2011: Another Year Of Disappointment For Nigerian Sports

There is no doubt that the year 2011 has slipped into the pages of history. But a glance across the landscape of Nigeria’s Sports would reveal a litany of woes and disappointments that have certainly raised more questions than answers.

From football, the nation’s ring of sports to the tracks, field events and other team sports, it was lamentations all over.

Off the field, it was also a case of poor performances by the authorities in charge of be Sports in the country.

Perhaps, most Nigerians would have passed dire judgment and termed him  a prophet of doom if anybody had predicted that the nations Sports would have slided so low in the out gone year.

However, only a few events brought smiles and celebrations to Nigerians, the majority were indeed going tales of woes and agonies.

Among those that brought positive vibes to the nation included the triumph of the national U-20 team, flying Eagles in South Africa during the African youth championship, the delightful performance and final appearance of the national women’s youth team, falconets at the FIFA U-19 Women World Cup in Germany, where they lost to Germany after a gallant performance in the championship match.

Coach John Obuh and his Flying Eagles ruled Africa after warring a record sixth AYC title but fell short of expectation at the global stage. They rode on the back of the victory to the FIFA U-20 World Cup on Colombia only to falter at the quarter final stage, losing 3-2 to France. They were able to impress Nigerian fans and beyond with their emergy and style at the tournament.

The memorable 17th National Sports Festival, NSF hosted by the Rivers State government remained one of the shining lights of national sports events in the year under review.

The Garden City Games 2011 will no doubt linger in the minds of many Nigerians and others who beheld the spectacle that surrounded its arganisation, for a long time to come.

Over 15,000 athletes and officials from the 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) were believed to have featured in the two-week sports fiesta which began on June 27 and ended on July 11.

Apart from delivery an ultramodern Sports Stadium names, Adoriye Amilsimaka Stadium Complex, the 17th NSF brought the razzmatazz and panache associated with computer age sports events.

With the successful hosting f the Festival by the Rivers State government and the triumph of her athletes, the state has set the pace in the standard of hosting the National Sports festival, regarded as the biggest sporting event in the country.

Also, the third place finish of the country’s contingent to the 10th All Africa Games in Maputo, Mazambique behind winners, South Africa and Egypt was part of the positive notes of 2011. The country after a sluggish start only lost second position to Egypt by just a gold medal lose than the north Africans.

Among other sports that gave little to cheer include the Nigeria Basketball federation, NBBF, Athletic Federation of Nigeria, AFN and the Nigeria Scrabble Federation.

These federation managed to keep their heads above waters by devising means of keeping their athletes active and successful.

That is as far as the cheerful news goes while the bad and the ugly far out weigh the positives.

The biggest Catastrophe was in football where Nigeria’s Super Eagles, Super Falcons, Under 23 Olympic team and the administrators, especially, the Nigeria football federation and the Nigeria premier league board conspired to take the game several steps back into oblivion.

In one of the worst years of Nigerian football, the national teams stumbled from one defeat to another, especially, in the hands of eternal rivals, Ghana, who ended our hopes of participating in the football events of the forthcoming London Olympics and the All Africa Games.

The Ghanaians also stopped the falcons from being part of the 10th All Africa Games in Maputo.

Even the much heralded Samson Siasia, who was popularly engage in November 2010 as Super Eagle Coach amid huge expectations failed to qualify Nigeria for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations. He and his team failed to beat Ethiopia and Guinea and ensured that the Eagles will not be part of the African Mundial for the first time in 25 years.

Siasia was to be clamed by his failure in October after his employers decided to sack him.

The nationals U-23 team fared no better than their senior counterparts. Against huge expectations from Nigerians, the team and their handler, Austine Eguawen put up a poor performance at the inaugural CAF.

U-23 championship in Morocco to crash out of the London 2012 Olympic Games football event in November.

The Falcons had earlier blown their own chances in Yaounde, Cameroon when they failed to hold their nerve in a crucial Olympic qualifier against their Cameroon counterpart. It was the first time the Nigerian women will not be going to the Olympics.

Also in the year under review, Nigerian club performed poor in continental competitions. Though, two time African champions, Enyimba International FC and CAF confederation Cup debutants, Sunshine stars of Akure deserve some commendations for reaching the semi final stage of the CAF champions league and the confederation cup.

Domestically, the Nigeria premier league entered the record books as the 2010/2011 season dragged on for almost two years, following rancour and court proceedings by the NFF and NPL big wigs.

Dolphins FC eventually emerged champions, beating Sunshine Stars to the  title on the last day.

But it is on record that the season ran without prize money and referees owed back log of indemnities.

Even the worries league was still without a title sponsor and prizes.

The year 2011, apart from being a very bad one for the country also claimed some of  her illustrious athletes and personalities. The AFN, lost its technical Director, Mr. Sunday Bada, on Monday, December 12. Late Bada was a superintendent of the Nigeria police force and an Olympic Silver Medalist.

Earlier in April, the nation had mourned the tragic death of Super Eagles Olubaya Adefemi who died in an accident while on his way  to Nigeria to finalise his wedding.

The nation also lost one of its stout administrators in the person of Alhaji Jamiu Tunde Ojulari, President, Youths Sports Federation of Nigeria (YSFON) after a brief illness.

While, every true Nigerian Sports lower will want to wish that the woeful performances and agonies of 2011 are not witnessed again in the country, it is time for the sports administrator at every level to wake up. Learn from the past and work toward making 2012 and beyond more positive and successful.