It’s noteworthy that April 6 annually, the global community commemorates the International Day of Sport.
On 23rd August 2013, the 67th session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly decided to proclaim April 6 of every year as the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace.
Previously, the 58th session of the assembly proclaimed 2005 as the International Year for Sport and Physical Education to promote education, health, development and peace.
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Sport is a form of usually competitive activity that requires physical effort and skill, which through casual or organized participation, tends to maintain or improve the said ability and skill. It equally provides entertainment for the participants as well as the spectators.
Sport has indeed been confirmed as the only common language spoken by mankind irrespective of age, background, race, status, or social, political and religious affiliations, due to its universality, entertaining nature and unique economic value. This is why it is being referred to as one of the backbones of the socio-economic state of any nation in existence.
Considering the overall impact of sport on both individual and national developments, there is no gain reiterating that it has contributed immensely in the uplift of the socio-economic state of most individuals, communities or nations across the globe through various avenues such as rejuvenation of physical fitness, human capital growth, provision of entertainment, and most importantly, promotion of unity, just to mention but a few.
It’s noteworthy that, the physical fitness and thorough entertainment derive from, either participation in or observation of, sporting activities have helped tremendously in uplifting and sustaining the healthy living status of the concerned individual, thereby helping to intensify the number of available manpower in the affected country.
The recent total commercialization of sports has enabled the activity to be universally recognized as a lucrative profession. No doubt, most human capital developments recently witnessed among young ones are mainly attributed to sports, or the entertainment industry at large.
Taking the Nigerian football league as a case study, on the average, a player on a monthly basis smiles to the bank with not less than half a million naira (#500,000).
Sports have equally succeeded in booming the global broadcasting industry owing to its lucrative nature. This has made many potential investors to venture into broadcasting business. It’s worthy to note that most media firms, both print and electronic, were established for the sole purpose of publishing or transmitting sporting activities having acknowledged the consequent financial benefit of such investment.
Above all, the level of unity being derived from sports cannot be overemphasized. Sport arguably remains the major engine room behind international unity among most countries.
Survey shows that presently, sport is the only tool that truly unites the gathering involving millions of individuals from diverse backgrounds, races, or affiliations. And it’s only absolute unity that guarantees thorough peace and development among any group of persons, which remains the paramount desire of any existing society.
To this end, we are expected to embrace sport as a major tool for cordial unity or relationship among individuals or nations, thus ought to be taken seriously by any individual, government, or authority, as the case may be.
Therefore, its teachings in every citadel of learning at all levels should be considered paramount and sacrosanct. More so, every parent or guardian is required to encourage his/her child, or ward, in sports participation regardless of age, considering its social, cultural, health and economic consequences.
Governments at all levels ought to in their various capacities not hesitate to finance any sport activity or competition taking place within their jurisdictions. The various schools ranging from primary, secondary, to tertiary, on their part, should intensify efforts on the usual annual hosting or organization of sport competitions in their respective schools, and should endeavour to reach out to the entire public whenever such event is being organized.
It’s obvious that in Nigeria recently, sport has been politicized by most concerned stakeholders. In view of this pathetic anomaly, the lawmakers ought to enact a strict law that would sanction or severely penalize a member of any sport governing body in the country, such as the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), that is found guilty of any fraudulent or selfish act while discharging his or her official duty.
On the other hand, the civil society should endeavour to consistently condemn or criticize the ongoing fanaticism witnessed among sport lovers. They should be meant to understand that fanaticism, which invariably leads to extremism, is a cankerworm that might end up eradicating the prime essence of sports which remain unity, peace and development.
Statistics indicate that sport fanaticism has succeeded in killing thousands of people as well as maimed millions of them across the globe. Hence, the authorities must introduce a measure that would ensure that such lifestyle is holistically jettisoned.
Sports are undoubtedly a recipe to mankind’s growth and development, so should be granted the support it requires by all concerned.