allAfrica.com: Nigeria: Why Chukwumerije Should Lead A Revolution for Change in Sports Leadership (Page 1 of 1)

Nigeria: Why Chukwumerije Should Lead A Revolution for Change in Sports Leadership

For years running now, we have consistently stated it here that there is a cankerworm eating into the fabrics of sports development in Nigeria but each time those who benefit from the system and want the status quo to remain call us names in order to distract attention from the main issue.

We said it before the All Africa Games in Algiers last year that preparation was poor even though money was released on time for that purpose and called on President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua to do something but again we were ignored.

The Nigerian contingent did not get their kit to compete until on the days some of them had their events while some others were given theirs after competing. It was embarrassing to see Team Nigeria athletes compete in variegated attires different from the traditional green and white.

After the Algiers disaster, President Yar'Adua ordered the setting up of a committee to look into ways of redressing the malaise that has resulted into constant poor outing for the country at continental and global sports events.

It was cherry news to learn that the committee was to be headed by a no-nonsense sports administrator and retired Army officer, Major-General Ishola Williams. He was supported by other respected personalities like Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima, Mr. Dan Ngerem and Barrister Adokie Amiesimaka among others.

Their report has since been submitted to the president but the implementation is almost stuck as some powerful people in the system ably supported by some members of the National Assembly are suppressing the report from seeing the light of the day.

This is because a powerful officer in the system often referred to as 'Mr Fix it' feels threatened that once the recommendations of the report are implemented, it would be bye to free government money.

The same trend followed the preparation of the country's contingent to the Beijing Olympics and the results were as embarrassing as the once before except for the efforts of the football team and a taekwondo athlete, Chika Chukwumerije who won silver and bronze medals respectively.

The National Sports Commission (NSC) cannot celebrate the feats of these athletes as it did not play any visible major role in seeing to their good performance. The football medal is being celebrated more by the Bayelsa government who more than anything else has always supported their son, Samson Siasia.

Neither the NSC nor the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) could celebrate the athletics bronze medals from the 4x100 women's relay or the women's long jump. The medals were by accidents of providence and determination of the athletes.

The relay team did not qualify for the Games and only got to Beijing after one country who could not make it to the Games for some reasons other than technical withdrew. Even at the Games proper, the medal came after highly favoured Jamaica and Great Britain were involved in baton exchange mix up.

Blessing Okagbare wasn't packaged by the NSC but by Delta state and also got the luck of getting into the medal zone when she was recalled to continue participation after an athlete was disqualified for dope offences.

For Chukwumerije, but for his Senator father, Uche Chukwumerije who sponsored his training, he too could have been a flop like other athletes who waited in vain in various camps across the country for training tours.

Nigerians are crying over the country's poor outing at the Games, calling for the total overhaul of the NSC. Many of them know who is responsible for the decay in sports but are afraid, or so it seems, to say who and keep murmuring.

Even the Chairman of the NSC, Barrister Abdulrahman Gimba who says he is ready to remove sports from the stranglehold of the vampires is being frustrated by those who should effect the change mainly because they have either soiled their hands in the past or are still dining with the vampires. This is where Senator Chukwumerje would be useful except of course he too decides to support his colleagues in the National Assembly because as they say "dog doesn't eat dog'.

Senator Chukwumerije knows how much he spent preparing his son for the Olympics. He told the nation so much before and after the Beijing Games. Like he said, if not for some sorts of conspiracy, his son, Chika could have won the gold in his event.

To start doing the right thing so that he does not spend his personal funds to prepare his son for future national assignments, Senator Chukwumerije should start by talking to his colleagues into placing national interest above personal gains, offered by the so-called top shot of the NSC whose profile in sports administration continues to rise while the sports he professes to oversee dwindles day by day.

The revolution in sports should not be left for Gimba alone because his boss, the president, is now more concerned about his failing health than lifting sports from its abyss. The revolution should start from the National Assembly members who should work with the General Williams report to make Nigeria, which has more potentials than a smaller Jamaica, take the world by storm in the 2012 London Olympics and beyond.

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