cheap and
functional items for training at grass root level). Also, employment as training
officers/ administrators grounds men etc.
10. Looking at the possibility of sports as an industry e.g. – creating
sport/tourism centers (currently the Obasanjo Farms Complex is used as a
camping site for many National teams). Such centers could be
developed to include cheap and comfortable accommodation facilities
(boarding and lodging). The manufacturing of non-technical equipment from
local raw materials e.g. batons, bats, clothing etc.
11. Concentrating on sports where the state has the talent, interest and
could also be started and are inexpensive to operate. The fun and joy that
comes with participation will entice many and from there, some talents can be
discovered and later groomed for stardom.
Conclusion
The state has produced notable personalities in sports both athletes and
administrators. Natural talents waiting to be harnessed and developed abound. It
is only the incentive to participate that is needed and this can be ensured by
spending the meagre resources allocated to sports judiciously in providing facilities
and amenities at the grassroots. Sports is too big a motivator and energizer of
development to be ignored.