State of Emergency on Sports

National pride transcends local politics which continues to grind the people and diminish the country in the huge theatre of global expectations.

Sports, largely neglected by the Federal Government, can change outlook from disdain to glory. President Bola Tinubu must, therefore, declare, with immediate effect, a State of Emergency on Sports.

The country is blessed with talent, what is lacking is the will to take sports beyond the sphere of recreation and turn it into a huge diplomatic weapon that can restore national pride.

Nigeria came back from the Paris 2024 Olympics Games empty handed. Out of the 32 sports that offered legion medals, a country of over 200 million citizens which claims to be the giant of Africa, won nothing while small Botswana returned with more than a gold medal.

Former national tennis champion and ex-Olympian, Sadiq Abdullahi, harped on a new order. He said: “By declaring a State of Emergency, new people, new approaches and new funding models, will be identified.

More importantly, the Federal Government will redefine grassroots sports development.” In the past, the bulk of athletes that represented the nation came from schools. They were discovered early enough through efficiently managed competitions for secondary schools and tertiary institutions.

The Hussey Shield and the Adebajo Cup at the national level or the Grier Cup, Phensic Cup and David Cup at the regional level, turned out champions. The glorious past should be brought back.

And that entails going back to the grassroots to discover raw talents, to be moulded through consistent training and exposure to international championships. Unfortunately, the nation lacks facilities. The two national stadia, in Lagos and Abuja, respectively, lack what it takes to compete favourably with the international community.

The only standard stadium is in Uyo, owned by the Akwa Ibom State government. It is a shame that Nigerian athletes have to be flown abroad for training. This is a nation that boasted of the Afuze Camp in Edo and Nsulu Games Village, Abia State. These facilities have become hunting grounds for bush meat. Dereliction is the new normal.

What did it take other Nigerians to win gold medals for countries abroad, something that they could not have done competing for Nigeria, under the present arrangement?

Abdullahi, now a Professor in Miami, Florida further highlighted the rot. “Failure to win a medal in Paris, the few medals won at the Paralympics and the fallout from the National Youth Games in Asaba, have exposed the deep problems facing the sports sector.” In Paris, simple matters like accreditation and registration attracted negative publicity.

Favour Ofili was not registered for the women’s 100 metres event and was unaware until a few days to the event. She ran in the 200 metres, filled with low spirits. Wrestling, which fetched laurels in past Games, fared badly.

Medal hopeful, Blessing Oborodudu, was not lucky in Paris. Nigerian Wrestling Federation President, Daniel Igali, was so frustrated that he has vowed not to serve after his present tenure ends. Veteran Green Eagle and Moscow 1980 Olympian, Felix Owolabi, made his submission.

“Sports is not ‘Yahoo Yahoo’. It’s about establishing an institution and watering it to grow. It is never done on a fast lane. We can’t cut corners.” A country that prepares for the Olympics in one month can only reap failure.

Sports is capital intensive, it is about the athletes, not the officials, who in some instances, outnumber and outmaneuver the participants. Tinubu must ask questions and provide answers as a solution. More money should be pumped into sports, with the corporate world playing a huge role. As President, he must devise means of raising the financial bar to place sports on a higher podium.

What did it take other Nigerians to win gold medals for countries abroad, something that they could not have done competing for Nigeria, under the present arrangement? Yemisi Ogunleye, Bam Adebayo, Barthelme Chiwueze, Paula Egeonu and Samu Omorodion left Paris wearing gold. President Tinubu should grab these words from Abdullahi. “The Federal Government may now bring back the National Sports Commission.

Our emerging economy with the full support of the private sector can support this new beginning.” Sports can stem insecurity. All the money going into the fight against terrorism, if poured into the development of Sports Centres in all the 774 local government areas of the nation, will divert attention away from criminality.