Using Sports As A Tool For National Unity

Where politics has failed, sports have on countless occasions succeeded in not only bringing development, but also fostered peace and national cohesion. There has been countless times when politics and religion have instigated the worse forms of violence with many leading to bloody wars, but there is not a single example of war perpetrated by sport in recent memory.

Football has on many occasions weathered there storm after eruption of violence and brought nations holding each other throat on the basis of politics, religion or tribalism together. Nigeria, Guinea, Liberia and recently Mali are just few examples.

Even the United Nations in recognition of the powerful tool sports is, has on many occasions taken sports where there is violence to promote peace. In 2007 for instance, the UN peacekeeping mission in Liberia (UNMIL), the IOC and UNOSDP teamed up to implement the country-wide “Sport for Peace” program with the goal of fostering peace in the aftermath of the civil war and to educate the youth about HIV/AIDS issues. Ivory Coast is also a typical example when In June 2009, a football tournament was organized by the UN peacekeeping operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI), bringing together the armed forces of the rebel-led FAFN and the government-led FDS to promote reconciliation and unity. The current African Cup of Nations breathed a peaceful breath unto troubled Mali.

In light of just the few examples cited, it did really strike me seeing a section of Ghanaians jubilating after the elimination of the national team from the just ended African Cup of Nation because in their estimation, the government of the day was going to exploit the success of the Black Stars for their own political expedience.

It is a fact that, at the time and even to some extent now, the nation was deeply polarized on the political front.

However, where politics have failed, sport especially football in our case has succeeded in whipping and reigniting our sense of patriotism and relegated every ethnic, political and religious differences to the background and on that rare occasion unite us as a common people with one destiny.

These are rare opportunities to come together, forget our difference and in oneness pray for the country without any worry as to who is going to take the credit because it becomes a victory for Ghanaians and not any political party. It is a fact that as politicians, we look out for every opportunity to score points, be it cheap or expensive we deem it necessary.

Nobody can deny the fact that it was during the reign of the NPP that Ghana qualified for the World Cup in 2006 nor can anyone deprive the NDC the credit that it was during our time that Ghana became the first African country to win the Under 20 world cup and almost made it to the semifinals of the world cup in 2010.

They take credit for it and we are proud the latter happened in our time. However, the euphoria that greeted the respective results did not have a single dent of partisan politics.

On both occasions, Ghanaians from all walks of lives walked with pride and joy without a hoot about which political party was in power.

This article is not targeted at attacking any political party’s sympathizers but to halt a potential cycle of partisan penetration of politics into our sports. Neither the NDC nor NPP would stay in power for eternity, but until the end of the world, we are going to compete at all fronts in sports and our love for the game of soccer is never going to run dry.

We would forever set high standards for whoever dons the national colors and not compromise on mediocre performance.

We must however realize that sports once in a lifetime give us the opportunity to be Ghanaians and it is therefore our responsibility to take full advantage of it. We would forever have dissenting views and highly aggrieved individual who would not be admirers of the government in power be it the NDC or the NPP. I however hope that there will never again be a point in time when the above factors motivate any group who identify themselves as Ghanaian to form an alliance against the success of this nation.

Sports give hope to hopeless nations and rekindle the spirit of nationhood. All should there eschew the negative tendencies that was last exhibited. As we stand now, and continually pray for the peace and stability of this great nation, no one can tell where politics and ethnicity is going to take us to, but I know one thing, at least once in a decade, sports would make us proud being Ghanaians and during that time, nothing else matters.

Together, let us promote and enhance what unites us. Long live sports, long live Ghana.

NB: Next week, we are going to look at how we can develop sports in Ghana.

Abuga Pele MP. Chiana Paga Constituency

Email: abuga.pele@gmail.com