Nigerian Government Official Uses Sport as a Tool for Inclusion

As a government official in Plateau, the 12th largest state in central Nigeria, Emmanuel Ugwu is committed to advancing the rights of persons with disabilities through sport and legal advocacy. In Nigeria, people with disabilities face social and political discrimination and have few opportunities to serve as active members in the development of adaptive sports programs. Despite winning more world competition medals than their able-bodied peers, athletes with disabilities lack the proper training facilities and face inadequate funding.

However, Emmanuel is working to change that. Since winning gold at the 2014 International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation World Youth Games, his passion for using sport as a tool for development and inclusion has grown along with service to his community. Now, Emmanuel works to empower persons with disabilities by nurturing and developing their athletic talent through adaptive sports programming. This work is vital to addressing the widespread cultural and physical barriers in Nigeria that exclude persons with disabilities from equality on the playing field and in the courtroom.

Through the GSMP, Emmanuel hopes to learn best practices in sport administration, to develop confidence and presence as a leader while expanding adaptive sport programs in his community. For GSMP: Sport for Community 2022, Emmanuel will be mentored by Peter Hughes, Athletics Director at the University of Arizona, and his team in Tucson, AZ.