A giant on clay limbs
Sports have remained the greatest foreign policy tool of many nations because it presents what seemed like the only level playing field for nations to exhibit their prowess. The Abacha regime maximized this and fetched us unequaled sporting glories since independence. His prompt attention to sports ensured we won not just our first Olympic gold […]
Sports have remained the greatest foreign policy tool of many nations because it presents what seemed like the only level playing field for nations to exhibit their prowess. The Abacha regime maximized this and fetched us unequaled sporting glories since independence. His prompt attention to sports ensured we won not just our first Olympic gold medal in 1996, we added a second gold and other medals. Our international football became the envy of international community when we won the 1994 Nations Cup in Tunisia and showcased a solid performance in USA 1994 World Cup. We also ranked 5th in the official FIFA world football rankings. Why did we derail?
Our recent dismal display at the just concluded Olympic Games unequivocally brought home the downward slide our country has been propelled into by corrupt and conscienceless administrators. The nation was humiliated and our pride trodden upon by both favourites and minnows in London. Nigerians could hardly bear the sight of “programmed” failures of our athletes which were inversely proportional to the huge amount of money expended prior and during the games. It is only in Nigeria that national endeavours are programmed to fail in order to satisfy the gluttonous desires of archaic and inconvertible analogue sports administrators.
To the extent that the President of the Federal Republic and the Minister of Sports would have gloated over the glorious performances of our athletes and amass political capital from same had they won appreciable medals, it is proper to situate the failures on their door steps. We cannot repeat previous mistakes that led to colossal failures and expect a different outcome this time around. Sending a collection of “clay limbed” athletes to compete with the likes of Usain Bolt, Yohan Blake, Gatlin and Alison Felix was a great disservice to our fellow citizens. We simply reaped the failures we planted.
In a piece I wrote about a year ago, I posited that “In recent past, specifically speaking of the 80s and 90s, we remained the numero uno in sprint and short distance races in Africa and competed favourably among the world’s best. Under the tutelage of Abdulkareem Amun, we produced world beaters in Chidi Imo, Yussuf Ali, Innocent Egbunike, the Ezinwa twins, Sunday Bada, Olapade Adenikan, Chioma Ajunwa, Falilat Ogunkoya, and a host of many talented athletes, Nigeria excelled in major events worldwide. Our marathons were won by the likes of Yohana Waziri and Abbas Mohammed all over the country. Compare that to fourth rate Kenyans winning every marathon in Nigeria today.
This is Nigeria for you where everything is easy in the eyes of officials when accomplished by hardworking citizens. From the time Emmanuel Ifeajuna won our first gold medal at the Commonwealth Games to Chioma Ajunwa’s heroic jump in Atlanta to clinch our first individual Olympics gold, we have treated sports as leisure instead of a business that has national security implications. The manifestation is that we performed abysmally in Beijing and Berlin, won nothing in Daegu and currently having our worst All African Games in history. Is there any future for athletics in Nigeria? What is preventing current administrators from reviewing the Alhaji Abdulkareem Amun’s experience and tapping from it?
The malice is not synonymous with athletics alone. What about boxing? Did we fare better? Amateur boxing demised with the death of Group Captain Brian Ayonote who bestrode the sports like a colossus when he was in charge. Professional boxing thrives on a well sustained nurturing and management of amateur boxers who climb the ranks to win titles. I recall the Peter Konyegwachis and Jerry Okorodudus who were wonderful amateur boxers before becoming professionals.
The Nigerian Boxing Board of Control (NBBC) collaborated with the Nigerian Amateur Boxing Association (NABA) to institute a result oriented boxing development. The “Champion of Champions” tournament was staged in Lagos in the 80s and pugilist had the opportunity of earning money and gaining fighting experience in preparation for African and world title bouts. We relied on our boxers to win medals at Olympics and Commonwealth Games. The various gymnasiums that were located all over the country kept the youths busy and prevented them from crimes. I weep each time I remember the late Group Captain Ayonote. I will never forget his anger when he visited Bashiru Ali at Sheration Hotel and Towers Ikeja before a world title fight and met him in company of numerous ladies. The man simply wrote “Bash” off before the fight. He eventually lost the fight.”
Part of our problem is the undeserved attention paid to football which continually underdeveloped other sports. Even the attention given to football is only at the national team level which has equally destroyed our once thriving local league. Is there any discernible blue print for our sports development? The National Sports Festival is fatally prostrate due to the fraud perpetuated by the organizers and host states. We have systematically adopted the Amos Adamu’s 2003 All African Games winning strategy and in that process destroyed what remained of our sports.
One of the routes to confirmed failure in 2016 Olympics is to indulge in endless lamentations of our 2012 shame. The damage can only be addressed through a domineering performance in Rio 2016.
The proposed office of SSA on Sports Talent Discoveries must report directly to the presidency at the federal level and governors at the state level. With a clear cut mandate and effective monitoring, Nigeria could have a worthy outing in Rio 2016.
The rush for 2016 gold medals started immediately the London 2012 flag was lowered. The time to act is now.
Kelechi wrote in from Abuja.