By Linus Aleke
“Sports has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair.”
The above quote from the timeless anti-apartheid crusader, and first black president of South Africa, Dr. Nelson Mandela, aptly and succinctly captured the unchallenged power and potency of sports in uniting friends and foes.
Mandela’s proposition is evident in Nigeria, as the only thing that had the potency to dismantle the ugly monster of ethnicity, political affinity and religious difference is sports. In the heyday of Super Eagle of Nigeria, sports enthusiasts who congregate at viewing centres and bars to watch Nigeria matches temporarily throw away their differences and embrace each other when Nigeria is winning her match. If, you doubt this revisit the video clips of the 1996 Atlanta Olympic matches.
It is therefore, on the strength of the above and the immutable truth of Nelson Mandela, on the unification power of sports, that the Nigerian Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Gwabin Musa, on Saturday, reiterated the imperative of mobilizing and unifying personnel of the Armed Forces of Nigeria and other security agencies through sports to effectively tackle the emerging security threats confronting the Nigerian state.
General Musa said that sports present an excellent platform to achieve this mobilization and unification objective.
This is as the Minister of Defence, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, said that the current security challenges confronting the country are enormous and thus require effective synergy and cooperation amongst armed forces and other security agencies in Nigeria to confront.
The CDS, who spoke on this unification through sports, while flagging off the Fourth Edition of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Armed Forces and other Security Agencies Half Marathon Championship 2023, in Abuja on Saturday, also reaffirmed the imperative of synergy in the Defence and Security sector.
General Musa explained that the Half Marathon Championship 2023, is aimed at fostering the existing cordial relationship between the Armed Forces of Nigeria and other Security Agencies.
He said: “This event without doubt, is coming at a very auspicious time when the relationship between the AFN and the security agencies is ultimately required to overcome the enormity of security challenges currently facing our dear country. The ability of sports and friendly competitions to foster this desired relationship can never be overemphasized, thus our country and dear citizens will be the ultimate beneficiaries. This will also be a platform for participants to continue to build operational capacity that will enhance the peace and security of our dear nation.
“It is common knowledge that men of the Armed Forces and other security agencies have in the past brought athletic glory to Nigeria through the number of international trophies they won. It is the desire of the Defence Headquarters (DHQ), under my watch, to restore the glory days and as resources permit, this competition will continue to be an annual event”.
The only serving five-star General in the Armed Forces of Nigeria today, urged the participating Services and Security Agencies in the Half Marathon Championship, to see themselves as members of a larger security family.
“You are significantly indispensable in the implementation of the security architecture of the country. Though playing different roles and approaching your jobs with different strategies, in matters of national security, you must appreciate and protect each other as partners and co-stakeholders in the overriding task of securing our dear nation,” he tasked defence and security personnel.
Reiterating the imperative of synergy, the number of military officers in Nigeria and Africa, said, the Defence Headquarters, will continue to project excellent relationships with other Security agencies and in fact, seek areas for more collaboration as well as enhancing the synergy of efforts.
According to him, “I do not doubt in my mind that by building bridges of understanding through healthy competition, the efforts and sacrifices in defending the country from external aggression or internal insurrection will be a lot easier. In light of this, the Half Marathon Championship will be used as a testing ground for the Armed Forces and Security Agencies Games to bring out our best to represent us in International Competitions”.
Unity among security agencies, he said, will foster public trust in them and improve their appreciation of their enormous sacrifices in confronting these security challenges.
The CDS, also urged defence and security personnel, to continue to be guided at all times, by the sense of professionalism and spirit of sportsmanship in the discharge of their sacred duties.
Appreciating those who worked tirelessly to ensure the success of the annual sporting event, the Defence Chief averred: “I would like to seize this opportunity to appreciate the Service Chiefs and Head of Security Agencies for making it possible for their Officers and Men to participate in this event. I also thank the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), and the Federal Ministry of Sports which have provided us with professional advice on how to organize this event and also make it of international standard.
I applaud the organizing committee for working tirelessly in this event to make it a successful one. My regards also go to our revered and esteemed sponsors and media partners who have made their services and products available to us and making sure the objective of this event is achieved”.
The former Governor of Jigawa State, and Minister of Defence, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, said,
the theme for this year’s marathon is enhancing security agencies’ cooperation through sports.
Represented at the event by the Permanent Secretary, Dr Ibrahim Abubakar Kana, the Minister said, the marathon is a defence headquarters initiative which, intends to forge cohesion amongst all security agencies for enhanced understanding of common efforts towards tackling the multi-dimensional internal security challenges confronting the country at the moment.
This competition, he said, will equally provide the platform for the armed forces and other security agencies to interact with one another towards sustaining the good working relationship built over the years.
He noted that the importance of physical fitness, in the armed forces and security agencies cannot be over-emphasized, particularly at this time when the nation is contending with a myriad of security challenges.
The Minister said: “It is physically and mentally fit personnel that make the difference in combat and internal security operations. This is because it does not only provide physical and mental fitness but also endure difficult terrain and other harsh working conditions. Physical fitness, therefore, remains the cornerstone of troops’ combat readiness as it keeps service personnel in the top physical state, which, enables them to carry out and achieve assigned tasks. Overall, physical fitness is the basis for service personnel’s good health and physical well-being”.
Giving credence to the validity of the CDS’s call for synergy, the former Governor posited that the current security challenges confronting the nation are enormous and thus call for synergy and cooperation amongst armed forces, and other security agencies in the country.
This, he said, explained why engagements such as the championship need to be sustained and new ones introduced to facilitate mutual interaction amongst personnel.
He said: “We are not unaware of the huge efforts and great sacrifice our troops are making at tackling the security challenges our country is currently facing. The organization of this competition could not have come at a better time as it readily stands to test the physical fitness and readiness of the competing personnel. Marathon is a high-intensity total body workout, so it is one of the best ways to build endurance and to maintain the healthy weight required for enhanced national security”.
While applauding the CDS for organizing the competition, the Minister said, that life is a marathon.
He charged the participating athletes to
imbibe the spirit of sportsmanship and strive to put in optimal performance towards winning laurels for their various services and agencies in subsequent competitions.
Interestingly, personnel of the para-military agencies flawed the military personnel at the championship as Stephen Joshua of the Federal Fire Service (FFS), emerged winner for the male category of the 4th Edition of the Chief of Defence Staff Armed Forces and Security Agencies Half Marathon Championship held in Abuja.
Joshua finished at one hour and eight minutes, to emerge the winner while Pte. Gyang Irimiya of the Nigerian Army finished at one hour, nine minutes and fifty-six seconds to emerge second in the same male category. Also, Auta Jigak of the Federal Fire Service finished at one hour, ten minutes and fifteen seconds to emerge third.
In the female category, the same thing replicated self as Deborah Pam of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC), who finished at one hour, twenty-two minutes and thirty-seven seconds to emerge first. Blessing Bulus, also of the NSCDC finished at one hour, twenty-three minutes and fifty seconds to emerge second.
Pte. Patience John of the Nigerian Army, finished at one hour, twenty-three minutes and fifty-six seconds to emerge third.
In the group competition, the Nigerian Army emerged winners in both male and female categories; while the Nigeria Police emerged second and the Nigerian Air Force emerged third.
