IntroductionThe first African Navy Video games had been held in Nairobi, Kenya between April 7 and 17, 2002.Organised underneath the auspices of Organisation of Navy Sports activities in Africa (OSMA) and the Worldwide Navy Sports activities Council (CISM), the primary version had 32 African nations in attendance. Why a second version didn’t maintain till now’s befuddling.
Abuja 2024 Video games Nigeria are the host of the second African Navy Video games, from November 18 to 30, 2024 in Abuja, the Federal Capital Metropolis.
The Grand Patron of the Video games is Nigeria’s President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Chief Host is Nigeria’s Chief of Protection Employees, Basic Christopher Gwabin Musa, a former nationwide basketball and volleyball participant within the Nigerian military; and the co-host is the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nyesom Wike.
The Video games are an meeting of athletes in Navy institutions in all of the 54 African nations. For the 2024 version, though 44 nations indicated an curiosity to take part, with just a few days to the beginning of the Video games, 25 nations have confirmed and registered. Extra could doubtless nonetheless register and take part.
The EventsThere are additionally 19 completely different sports activities occasions to be competed for. They embody soccer, golf, basketball, volleyball, area hockey, observe and area athletics, biking, taking pictures, archery, fencing, handball, boxing and so forth.
The VenuesThe predominant venue is the primary bowl of some of the stunning, state-of-the artwork and trendy sports activities edifices in Africa, the MKO Abiola Nationwide Stadium. The ultimate soccer match, the opening and shutting ceremonies and the athletics occasions will happen there.
Different sports activities might be held in varied sports activities amenities unfold everywhere in the metropolis of Abuja, together with inside Navy cantonments.
All of the amenities are present process facelifts to realize worldwide requirements and guarantee nice performances.
Motto and Theme The Motto of OSMA, the organiser of the Video games, is ‘Friendship by way of Sports activities’ capturing the essence of collaboration between the militaries and residents of all African nations.The theme of the 2024 Video games is ‘Enhancing navy cooperation in Africa by way of sports activities’.
In a transparent demonstration of this spirit, though Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger had pulled out of ECOWAS (the organisation of 16 nations in West Africa, led by Nigeria) earlier this 12 months on account of ideological variations, all of the three nations are taking part in these video games, underlining the commonality of goal, and of sports activities as a robust soft-power device that may bridge divides, soften tensions, and drive regional and even continental relations (and battle resolutions) between nations.
Town of AbujaAbuja is without doubt one of the most trendy cities in Africa. Situated within the geographical coronary heart of Nigeria, it’s a really cosmopolitan metropolis with a bit of each a part of Nigeria in its make-up.It’s a vacationer delight for guests who benefit from the outdoor at night time. Town is secure and its night time life is superior.
Actions past sports activities Throughout the video games, the athletes, officers, all members of the visiting delegates in addition to the touring military of sports activities followers and the media, might be handled to a full dose and array of Nigerian hospitality, together with the nation’s wealthy and numerous tradition, delicacies, leisure, sights, sounds and pleased faces of the folks of Abuja.
At a press convention final Tuesday in Lagos, worldwide Afrobeats star, Olamide (Baddo) was revealed as the primary entertainer of the Video games. He’ll carry out in the course of the opening ceremonies.
The Nigerian Navy And Sports activities The Nigerian navy has at all times been an integral a part of Nigerian sports activities.The primary Nigerian and African to win a person medal (Gold) at any worldwide sport occasion was a soldier, late Main Emmanuel Ifeajuna, within the excessive bounce. It was on the British Empire and Commonwealth Video games in 1954.
The Navy ruled Nigeria for a number of many years from 1965. They used their well-established custom of bodily exercise within the navy by way of sport, to determine a stable basis for sports activities improvement within the nation.
The navy recruited many younger Nigerians proficient in sports activities into the armed forces; arrange a number of Navy golf equipment in varied sports activities of their formations; supplied a lot of the sports activities directors that arrange the constructions and constructed the primary main amenities for sports activities; supervised, organised and took part in international sports activities politics and occasions.
Underneath the Navy, with their giant variety of educated and well-trained personnel, glorious amenities of their barracks, custom of self-discipline and getting issues achieved with out the bureaucratic bottlenecks related to civilian governments, Nigeria’s sports activities improvement was fast and big.
The navy produced excellent directors, athletes and amenities that influenced the quickest sports activities improvement programme in Nigeria’s historical past from after the Civil conflict in 1970 to the mid Nineteen Nineties.
At varied occasions, navy personnel headed the sports activities ministry, the Nationwide Sports activities Fee, the Nigerian Olympic Committee, and a lot of the nationwide sports activities federations. Additionally they provided a lot of athletes in varied nationwide groups to worldwide sports activities occasions.The custom of selling sports activities inside the navy in Nigeria has at all times existed however to completely different levels, and internet hosting of worldwide sports activities occasions will not be new to Nigeria.
The CDS – A New VisionarySo, the nation is worked up in regards to the internet hosting the 2024 African Navy Video games underneath the supervision of a soldier who was a former nationwide athlete. It’s a daring assertion about sport and the navy in a brand new dispensation.
Sport could be a very great tool in worldwide diplomacy, a rallying level, a unifying pressure. It’s an empowering device for the youths, for his or her enrollment into establishments together with the navy, partaking them in helpful exercise away from different societal ills, and for constructing a wholesome civilian/navy relationship.
Basic Christopher Musa and his group are nice visionaries, following within the custom of earlier giants of navy sports activities in Nigeria’s historical past.
