ARTICLE: Using sports for development: The Dangote, Adenuga and Ubah involvement approach

In ancient, medieval and modern times, sports have been integral parts of nationhood. It has contributed to social interaction of diverse nationalities, tribes and races. The beginning of sports is rather too remote into the past to assert a chronology but replete in its pervasiveness through history. For example, Athleteae, or athletes, were first introduced at Rome, B.C. 186, in the games exhibited by M. Fulvius, on the conclusion of the Aetolian war. Acertamen athletarium was also exhibited by Scaurus, in B-C. 59. Julius Caeser also subsidized a contest of athletae, which lasted for three days and was exhibited in a temporary stadium in the Campus Martius.

Sport has the capacity to transform lives of individuals.
 It bolsters physical, psychological, emotional, and social well-being and development. At the same time sport plays a significant role in cultures and communities around the world. These factors alone justify investment in sports programming. But there is also a growing understanding that sports programs merit support because they are powerful vehicles for achieving broader goals, particularly in advancing development and peace agendas. The development community has typically marginalized sport, viewing it as a relatively low priority among a host of needs and goals. Recently, though, an international movement has taken root that recognizes that sport does not have to compete with other development priorities but can instead be a powerful means for addressing them. The United Nations, the Inter-American Development Bank, governments, the International Olympic and Paralympic Committees, non-governmental organizations, and corporate entities have banded together to think strategically about sport for development and peace. At the field level, dozens of programs have been harnessing the power of sport for physical education, humanitarian response, reconciliation and peace building, rehabilitation and integration of persons with disabilities, advocacy and social/policy change, awareness raising and education, and economic development. Much work must still be done to fully link the international movement to practitioners in the field and to bring sports and development sectors together. Carried out wisely, however, sports programming has the potential to play an important role in fostering development and peace.
The Transformational Power of Sport
Both formal studies and a wealth of anecdotal evidence have demonstrated that participation in sport has countless benefits for individuals. Among the most obvious positive outcomes are improvements in physical health, such as weight control, strength building, increased flexibility, enhanced coordination and motor skills, improved cardiovascular health, and pain reduction. People who are physically active often tend to develop healthier lifestyles and better eating habits. A second, but no less important, beneficial aspect of sport is the impact that it has on psychological and emotional healing and well-being. Sport provides a positive outlet for stress and aggression. Participation in sport can help alleviate depression or anxiety. Physically active people also often experience enhanced self-confidence and improved self-image. There is also evidence that participation in sport improves concentration and mental functioning. Beyond what it contributes to physical, psychological and emotional well-being, sport also plays a significant role in healthy social development and interaction. Sport helps people learn how to set and achieve goals through discipline and hard work. It nurtures the development of decision-making and leadership abilities, while teaching people to manage both success and failure. People who participate in sport have the opportunity to improve their communication skills and gain valuable experience in collaboration and teamwork. Sport brings people together who might not otherwise have a chance to meet and allows them an opportunity to share their experiences and work together toward a common goal. These social skills and experiences are readily transferable to other aspects of life and may improve a person’s ability to succeed as a student, employee, community member, or advocate for a particular cause. Sport also provides an alternative to risky or anti-social behavior, creating sufficient structure, discipline, and incentive to keep some people away from drugs, violence, or criminal activity.
Sport as a Vehicle for Development and Peace
The use of sport to promote peace and development is not entirely new; the Olympics are a historic example of sport used for a higher purpose. However, until recently, sport has remained on the sidelines of mainstream humanitarian and development programming, considered a luxury in the context of other development objectives. Now, though, there is a growing understanding that sport does not have to compete with other priorities but can actually be a means for addressing them.
Humanitarian Response
 In the wake of war, disaster, or humanitarian crisis, sports programs can play an important role in relieving stress, healing emotional wounds, restoring a sense of normalcy, and creating an opportunity for healthy social interaction. In camps for refugees and internally displaced persons, where people are away from home and often have little to occupy their time, sports activities can be a welcome break from the monotony of day-to-day life and a rare opportunity to have fun. As in other settings, sports activities have the added benefit of gathering people together and can be used as an opportunity to conduct public education activities.
Reconciliation and Peace Building
Because it is a common language that can bridge cultural, ethnic, and geographic divides, many initiatives use sport to promote the reconciliation of communities or nations in conflict. Programs may operate at a local level, creating ethnically mixed teams or clinics, for example. They may also operate on a national or regional level, promoting the interaction of people from different locations. Sport also plays a role in international diplomacy, helping establish communication within civil society that sometimes paves the way for political dialogue.
Advocacy and Social/Policy Change
Because of their ability to bring people together, stimulate confidence and teamwork, and attract public and media attention, sports programs serve as a useful tool for promoting social or policy change. Disadvantaged groups, such as women or persons with disabilities, may have their first opportunity to gather and organize around sports events. Sport can help people find a voice, both individually and collectively, that they then use to bring about change in their own lives and communities.
Awareness Raising and Education
 One of the most common uses of sport in the development arena is as a forum for conveying educational, public health, safety, environmental, or other messages. Sport may also be used to foster individual development and learning. Sports events may act as a magnet, drawing in people who can then be engaged in education sessions before or after an event. In some cases, learning and information sharing are interwoven with sports activities themselves. Celebrity athletes, coaches, teammates, or other respected individuals may act as spokespeople to increase the receptiveness of the audience.
Economic Development
Although it is an area that requires more attention and research, there is already plenty of evidence that sport can be used to spur economic development. The construction and rehabilitation of sports facilities and development of sport for entertainment create employment and marketing opportunities. The manufacturing of sports equipment also serves as a source of jobs. Furthermore, sports programs can be used as a training ground for a new work force, teaching skills that make young people more employable and productive.
Alhaji Aliko Danote’s intention in buying Arsenal Football Club, late MKO Abiola’s foray into sports, Mike Adenuga’s interest in using sports to brand his businesses and of recent, Ifeanyi Ubah buying up Gabros Football Club and rebranded it into a formidable league are some of Nigerian businessmen’s efforts at using sports to gain political, social and economic benefits for their fatherland. In fact, during the last world cup in Brazil, the business mogul, Ubah, through the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria, made a political statement to the world, concerning the then impending Nigeria’s Presidential election.
Dozens more of organizations and programs around the world have tapped into the power of sport to promote development and peace. Until very recently, though, such projects have tended to be sporadic and isolated. Over the past few years, more movements have been building at the international level in support of sport for development and peace, bringing with this an unprecedented level of focus, coordination, and strategic thinking. The next step in this growth process is to fully link the movement taking place at the international level with practitioners and programs in the field—and to connect these actors on the ground with one another. At the same time, there also remains significant work to be done to bring the worlds of sport and development together, to help each understand the mutual benefits of this relationship. Finally, there is also room to work with private sector entities to bring them into partnerships that use sport to promote development and peace.
In this era of social, political and economic conflicts, we need more of Dangote, Ubah and Adenuga to step up their resolution.

Ayo Akinola is a media analyst based in Lagos