I am sure many writers may have written on this subject matter but I must confess that I have not read any. If my line of thought as here expressed, had been voiced or written before now, it is either a coincidence or a confirmation that many of us are thinking alike.
In the near past when all Nigeria Football clubs and National teams of both male and female of all categories began to take their exits at the semi – final stages, I did promptly point out that Nigerians need not be disappointed because the semi – final position was actually our optimum.
By then the Olympics had not come but outcomes today justify that stand point, that our optimum is at the semi – final. Otherwise, how can aNigeria, come first in the semi – final of an event and there after go into the final with four of those earlier beater only to come last far behind the rest.
But let’s take a look at the event called Olympic Games.
Initially, we were told that it was to foster friendship and that the joy was in the participation.
PoorNigeria, we may still be living in this euphoria.
How are the individual games selected and guaranteed for competition. Looking at the events, one can easily see thatNigeriastill sees the Olympics as a sports event, where as countries are looking for events they only have mastery of.
With this in mind, why do our people not consider some of the local activities such as “OKWE, NCHOLOKOTO, KOSO, etc to mention a few which can and should be included? The organisers, or are they manipulators, singly included whatever common to them and allies toAfrica.
Before an African enters the first track event which is the real sports, many gold medals have been won from only God knows where.
The type of wrestling common and known to us is not in the Olympics. The organisers brought theirs and set the rules and we are victims. Look at all the medals allocated to swimming alone and see that there is great imbalance.
Why can’t the organisers just include for instance, staying under water for hours on end as an event, so that our own river rine brethren could excel. Instead we are compelled to play polo game on water knowing fully well that we have not even mastered the game on the land.
In those games where they know that they are in control, there is neither age nor weight limitation and no professionals are prohibited.
When our amateur is told to go and play Lawn tennis with Andy Muray, Federer or Djokovic, will you be sincere to announce that a Nigerian has been beaten in a game?
Our law makers must quickly make laws that our participation in the Olympics is just for that sake and that any laurels won may be rewarded but for the fun of it. This will save the millions of our upcoming youths who sit glued to the television every day, looking for a Nigerian to win a medal even if it is wood to no avail. Of course some of them would love to go there and remedy the ugly situation but will they ever be given the opportunity and by whom?
What opportunity with total death or near disappearance of school sports. In the good old days of school sports, let your school football team ever have to face St Finbers or Igbobi College Lagos or Holy Ghost College Owerri or St Theresa’s College Nsukka or St Patricks Emene Enugu. These were some of the schools that produced Nigerians’ young academicals in football and track events. These schools were all missionary schools.
Suddenly the government took over and killed all and has ensured their death. If you visit any of these mentioned schools and see their sports ground, you will see why there is no gold medal in sight from any Olympics unless by their luck, if there is luck in sports. If policeman Sunday Oyerekhwa was to be alive today, he will be busy fighting to put down Boko Haram insurgency than play football and score goal for the Super Eagles. This democratic era should watch out before they stand accused, because so much lip service has been paid to sports development and management.
Nigeriaused to be sure of at least some silver and bronze medals before and up to 1996 when we got two gold medals in the Olympics.
Thereafter we have been on the decline until now that we have got to nothing at all.
Did the budget implementation being talked about include provision for sports and how far did it go. I do not sincerely see an athlete trained in only 2 months beating Usen Bolt in the 100metres dash. Yet we do not train for more than 2 months before the Olympics. The fact that a Nigerian broke a commonwealth record in weight lifting in the 78kg category ought to tell all of us that the commonwealth game is put there for Britain to still see that countries have not all forgotten from where they got independence. That is if they are really independent.
Think of it as a fun, that African and commonwealth new record is in the 8th (eight) position in the Olympics. It is time for a total overhaul if future participation should be embarked upon in the Olympics. Someone argued that to have chosen First Bank ofNigeria with the symbol of an elephant for a sporting event is a misnomer. According to him, this is the second time with yet another abysmal outcome. Let them give money to the team for proper training if they like but not their symbol anymore.
Funny as this may sound, because a drowning man envisages many things as support but nonexistent. In any case, we could also not have chosen DANA Air and crash land.
Truly the problem is, and the solution lies with the quantum of preparation.
