Sucex Bright, the Convener Africa Youth Leadership & Economic Summit, during a stakeholders meeting with the board of DigitSports in Lagos, stated that youth restiveness and crime can be reduced through promotion of sports entrepreneurship, building systems that unites and creating opportunities around sporting activities.
Nigeria as a multi-ethnic society is laden with all kinds of instability such as political and ethno-religious violence and there is no doubt that youths are often at the centre of these vices.
The Nigerian Youth Policy of 1983, revised 1989 and 2007 defined youth as comprising all Nigerians between the ages of 12 and 30 years. The definition of youth as a concept varies from culture to culture and from society to society.
Sucex who accedes to the slogan ‘Youths are the leaders of tomorrow’ said that the fact that youths are the greatest assets that any nation can have, and not just that, they are the greatest investment to attain socio-economic development in any country given the pivotal role a country’s human resource has in the journey to economic development.
Youths generally have strong characteristics like resilience, creativity, strength, strong character and are adventurous which are key elements in driving both entrepreneurial activities and sporting excellence.
It no news that Nigeria was known in time past for its excellent sporting records and here are our country’s 5 biggest achievements in sports since 1960 according to Wikipedia: Nigeria is the First African country to rank 5th on the FIFA rankings and later will be th First African country to win Olympic gold medal. Our team went on to win the trio of Olympic gold, silver and bronze medals ahead other African Countries. We also hold the record as the first country in Africa to win both five FIFA U17 World Cup titles and 8 African Women’s Championships, these feats were possible because at a time we gave a lot of attention to sporting activities.
In the early 90’s for instance, youths of different ages were often seen playing football, table tennis etc as pastime in different neighborhoods and these sporting activities which are not were not even at a professional level were invariably deviating the attention of these youths from other vices peculiar to their age.
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However, in recent times the love of sporting activities has been replaced by other endeavors which includes advanced fee fraud, kidnapping, yahoo activities amongst others which some argue are traceable to the level of economic degradation and unemployment in the country.
While the love of sports and sporting activities may not have dwindled over the years, what is now apparent is the individual drive to conquer the rising level of poverty which has diverted the attention of many youths to vices/criminal activities that promise quick consolation.
Sports entrepreneurship is one key project that can unite and create opportunities capable of diverting the attention of youths from crime. It is on record that one of the few times everyone in the country unites irrespective of where they are from is when there is a football match or competition, that is when Chinedu from Imo State will address Ahmed Musa or TijjaniBabaginda as my brother. Sports promote national unity.
Beyond creating harmony and peace, Sports England in 2010, reported that sport and sport-related activities contributed £20.3 billion to the English economy – 1.9% of the England total revenue. Today we are all enthralled by the EUFA Champions League, the Premier league laliga and the rest
The craze and interests in these foreign leagues bring to bear the urgent need for a strong Nigerian league and other sporting activities but this time managed by a sports entrepreneur to create sporting revenue and recreation in the country.
Other areas of interests in sports entrepreneurship could be in coaching, referee, gym owner and trainer, sports wears and outfits creation, sports clubs, fitness clubs and sports excursions, bounce house outfits, sports massage, sports blogger, sports cartoonists and comedians, skate park owners etc
Mr Sucex who will be leading his team to host the forthcoming Africa Youth Leadership & Economic Summit slated for 15th -16th November at Golden Tulip Lagos Nigeria, has said they will partner with DigitSport and SBIB Barcelona to host a workshop where there will be extensive discussions on the need to upgrade our Sports delivery while highlighting the entrepreneurial opportunities in the Sports industry.The value of sport to the grassroots through our communities extends beyond sport for viewing sake. There is considerable evidence of the capability of sport to delivera wide variety of benefits to communities and individuals, including economic growth.
Sport can help increase economic prosperity, provide employment opportunities and contribute towards raising aspirations and increasing skill levels.
Sports activities and events, sports facilities, sports volunteering, sports leadership, sports training and sport employment schemes all help develop the knowledge, skills and productivity of individuals and communities and create strong and vibrant neighborhoods and cities where people want to live and do businesses.
At a recent meeting with the Commissioner for Youth & Social Development Lagos state MrDawodu, the Honourable Commissioner stated that under his leadership, the state Government led by His Excellency Mr Babajide Sanwolu has decided to rehabilitate over 30 sports recreational facilities across lagos state, this will enhance sporting activities in the state and also create other economic opportunities. Adopting this approach across the country will be a deliberate means towards addressing youth restiveness and curtailing crime in our society MrSucex Bright added.
Follow Sucex Bright on Instagram: @sucexbright, @aylesafria [email protected], www.aylesafrica.com
