The Nigerian Disaster In Athens
BY KUNLE SANYAOLU
REPORTS of Nigeria coming from Athens 2004 are very disheartening. One by one, our athletes crashed out of the competitions, losing the steam to other nationals, who have shown more strength, more vigour, more commitment, more seriousness, more confidence and more determination to succeed. Some of us, who were looking forward to the Olympic, weeks, even months before it started, are practically disillusioned. Yes, the Olympic comes once in four years and it is easily the world's biggest sporting festival. We looked forward to the Olympic because we know it offers a period of sporting recreation, the likes of which Nigerians witnessed only in the past. The Olympic period is a holiday period for many parts of the world. And people go to the venue, wherever it may be, to share in the excitement first hand. Nigerians don't have that luxury in the sense that most of them have to work daily. The unwritten policy is no work no eat. We live daily, something you can call from hand to mouth. All the same, we too want to share in the Olympic excitement even if via television. But we can't participate fully if we are only onlookers or benchwarmers. No. There is no excitement in that. We can only partake in the fun if we too have a share of the medals. That didn't happen. One kept hoping that the situation would change in the very last minutes.
Yet, it was almost a hopeless wish. During the week, the newspapers variously described Team Nigeria captain, Mary Onyali-Omagbemi over the way she crashed out of one event or the other. In an instance, her dismal eighth placing in the second round of the 200 metres was said to have capped Nigeria's poor showing in the track and field event. In real terms, the poor showing is in all events since the trend of crashing out permeates all. Mary's race was said to be a slow 23.75 seconds. Her teammates, Mercy Nku and Endurance Ojokolo had earlier crashed out of the 100 metres. Can anyone sincerely blame Onyali-Omagbemi Of course not. She wasn't called the Queen of African Sprint for 10 years for nothing. Eight years ago in Atlanta 96, she won bronze. But age must take its toll. It is only natural. After 10 years, Mary should have been retiring naturally to pave way for younger, more energetic ones. But the motivation for Mary when she started is not available now for those younger ones. It is that motivation of 10-12 years back that kept her on to 2004, coupled of course with what fame and records she has been able to garner. Anyone who wants to step into her shoes now must have three times her heart when she started. Apart from age and absence of practical positive motivation, injury also played a prominent part in slowing down old athletes like Mary. One newspaper described her as a sorry sight of the event as she limped to the finish line. The truth is that she had been nursing a recurring injury, which in fact prevented her from participating at Mobil Track and Field Championships, which was the trial for the Olympics. One cannot but wonder why Mary should be exposed to Athens despite her unfit condition and uncompetitive physique. Her story is averagely the story of the Nigerian athletes in Athens.
Take the Nigerian boxers as another instance. They fell one after the other, to superior pugilism power. Most of them were counted out with very dismal showing, like the one who had only one point against his opponent's 21. If you watch the bout, you know that it is not a matter of unfair officiating. The Nigerian guy did not show any Olympic stuff and again, one cannot but wonder if he is indeed the best the country could offer out of a fledgling population of more than 120 million people. At a time, the Nigerian was so frightened of his Cuban opponent he almost ran out of the ring! Well, these things are easier said than experienced. But all the same, what special stuff are those other boxers made of that ours could not acquire After all, we are supposed to be the giant of Africa. Seriously, the truth of the matter is as lamented by Olumide Oyedeji who told a journalist that maladministration, political tussle and lack of interest in the welfare of athletes are responsible for Nigeria's declining fortunes in sports. Even without being told, this much is obvious to an observer watching Nigerians performed in Athens. It is certainly the worst Olympic outing and Oyedeji is right that unless care is taken, "we are leaning towards further future disaster." Unfortunately, most Nigerian coaches do not seem to see it that way. They have a warped thinking that Athens is preparing Nigerian athletes for a brighter tomorrow. Obviously, they forget that we've had much better outings before now and that in the last eight years, the country has been sliding deeply backwards. During that period, the only thing Nigerian athletes, including basketballers and footballers have going for them is determination to succeed. They want to shine and emulate older stars and in the process make money and fame. However, determination alone, however strong, plays only a little part of the whole success scheme. Much lager parts are played by preparation - physical and psychological. This includes training, exposure and appropriate motivation. These, of course, are outside the choosing of appropriate personnel, not those chosen out of political or geographical scheming.
The country's woes in Athens 2004 are again a serious indictment of the Nigerian state, its leaders and the regressive inclination of the country. In spite of abundant ideas and resources, the country chooses to move continually in the wrong direction, piloted by mediocres and boxed into its myriad of confusion and complexities which the powers that be steadfastly refuse to address in realistic terms. And all for selfish, myopic reasons. Sadly, there is no inkling of a positive reversal soon, meaning that the minute impact the country is having on the global scene, against the grains of its potential, is not about to abate. The impact is threatening to dwindle. And there is also no reason to blame athletes who defect to other nations. People like Francis Obikwelu and Gloria Alozie simply had to choose between retaining their Nigerian nationality and extinguishing their career. They chose the latter, and that is why they are still running and winning medals for their adopted country.
If Nigeria remains unserious, she is going to lose more of her promising talents to other countries.
As Athens 2004 cruised to an end, close to 70 countries worldwide won medals. China alone had more than 60. Six African countries, namely South Africa, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Morocco Cameroun and Kenya won medals in various sporting events. Isn't it incredible that with its flaunted weight in the continent, Nigeria could not win even a bronze In all, our athletes are suffering from inferiority complex and lack of confidence. This is not because they don't believe in themselves or hold that other athletes are superior. No. It is because when the chips are down, they realise that they are ill prepared. They do not have the training facilities, the exposure or the quality mentoring of other athletes. While their realisation sinks in, it is time to move in the tracks or in the field to play. This they do in confusion and they never overcome that confusion until the final whistle, by which time, they have lost woefully. Gradually, pictures of Nigerian athletes, with the emotional excitement associated with the 4 x 100 women's event in Barcelona '92 when the Nigerian team picked the bronze, are fading out of the international television screen.
In the short and long term, nothing less than a major cleansing of the Nigerian polity - its politics, economy and social settings - can redeem the country's sporting image. The moment the politics and economy are right, sports will improve, along with the confidence required to win international medals.
