It was dancing time for me as the Nigerian contingent left Paris empty handed after the 2024 Olympic Games. This disaster is just the beginning of the much touted revolution in Sports and President Bola Tinubu should be the horse in front.
Yes, the president must dictate the pace. There is no need for any post mortem seminar or retreat. We have spoken enough grammar without achieving anything. I am sure the Presidency has little money to spare now that the economy is bleeding.
My candid advise is that Tinubu should hold a Breakfast Meeting with some of the people who know what it will take to change the face of Sports. And I am going to name them here. These are compatriots who are pained that we have achieved nothing, in the midst of plenty.
Enefiok Udo – Obong. Rena Wakama. Olusoji Fasuba. Tobi Amusan. Favour Ofili. Daniel Igali. Mary Onyali. Funke Oshonaike. Orode Oyiki. Bruce Ijirigho. Sadiq Abdullahi. Bukola Olapade. Godwin Enakhena. Tunde Fatai Williams. Kunle Soname. Abba Yola.
These 16 Nigerians, accompanied by Sports Minister, John Owan Enoh, will tell Mr. President all he needs to know about the way forward. Some of them, like Udo – Obong, Fasuba, Oyiki and Oshonaike are actively engaged abroad, doing great things after representing Nigeria. Onyali was in government after a rewarding career.
Ijirigho, who captained Nigeria to the botched Montreal 1976 Games, has so much to offer in the area of grassroots development. Abdullahi has the broader experience of looking at preparations from the North American perspective. Fatai Williams knows how medals in swimming can eclipse just one gold in soccer.
Wakama and Igali, transformed from athletes to coaches. The import is that they understand how Psychology can combine with Patriotism to prepare Amusan and Odili for huge responsibilities in the face of adversity.
Godwin Enakhena is a journalist who also manages Sporting Lagos Football Club as Chief Executive Officer. Soname owns Remo Stars and is a big player in the corporate world. Olapade has the key to Sports Business. Yola, a seasoned bureaucrat, will help out with policy documents.
The Breakfast Meeting must be informal. The President does not need to wear agbada, that attire has a way of scaring people from the truth. A simple shirt atop denims will do. He should excuse his Aide de Camp and the Secret Service from the room.
Two consecutive days, and the Breakfast Meeting will achieve a lot. The attendees will pour out their hearts. Someone from the Presidency should take the minutes and share to the world thereafter. If implemented, decisions reached will make all the difference.
The country is blessed with performers. The problem is finance and administration, let us not shy away from that. We should find out why Igali, Francis Obikwelu, Florence Ekpo – Umoh and Annette Echikunwoke were able to win Olympic medals just because they dumped Nigeria.
We should be bothered that the Giant of Africa has not won more than three Olympic gold medals all through History. Stars with Nigerian blood, competing for other nations, have won gold more than thrice.
Daley Thompson, Akeem Olajuwon, Daniel Igali, Anthony Joshua and Andre Iguodala are all proud former Olympic champions. At Paris 2024, Yemisi Ogunleye, Barthelemy Chinenyeze, Paula Egeonu, Bam Adebayo and Samuel Omorodion bagged gold
Tinubu must allocate more money to Sports. Firstly, there should be a Five – Star Sports Village, located far away, from Lagos and Abuja. This facility must run for 24 hours every day to keep our athletes in good shape. It makes no sense taking them to Europe or America.
By creating a modern Sports Village, the president is offering employment opportunities to thousands of his country men. In the past, some states had permanent Games Villages. Brig. Samuel Ogbemudia built one in Afuze, Ajie Ukpabi Asika established the one in Nsulu.
In the past, schools played a major role in raising future champions. There were Grier and Hussey Championships. In soccer, the East had Phensic Cup. The West championed Thermogene Cup while the North came together in Davis Cup.
Tinubu should direct Enoh to bring back a better packaged schools sports and this must involve the governors and captains of industry. What a delight it would be to see Babajide Sanwo-Olu as Guest – of – Honour, in the grand finale of the Lagos State Principals Cup.
There are Nigerians all over the world representing various nations. A Chinyere Pigot in Suriname, Danielle Alakija in Fiji, Anthony Alozie in Australia, Ezinne Okparaebo in Norway, Sam Francis in Qatar and Saheed Idowu in Congo, we have it in our DNA.
Natalie Achonwa captained the Canadian basketball team that lost to D’Tigress in Paris. Yvonne Ejim also played for Canada. Eziyoda Magbegor was one of the Aussie Opals that fell. Chima Fujita, skipper of the Japanese Olympic soccer squad, has a Nigerian father, just like their basketballer, Monica Okoye.
I believe Nigeria will learn from the shame of Paris. Tinubu does not need to sack Enoh. You cannot prepare for the Olympics in two years. The minister has spent less than 14 months in office. Preparations for Los Angeles 2024, should begin now.
