NIGERIA WON ALL MEDALS FOR
PARTICIPATION
Olympic
is not to win but to participate. This must have been the words that motivated
our great country to show only participation in the just concluded Olympic
event in Brazil; Rio16. But come to think of it, those countries that went home
with gold, silver and bronze medals, don’t they have an inkling of what the
words above mean? They should also have come to participate like Nigeria so
that at the end we may all leave together to allow the Olympic medals stay in
Brazil.
The
very good thing about Olympics is that, one gets to know the very next country
hosting the event early enough. This will help the country get prepared and
also help athletes fasten their belts again. For those that might have got
medals in the concluded Olympic event, they would be more prepared to sink
their names into the beautiful book of history. Just as those who muffed, would
be getting prepared to do better at the next event. So saddening our country
Nigeria doesn’t see things that way. One reason they have been excelling
beautifully in every Olympic event they participate in.
I
have no doubts that the coiner of the clause “Olympic is not to win but to
participate” did that to help countries like ours feel among, a clause to
compensate our efforts and time at the event in ensuring the success of others.
What a compensation it is really!
We
fumbled at the 2012 Olympics in London, and we had excuses like our athletes
didn’t get to train well, among other unheard claims. I wouldn’t understand why
parents would beat and snap at their children for not preparing early enough
for examinations, when it actually is what their country preaches.
We
are always very confident we can do things other nations can too, with just
little time to practise, no wonder we are leaders in most of this things. I
wouldn’t understand why our nation won’t see things the very right way; I think
it’s the underdeveloped syndrome that is affecting us, because the developed nations
show they are developed in almost all aspects if not all. Just take a look at
the first ten countries at the just concluded Olympics, you will get my stand.
While other nations are progressing we are too anyways, since the Minister of
Sports considers bronze medal a success. If a Minister can be proud of a bronze
medal which they did nothing to help achieve, then we should all be celebrating
the success or what do you think? Looking back at the time the Dream Team VI
arrived the Olympic venue among others; one would begin to understand the
relentless efforts of the authorities concerned in seeing through the success
of their bronze medal. If there is on person who should be saying half bread is
better than none, it should be Samson Siasia or the Captain himself, John Mikel
Obi, and not the man who should have ensured things were fine before athletes
leave for the country hosting the Olympics, and not that alone, ensuring they
have a good stay while outside the country. Congratulations to the Dream Team
VI and its officials, you made us proud!
Many
nations came with new and young athletes, we were still seen parading our old
stars, when we don’t even have a body that checks to know the welfare of the
athletes, how would we have a body that would scout for new athletes that can fly
the flag of our nation high? I wouldn’t know why some states like Lagos state
still keep hosting sport festivals, when we aren’t seeing the products. We get
to see young people performing wonderfully well in those events, and after few
weeks they return back to the stage they used to be. No progress at all, only
that they get one shinning thing like gold on their necks. The talents they aim
at finding at the sport festivals are just to show the world that we have young
stars too. Universities keep deceiving their selves too with hosting West
African University Games (WAUG) and other events. What has it yielded? Have we
got better people to represent our nations or those who will just go to
Olympics to participate only and get to see faces of sport Icons like Usain
Bolt, Michael Phelps and others.
The
sporting events that used to give us hope is now failing us too, what sector
can we then brag of? Developed nations have learnt their lessons from the just
concluded Olympic in Brazil, they would return back to work on those lapses, so
that they can triumph in subsequent outings. No, Nigeria wont, until months to
the next Olympic, may be then we wouldn’t even get the half loaf we were forced
to celebrate. The body governing the Sports world in our country isn’t fit to
be there. The body has to be checked. We don’t want to lose the sport sector
too.
Our
athletes are back, let them know the next step, let them start now, enough of
participation, we want to win too. Let’s leave the “Olympic is not to win but
to participate” thing for other nations.
