Nigeria’s Southwest States have been urged to pursue the concept of Sports-For-Development as a viable tool for sustainable development.
The chairman, Central Working Committee, South West Games (SOWEGA) Ogun 2021, Dr Babatunde Olokun, made this call at the inauguration of the Central Working Committee of the SOWEGA Ogun 2021 in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
According to him, Sports-For-Development is a potent instrument in redirecting and fast tracking zonal developmental agenda and concretising zonal integration.
Noting that the south west zone has produced many Olympians who have done Nigeria proud in past Olympics, he said it is important for the zone to explore sports as a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) in promoting socio-political stability of the Zone as well as take fuller advantage of the economic benefits in sports from the youths of the zone.
Olokun observed that a major objective of governments in the zone is to build a strong economic base for the zone.
He said the concept of Sports for development is a major factor in the development of infrastructure as sports events are time bound activities with standard benchmarks.
He explained that a high percentage of the productive population in the zone are active in sports, hence the importance of promoting sports in the zone to engage the youth and promote health.
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“The role of sports as agent of development of human, physical and mental capacity shall have positive multiplier effect on the socio-economic status of states in the zone.
“Hosting of sports events promote commercial activities and in some cases jump start local economy and boost sports tourism. It is important to note that though these events last for periods between one to four weeks, the infrastructures so developed constitute positive remains of such hosting of sports event.
“It is the realization of this that states in the Southwest Zone should think globally and act locally by practically integrating sports in the development of the states in the zone and adopt the SOUTHWEST GAMES as zonal sports,” he said.
Southwest states expected to participate in the Games are Ekiti State, the Fountain of Knowledge; Lagos State, the Center of Excellence; Ondo State, the Sunshine State; Ogun State, the Gateway State; Osun State, the State of the Living Spring and Oyo State the Pace Setter State.
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