President of the Organisation of Military Sport in Africa (OSMA), Major General Abdullahi Maikano has said his tenure as the organisation’s leader has extensively promoted friendship through sport in the continent.
Maikano made the disclosure at the opening ceremony of the 7th OSMA BOD meeting in Yaounde, Cameroun.
According to him, despite the Covid-19 Lockdown for two years, his administration was able to prosecute programmes and projects for the advancement of OSMA.
Maikano who is also the President of Nigeria Skating Federation, said: “I am delighted to be here today to witness the Seventh Edition of the OSMA Board of Director Meeting 2023 here in Yaounde Capital City of the Cameroun. By organising this Meeting, it is my hope that the BOD Members would have a fruitfull discussions on various OSMA policies and programmes/activities that will move the organisation forward. Bearing in mind the CISM/OSMA Motto of “Friendship through Sport.
“CISM programmes and activities aimed at achieving our motto Friendship through Sport includes; World Summer Games, World Winter Games, Women Football Championship, Basketball 3 x 3 Championship, World Cross-Country, World Cadet Games amongst others. Similary, OSMA programmes and activities includes; Africa Military Games, Sahel Countries Military Games, CAMFOOT, CAMBOX, CAMHAND, CAMBASKET, CAMVOLLEY and CAMCROSS amongst others.
“It will interest you to know that the first Edition of the OSMA Greatlakes Countries Solidarity Games will take place in DRC in 2024. Approval has since been given by the DRC authority to host the event.
“Let me use this opportunity to inform this gathering about OSMA activities/programmes during my tenure as 5th OSMA President despite the COVID 19 Pandamic Lockdown for almost two years. Programmes and activities conducted includes; Executive Board Members Meeting in Conackry April 2021, Extra Ordinary BOD Meeting in Abuja Nigeria July 2021, Sahel Countries Military Games in Abubja October, 2021 and 7th General Assembly Sierra-Leone.
“Similarly, during my tenure I was able to pay working visits to OSMA member countries in Sierra-Leone in 2021 to discuss the possiblity of hosting our General Assembly which was approved and conducted in February 2022.
“Niger Republic in July 2022 to solicits for hosting of Marathon which was agreed but not yet conducted. I equally visited Democratic Republic of Congo to solicit for the conduct of the First Edition of Great Lakes Solidarity Games, which was also approved.
“Furthermore, in my capacity as CISM Vice President of Africa I have attended the following CISM programmes; Basketball 3 x 3 Championship in Germany as Officer Representing CISM and World Military Cadet Games in Russia as representative of CISM Ag President. Recently in July 2023, together with the CISM President we paid a working visit to South Africa and negotiated for hosting of the CISM World Summer Games.
“On a final note, permit me to use this medium to express our profound gratitude to the President and Commander in Chief of the Cameroun Armed Forces, Mr Paul Biya for his unflinching support to the growth and development of the OSMA in Cameroun. I will not fail to also openly acknowledge the support of the Minister of Defence Cameroun.
“I thank you most sincerely for providing the enabling environment to hold this event and continued support to the AFN. I wish to use this opportunity to reassure all OSMA remains fully committed to uniting the African countries through its series of programmes and activities across the continient.”