The Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Magashi (rtd) has reiterated support for the first edition of the 8th Sahel Countries Military games to hold in Nigeria in October.
General Magashi who captained NDA Football team as a Cadet, declared his support for the sports fiesta when 11- man delegation of the Organisation of Military Sports in Africa paid a courtesy call on him at the Headquarters Ministry of Defence Abuja.
According to a statement by the Special Assistant to the Minister of Defence on Media and Publicity, Mohammad Abdulkadri, the Minister said;
”promotion of sports in the Military is sacrosanct as a catalyst to building the resilience, endurance, stamina and total body fitness of the officers and personnel in the Armed Forces of Nigeria.”
”The aim is to prepare them for their gallantry role in national defence especially now that the nation is fighting the menace of insecurity,” he stated.
The Leader of Delegation who is the President of the Organisation of Military Sports in Africa, OSMA, Bigadier General Maikano Abdullahi appreciated the audience by the Minister under whom he served as Sports Officer when he was Commander Guards Brigade.
General Abdullahi is the first Nigerian and by extension the first Anglophone Military officer to be so elected to occupy the office of the OSMA.
He said the courtesy call on the Defence Minister is aimed at forging strategic partnership with the Ministry to ensure successful hosting of the Military games in Nigeria, tagged ; “First CDS Eight Sahel Countries Military Games”.
The President who is also the Vice President International Military Sports Council said it would douse tension of insecurity in the participating countries.
General Abdullahi said that the Sports fiesta serve as an instruments for promotion of multi-lateral friendship and unity.
”I will also send signals to the outside world that the Sahel nations are united despite the differences in Culture and Colonial experiences even as they contend with common security challenges,” he added.
The Organisation of Military Sports in Africa which has 134 member countries came into being through the initiative of the Council Internationale Sports Militarea , CISM after the second World War in 1945.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
