Kano 22: Another man-made disaster in sports

The shock and pain that trailed the recent tragic death of 22 Kano State athletes and officials who were returning from the delayed 2024 National Sports Festival (NSF) in Abeokuta, Ogun State, appear to be subsiding but the immediate families of the deceased are still struggling to come to terms with the cruel fate that […]

The shock and pain that trailed the recent tragic death of 22 Kano State athletes and officials who were returning from the delayed 2024 National Sports Festival (NSF) in Abeokuta, Ogun State, appear to be subsiding but the immediate families of the deceased are still struggling to come to terms with the cruel fate that has befallen them.

It will be recalled that on Saturday, May 31, the nation woke up to the sad news of the fatal auto crash which had occurred a few kilometers from Kano, claiming the lives of 22 talented athletes and officials, among them two seasoned journalists who had just represented Kano State at the Gateway Games. However, nine people survived the crash with various degrees of injuries.

Although the wailings and gnashing of teeth over the untimely demise of the victims may not be as loud as when the incident first occurred, there are still teary eyes that have refused to dry.

 As I reflect on this avoidable incident, I concluded that it was another man-made disaster. Sometime ago, a friend narrated to me how God in His infinite mercy has kept the country away from natural disasters. He, however, concluded that being an ungrateful and stubborn people, Nigerians have willfully chosen to inflict man-made disasters on themselves.

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By the way, what are man-made disasters? They are events caused by human actions like negligence or mistakes as opposed to natural disasters, resulting in significant harm to people, the environment, or property. Transportation accidents like the one that claimed 22 lives are good examples of a disaster caused by man’s negligence.

On the other hand, natural disasters are catastrophic events brought about by forces other than the acts of human beings. Natural disasters might be caused by earthquakes, flooding, volcanic eruptions, landslides, hurricanes, and so on.

It is apt to say that since we don’t experience natural disasters like the China floods of 1931 or hurricanes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, wildfires, tornadoes and landslides, we’ve decided to create for ourselves artificial or man-made disasters to compete with nature.

The recent tragedy that surpasses all other ones we have recorded in sports in the country is clearly a disaster caused by acts of human beings who neglected preventive measures and care. Unfortunately, each time our negligence causes misfortune or death, we quickly attribute the same to the will of God. Most of us say it was destined to happen, while in reality, it could have been avoided.

Of course, we are admonished not to say that someone had cheated death because of its invincibility, but death can be delayed or postponed if safety measures are not ignored. In the case of Kano 22, it wasn’t possible because there was pure negligence and total disregard for athletes’ welfare and safety, which brought about the monumental disaster.

So, as it is the tradition, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Kano State Government may be investigating the “immediate and remote” causes of the tragedy but for some of us, the reasons are conspicuous enough for even the blind Bartimaeus to see. It was evident that the poor condition of the bus and fatigue on the part of the driver combined to produce the pain and sorrow.

It is now an open secret that before the crash, the heavily overloaded and rickety bus had broken down twice as it journeyed back to Kano. The same driver who began the movement right from Abeokuta was the one who was behind the wheels when the accident occurred. Obviously, he drove through the day and night and must have become tired and sleepy due to enormous stress. So, it’s possible that he fell asleep while on duty.

Now, precious souls have been lost to an avoidable accident, and everyone, including those who contributed to it, are among the mourners. The incident has further highlighted the deplorable conditions athletes and their officials face while trying to win laurels for their states. Athletes are most times denied the support they need to excel. Apart from poor camping facilities, they are usually transported to competition venues in the most dehumanizing manner.

Most times, the buses that convey the athletes are neither road worthy nor big enough for the number of passengers that are crammed inside like sardines. And at the events proper, they are often denied their camping allowances. For instance, Ogun State athletes as hosts of the just concluded NSF had to stage an open protest before they were paid the backlog of allowances owed them.

The very moment the aggrieved athletes protested, they were paid, meaning a corrupt government official was up to mischief. It is possible that the Kano athletes and officials who have died were hoping to be paid their allowances when they return home. Unfortunately, they didn’t reach home alive.

As we mourn the deceased, we should begin to think of how to avoid a repeat of such a disaster. Athletes’ welfare must be a priority. Without the athletes, there will be no need for sports administrators. Unfortunately, apart from the governments that care little about sports development, even the so-called sports technocrats or administrators compound the woes of the athletes. They are most times guilty of misappropriation anytime funds are released to them for the preparation of athletes and participation at tournaments.

Accepted there is the problem of approval without cash backing in sports, but for some officials, even when the money is released by the government, still pretend as if nothing has come into the purse. It is even at such moments that some of them begin to play the dangerous hide-and- seek game. This is one bad behaviour among sports administrators that must be discouraged.

More importantly, since we have refused to separate Nigerian sports from public funding, governments must demonstrate more commitment to the sector. Apart from the low budgets, most governors end up not releasing the funds even when there are domestic and international competitions to be attended. To make matters worse, most sports administrators don’t think out of the box. Once the government fails to release money, they are stuck completely, and the sector continues to suffer.

So, state governments must be more consistent and intentional in funding the sector, and those assigned to administer sports must be people of proven integrity, credibility, and passion for athletes’ welfare.

It is only a committed and sports friendly government that can prevent the kind of tragedy that claimed the lives of the Kano athletes and officials. Yes, death is inevitable, but like I said earlier, some deaths can be delayed by applying reasonable care and safety measures.

Had the Kano contingent embarked on the long journey in a new luxury bus with at least two drivers, chances are high that they would have arrived safely. We may be crying over spilt milk, but the gruesome incident should serve as a wake-up call.