I Belong Here: The Role of Sport Participation and Social Inclusion for Community Development in Nigeria

Community development is a complex process which aimed to improve the quality of life for its people by transforming a community into a desired social, political, intellectual, and economic condition irrespective of gender, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, religion, or marital status in which the role of sport participation and social inclusion cannot be overemphasized in community development, therefore this study examined the roles of sport participation and social inclusion on community development in Owo local government area of Ondo state using social system theory to look at how sports participation and social inclusion ultimately influence community development in Nigeria. Social system approach has aided in understanding the dynamics and interactions among various categories of individuals in the community as well as how all system factors affect their engagement in development activities. The study used purposive sampling techniques in selecting one hundred and fifty participants for this study across various communities in Owo local government area. The findings revealed that sport participation had a negative relationship on engagement in community development (r(150)=-.19, p<.05) and also shown that social inclusion had a positive relationship on engagement in community development (r(150)=.52 p<.01) with clear indication of interplay of sport participation and social inclusion on community development. The study hence recommended that sport events that would promote diversity be organized in order to bring individuals in the community together.