Are the days
gone when Nigerians countdown to sporting events? What happened to the most
unifying factor in the country? Where has all the talent gone? Sports in
Nigeria has suddenly become another failing sector, just what is wrong with
Nigerian sports?
The Olympic
Games will begin in a few days, yet there is no feeling of excitement or
anticipation. There are far greater concerns that even a distraction as
thrilling as football cannot draw attention. The Olympic Games will be watched
with indifference and perhaps a gold medal might re-inspire but does Nigeria
have a gold medal hopeful? The answer is difficult to reach.
In the not
distant past, Nigeria used to be a name revered by many others in the round
leather game of football. On the African scene, the Super Eagles were accorded
more respect than even more successful countries at the African cup of Nations.
All that has changed. It is not the cycle theory as some might suggest because
certain elements that are needed to ensure sustenance of standard have been
implemented only on paper. The cycle theory speculates that nations do well in
certain eras when athletes from that country peak. While that may be a fact, it
is not always true. The East Africans for instance have continued to dominate
the long distance races while Brazil has always remained a pre-tournament
favourite at every football tournament they qualify for.
The theory of
the cycles having failed to be successfully consistent, must suffer relegation. Let
us examine administration; those men who though never taking a leap on the
field, are responsible for the shaping of policy, planning and direction of our
national sports affairs. A review of Nigerian newspapers from the mid eighties
will reveal a constant cry for the need for better administration in Nigerian
sports. It has remained a recurring decimal. Editorials ranging from the
corrupt practices of these administrators to well worded pieces questioning the
thinking behind having political appointees to sports ministries have been
printed. Somehow, Nigeria managed to amass a repertoire of medals despite this
lack of administrative genius. Ex Super Eagles coach, Clems Westerhorf lamented
the level of disorganisation at the Nigeria Football Association and even
opined that absence of ‘katakata’ in the football house was no good for
Nigerian football. He landed home from Tunis with the Unity Cup and delivered
that first World Cup ticket despite that ‘kata-kata’ burdened glass-house.
What about a
distracting media that is quick to label upcoming talent with unearned wondrous
tags? Or the godfathers that crept in and had administrators well fed to ensure
a certain less talented ward made the team? What about unappreciative fans who
fail to realise that minnows look to be David when they visit Lagos? What about
the failed promises or promises of handshakes and the long phone calls from Aso
Rock to sports camps that depresses but never inspires the Nigerian athlete? What
about the undue financial pressure from state houses that tell players, you
must deliver because I am a good governor? What about the persistent attention
to football such that the president is considering creating a football
parliament?
What about
the new role of voodoo and hooded monks that now have to consulted before
tournaments or failure is guaranteed? What about the new found indifference
towards Nigerian sports and the heightened craze for European football? Indeed one
fan at a viewing centre on a match day involving the Super Eagles which
coincided with his English side declared without mincing words: “instead make
Nigeria win World Cup, make Chelsea win throw-in.” What about the distasteful look
of our facilities where turfs look good enough to attract a herd from the
Serengeti and swimming pools are fish ponds? These are all issues that need not
Solomon’s wisdom but diligent and patriotic expert attention.
Despite all
of these, there are two sets of people who must rise to a greater pedestal or
we will sustain the accelerated reverse. You guessed right, the athletes and
their coaches. The arena is full not of athletes watching other athletes or
coaches drilling coaches. The television crews do not move broadcast equipment
to match locations to show-off their equipment but to focus their cameras and
microphones on these athletes. It is altogether fitting therefore that they
must rise to the greater challenge before them. Their forebears raised a great
reputation, it is their duty to sustain it.
Critical success
factor issues that come to mind when sports is the issue in question are the
roles of talent and passion. Beyond doubt, anyone called upon to put on Nigeria’s
colour or badge must be a patriotic and passionate individual with a hunger to
excel. Somehow, certain attitudes crawled in and have remained: we are Nigeria,
we will win without hard work, one of us will do the magic today, I cannot kill
myself, what will happen to me if I get injured here etc. I am not recognized,
only the footballers are getting good pay, they mistreated me and dual
nationality is an option, how much am I getting that I should kill myself? These
attitudes kill off the spirit of competition, a necessary factor for sports
everywhere.
Talent is not
enough. As the attitudes fail to match talent, only one result is constant over
time with a few exceptions: failing. Poor environment and economic challenges
have become a tag team that are successfully putting to flight talent in
Nigerian sports. Nigerians are all over Afghanistan and even Iraq competing and
in some cases lobbying with their future for shirts to participate in sports
teams abroad. The age cheat factor, a national practice is now well understood
in Europe. There is a normal 25 and a Nigerian 25. Nigerian players do not get
the hitherto famed goodwill in Europe because of this.
The immediate
leader of sports men and women on their turf are the coaches. They have a duty
to not only instruct but inspire that passion for success in the players. There
is a technical dearth of coaching capability in the land. Nigerian coaches are
not only uninspiring but technically inept. They keep talent in handkerchiefs
by refusing to up the ante of coaching locally. These coaches must get better
at the art of coaching. A popular youth coach said on national TV that he does
not believe in scouting his opponents. Not only is such declaration a proof of
ineptitude, it is an aberration on the Nigerian coach.
Conclusively,
Nigerian sports must return to continental dominance and world acclaim. To do
that, a concerted effort must be made at policy making level to address the
issue of administration and control. Diligent administration will no doubt
bring about an improved management of sports but more importantly, the athlete
and the coach must rise to the challenge of performing at today’s standards
while ignoring the many distractions in the Nigerian sports arena.
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