Sports
The Olympics: A Stand Up Call For Nigeria
As the Nigerian contingent to the London 2012 looks to be running out of chances for medals at the Olympics Game, the usual refrain of going back to the drawing board may be in the offing.
The Olympics Game is a major and very popular international world event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympics Games are considered to be the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate. The Games are currently held biennially, with Summer and Winter Olympics Games alternating, meaning they occur every four years within their respective seasonal games. The Olympics games originated from ancient Greece. Some aims of the Olympics Games are to bring about peace, unity, and also gender equality in sports. The Olympics games has served as a major boost for countries hosting it.
Countries are expected to partake in qualification rounds in order to qualify for various events at the games. Qualification is not automatic. Nigeria, a country with over 150 million citizens has been participating in the Olympics games since 1952 when it made its maiden appearance. And since then Nigeria has been participating at all Olympic events except for the 1976 edition of the Olympics held at Montreal in Quebec, Canada. Nigeria boycotted the games and refused to send a team to the games. The 1996 Atlanta Olympics was the best team Nigeria had ever gotten, winning two gold medals at the event. Nigeria became the first African nation to win an Olympic gold medal in football. Since then the performance of team Nigeria has fallen. It is shameful to sy that Nigeria has won a total of two gold medals only, since it started featuring at the Olympic games in 1952.
The 30th Olympic games tagged London 2012 kicked off on the 28th of July 2012. The games have over 29 sport events to be played. Some of the sports event at the ongoing Olympic are: archery, athletics, basketball, beach volleyball, canoeing, diving, equestrian, fencing, gymnastics, handball, hockey, judo, rowing, sailing, shooting, swimming, table tennis, tennis, volleyball, water polo, weightlifting.
Team Nigeria is participating at the ongoing Olympic event and much is expected from them, but from the look of things Nigeria may not make impact at the Games. Nigeria has selected 62 participants who will compete in 9 sports including judo, athletics, basketball, and table tennis at the event. So far, Team Nigeria is yet to win any medal. Before team Nigeria left the shores of the country for preparation for the event, the president of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) Engineer Sani Ndanusa had said that the target of Nigeria was to get at least two gold medals at the event. He went further to say that “in the past Olympics, we had been participating but come 2012, we’ll compete with other Nations.”
If what the NOC chairman said and the reality facing us at the Games are anything to go by, I think Nigeria still had a long way to making a name at the Olympics. What will the NOC president call the team Nigeria’s performance at the Atlanta ’96 olympics? Did the athletes go to participate or they went to compete? If the NOC president’s target for Nigeria is two gold medals why would he say that team Nigeria was going to compete? By now Nigeria is supposed to be a force to reckon with at the Olympic games, if not in all games, at least some games like football, judo, boxing, wrestling and athletics where Nigeria has some good talents. We have very talented individuals in Nigeria, but the problem is that there are no right measures in place to find and maintain these talents. It has been over the years that Nigeria has lost wonderful talents to other countries due to some reasons that can be taken care of by the Nigerian government. They were not taken good care of, so countries that saw the talent in them took them away and they are now doing well in their adopted countries. The list of Nigerians or sportsmen bearing Nigerian names competing for other countries has continued to swell in the last few years. At the moment, more than 100 Nigerian-born athletes are reportedly competing for their adopted countries in Europe, the Americas and across Africa. The reasons they opted for greener pastures elsewhere range from insensitivity of the Nigerian national federations, poor incentives to athletes, lack of developmental programmes at home to lack of support from the government and non-release of training grants before major championships.
A perfect case is that of Francis Obiorah Obikwelu, unarguably one of Nigeria and Portugal’s most successful athletes, was Africa’s sprint king in the 100 metres and 200 metres while competing for his native country. He assumed Portuguese citizenship in 2001. Obikwelu brought glory to his adopted country at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, where he finished second in the 100 metres and won the first silver medal ever in a sprint event for Portugal at the global games.
In 2006 at the European Championships, he got the gold in the 100 metres and 200 metres and became the first athlete to win both events in the same Euro championships since 1978. Though now retired, Obikwelu was a talent that Nigeria would have tried its best to retain and make the nation proud, but he was neglected.
Another example is Daniel Baraladei Igali, a Canadian freestyle wrestler. Igali was born in Eniwari village, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. He was captain of the Nigerian wrestling team to the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Canada. After the games, he refused to return with the contingent and remained in the country while seeking refugee status due to political unrest at the time in Nigeria. He acquired Canadian citizenship in 1998. In Canada, Igali won 116 consecutive matches, wrestling at Simon Fraser University from 1997 to 1999.
He was placed fourth at the 1998 world championships. He finished second at the 1998 World Cup and won a bronze medal at the 1999 Pan-American Games. If Nigeria was interested in this young man the government would have made a move to make sure he stays back in Nigeria and make the country proud, but such was not done. The list goes on.
Even at the present Olympic games in London, names like Margaret Adeoye, Abdul Buhari, James Dasaolu, Ifeoma Dieke, Philips Idowu Christian Ohuruogu (Great Britain and Northern Ireland) Athletics, Eniola Aluko (Great Britain and Northern Ireland) Football, Oluwadamilola Bakare, Eniola Bakare (Great Britain and Northern Ireland) Volley Ball, Temi Fagbenle (Great Britain and Northern Ireland) Basketball, are all participants at the ongoing Olympic games with Nigerian names competing for other countries.
The Federal Government of Nigeria in conjunction with the Nigeria Olympic Committee have to rise to the challenge and take the bull by the horn to make sure talents are sourced for from schools around the country. We have a lot of Obikwelu’s, Finidi’s, Igali’s out there that can be gotten and groomed for national duty tomorrow. After all countries that are making names at the Olympic games today like the United States of America, China, England, Jamaica etc, all started from somewhere, and they are tops today, so why will Nigeria refuse to do the right thing and search amongst the millions of citizens in this country? The Federal government of Nigeria and the Nigerian Olympic Committee must see the Olympic games as a challenge and a wake-up call to work hard and invest for a better Nigeria, especially, in the world of sports.
