Are you aware that the 2nd version of the African military Olympics, known as the ‘African Military Games – Abuja 2024’, will be held in Nigeria in three weeks’ time?
Do you know that the MKO Abiola International Stadium, one of the most beautiful stadiums on the African continent, is already undergoing extensive renovations in preparation to host the biggest military games in African history?
From November 18th to 30th, 2024, Nigeria will play host to athletes from 44 African countries who will be competing across 19 different sports in the biggest assembly of athletes of military establishments in Africa.
It is just three weeks to the opening ceremony and 32 countries have already registered their athletes, with Ghana topping the list with 237 athletes, followed by Algeria (160), Kenya (60), Tunisia 48, and so on.
So far, over 2000 athletes and their officials have been registered to participate in the sports feast and many more are expected to register before the deadline. This indicates a wind of camaraderie and unity blowing across African military establishments, and it is so exciting to see.
This spirit of African oneness is being driven by the vision and foresight of the Chief of Defence Staff of Nigeria, General Christopher Musa, who was himself a former military athlete, and as such understands firsthand the enormous benefits of sports in the military.
General Musa was part of the Nigerian contingent at the last (and, incidentally, the first) African Military Games held in 2002 in Nairobi Kenya. Today, 22 years after that inaugural event, he is breathing new oxygen into this laudable project that had gone into a coma.
He went back into history to ‘drink’ inspiration from the success stories of a period when the military was a major stakeholder in African sports architecture, producing elite athletes for various national teams.
In Nigeria, for example, the military was actively involved in national sports development. They had an established tradition of good infrastructure, basic facilities, technical expertise and traditional discipline. Military teams around the country participated in various national competitions, and the military became active stakeholders with representation on the board of every sports federation in the country.
A revival of that culture is now imminent with a new ‘pilot’ in town in Nigeria, one who appreciates the negative effects of isolationism of the military from external sports.
The African Military Games were conceived to serve as a powerful diplomatic tool to strengthen ties and friendship amongst the military establishments of African countries and, by extension, amongst the governments and people.
It is a known fact that Sport is a tool to engage and redirect the energy of youths to more productive ways, and away from anti-social conduct and activities.
The African Military Games can actively become a model of using sport to promote pan-Africanism, patriotism, unity, and friendships among Africans, and serve also as a powerful weapon against the recruitment of youths into insurgency and terrorism.
That’s why ‘AMGA 2024’ is very important. It provides an opportunity to reset the buttons of a proper sports development agenda through the military to impact Nigeria and the rest of the continent.
The 2nd African Military Games start on November 18. All roads will lead to the MKO Abiola International Stadium, Abuja.