Nigeria’s Minister of Sports Development, Sen. John Enoh, has called for the hosting of the Commonwealth Games by an African country, highlighting the non-hosting of the games by Africa since its inception.
Sen. Enoh made these comments during a consultative meeting that Chris Jenkins, the President of the Commonwealth Federation, called.
The meeting, held at the Lancaster Hotel in Accra on Sunday, March 17, brought together ministers of sports and key stakeholders from across Africa, and it focused on formulating a robust hosting strategy for the continent.
Expressing concern over Africa’s underrepresentation as a host, Enoh emphasized the crucial role of deliberate will in bringing the Games to the continent.
He said: “It is not a good testimony that Africa has never hosted the Commonwealth Games. It is a matter of will, because even if there are lots of strategies, objectives cannot be achieved without the will.”
Enoh highlighted Africa’s prior ambition to host the games, recalling Nigeria’s bid to host the Commonwealth Games in 2014 and its successful hosting of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGOM) in 2003.
He added: “It is not because there has not been a desire, but it is the lack of will from the CGF to bring the hosting to Africa.”
He further advocated for a resolution to grant Africa the hosting rights for the 2030 Commonwealth Games, stressing that with greater will and commitment, Africa could successfully undertake this endeavour.
The Minister extended gratitude to Chris Jenkins for his visit to Africa while expressing optimism that his tenure as Commonwealth Federation President would mark a significant milestone in the history of Commonwealth sports.
As Africa strives to assert its presence on the global sporting stage, Enoh’s advocacy for the hosting of the Commonwealth Games signals a concerted effort to promote inclusivity and diversity within international sporting events.
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