Echem David Prince is a student of RSUST, Port Harcourt.
Echem David Prince
Brian Brobbey scored a dramatic 90th-minute winner as Sunderland came from behind to beat Newcastle United in a thrilling Tyne-Wear derby at St James’ Park.
Newcastle had been on target for their first home victory in this fixture since 2010 when Anthony Gordon gave the hosts a ninth-minute lead.
Sunderland played out from the back but defender Luke O’Nien’s pass was intercepted by Nick Woltemade and he gave it to Gordon, who did the rest to score his 17th goal of the season.
The hosts almost made it 2-0 just before the break, but Sven Botman headed against the post following a cross from left-back Lewis Hall, one of five Newcastle players to be included in Thomas Tuchel’s latest England squad.
Goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, another called up by Tuchel, did not get great distance on a punch, the ball was played back into the box, Brobbey chested it goalwards and Dan Burn cleared off the line, only for Chemsdine Talbi to fire in the rebound.
Noah Sadiki had a chance to put Sunderland ahead, only for him to shoot at Ramsdale.
Yet it did not prove costly as Brobbey scored the late winner, to the delight of the away fans, when he converted a rebound from close range after Ramsdale saved his first attempt.
The result gives Sunderland their first league double over Newcastle since 2014-15.
Rangers International technical adviser Fidelis Ilechukwu has credited his recent stint with the Super Eagles under head coach Eric Chelle as a major factor behind the club’s resurgence in the Nigeria Premier Football League title race, Tidesports source reports.
Speaking ahead of Rangers’ matchday 31 fixture against El Kanemi Warriors in Enugu, Ilechukwu said the experience gained at international level has significantly influenced his approach, particularly in the areas of intensity, discipline and overall team structure.
“Change is constant in life. After working closely with Eric Chelle, the mentality I got from him is not an easy one. The training sessions are super intense, about 80 per cent of what we do now is heavy training,” he said.
Ilechukwu maintained that the discipline and structure he adopted during his time with the national team have translated directly into improved performances at the club level.
“I think my return has had a positive impact defensively, offensively, everything. The preparation, the pep talks, the quality, it gives confidence. I came back with an advantage,” he said.
Rangers have enjoyed a remarkable run since his return from the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, losing just once in 11 matches, with six wins, four draws and seven clean sheets propelling them firmly into contention.
They currently sit second on the table with 50 points, just one behind leaders Rivers United, with eight matches remaining in the season.
Despite their strong position, Ilechukwu insisted his side will not be weighed down by pressure as the title race intensifies.
“There is no different message, we don’t want to be under pressure because of the league. We take it one game after the other, after this game we talk about the next one,” he said.
He added that his players possess the necessary qualities to compete at the highest level.
“They understand what it takes to win. They have the attitude, the capacity, the character, and they understand what we want. To me, we are always ready,” he said.
While acknowledging the strength of Rivers United, Ilechukwu maintained that the title race remains open heading into the final stretch of the campaign.
“They are the strongest team, but you never can tell what will happen. We are also strong. In the remaining games, we will fight more and stay at the top of our game but without pressure,” he said.
Having guided Rangers to the NPFL title in the 2023/24 season, Ilechukwu is now aiming to secure his second league crown in three years as the Enugu side continue their pursuit of the title.
Odegbami described CAF’s decision to overturn the Jan. 18 final result as “bizarre, condemnable and unjustifiable.”
As reported by Tidesports source on Saturday, he noted that Senegal were crowned champions and celebrated globally before the verdict was reversed on technical grounds.
“It is unheard of in football history. You cannot take away a trophy won on the pitch two months after,” he said.
Odegbami said the decision had sparked outrage among football fans and stakeholders worldwide.
“This judgment has shaken CAF’s credibility. It is not surprising the world is up in arms,” he added.
The ex-Nigerian Football Legend questioned the motive behind the decision, describing it as risky and unpopular.
“What could have driven such a decision that undermines the spirit of the game?” he asked.
Odegbami said although football regulations may not cover every situation, rare cases require wisdom.
“This AFCON case demands that rules and common sense must align,” he said.
He recalled that Senegal were crowned by CAF and FIFA officials before a global audience.
“Two months later, CAF delivered what I call a ‘poisoned verdict’ through its Appeals Committee,” he said.
Odegbami explained that Morocco’s protest, earlier dismissed, was later upheld on appeal.
“The decision to reverse a final match result is one of the most unpopular ever,” he said..
He said the rules on walkouts are clear but must be applied with context.
According to him, Senegal players walked off after a late penalty was awarded to Morocco, staying away for 17 minutes.
“Ordinarily, that attracts forfeiture, but the referee allowed play to resume, which changed everything,” he said.
Odegbami noted that petitions can alter results but argued that the AFCON final was different.
“If this were a qualifier, nobody would question the CAF’s decision. But this was the final,” he said.
He stressed that the trophy had been awarded and celebrations concluded before the reversal.
“There was no room for post-match litigation in a final of this magnitude,” he said.
Odegbami maintained that the referee’s decision to restart play nullified the forfeiture clause.
“The match resumed, Morocco missed the penalty, Senegal scored and won fairly,” he said.
He insisted that CAF had no justification to overturn the result after recognising a winner.
“Punish any infractions if necessary, but do not tamper with a concluded final,” he said.
Odegbami urged CAF to review its regulations and restore Senegal as champions.
“For now, CAF should retrace its steps and return the trophy to Senegal,” he advised.
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