AN OVERVIEW OF SPORTS IN NIGERIA

Sports is an organized physical and recreational activities facilitated by human and material resources for intrinsic and extrinsic values. Sports has become globally acknowledged as a potential tool for national and economic development. Nations of the world therefore endeavour to utilize the potentials in sports to enhance the attainment of their respective development objectives. In Nigeria, despite the abundance of human and material resources, the country is yet to optimize its full potentials in the area of sports. Several factors may be accountable for this state of affairs which may not exclude institutional, management and leadership challenges.

These challenges must be tackled in order to realize the core values of sports. These core values

include:

•      Fair play

•      Social justice

•      Discipline

•      Self-discovery

Others are:

·        Promotion of sustainable physical fitness and good health

·        Development of competitive attributes

·        Provision of entertainment for the public

·        Promotion of Social mobilization, harmony and national integration

·        Enhancement of international respect/image

·        Promotion of gender equality

·        Promotion of gender equality and em powerment of women

·        Promotion of sports business for economic development

·        Creation of em ployment opportunities

·        Instrument for driving national ideology and re-branding

·        Means of enhancing education

·        Promotion of culture

·       Promoting the ideals of democracy and rule of I aw

In order to actualize these core values of sports and utilize them as powerful tools for nation building and economic development in the direction of Vision 2020, all stakeholders must adopt best practices in the administration of sports in Nigeria.

In this regard, it becomes imperative that Nigeria as a nation evolves workable policy thrusts/objectives, realizable sports policy targets and strategies.

Scope of Sports Development

To actualize the full potential of sports in Nigeria as a powerful tool of nation buildi ng and econom ic development in the direction of Vision 2020, the following areas must be given the desired attention by all tiers of government:

•      Statutory provisions to enhance sports development in schools and communities

·         Administration of sports by professionally trained personnel to ensure adherence to policies, statutes and maximal use of resources Mass participation to enhance physical fitness of the citizenry and to build a pool for talent identification and development

Overall targets for Sports Development

By the end of the period (2020) under consideration, the sports sector in Nigeria is expected to achieve the following targets:

•    The hub of sports in Africa

•    The best sporting nation in Africa

•    One of the best four sporting nations in the Commonwealth

•    One of the best twenty sporting nations in the World

•    Develop sports centers in ALL local government areas and educational institutions

•    Attract private sector/individual financing of sports up to 30%

When these goals are realized, Nigeria’s dream of using sports for nation building and economic development would have been achieved.

Process Involved in developing the Plan

•    Review of sports policies, panel reports and other relevant documents

•    Review of global trends in sports

•    Analysis of current situations of sports in Nigeria

•    Analysis of current challenges and opportunities

•    Consideration of critical success factor< span>