For the reason that starting of the Olympics this 12 months, I’ve began researching extra Nigerians in different sports activities moreover soccer, which I’m extra acquainted with. From tennis to race, from lengthy leap to boxing, it’s attention-grabbing to see that Nigerians – ranging from the grassroots at house – have achieved splendid achievements on the worldwide stage. This obtained me curious if I used to be oblivious to my nation’s sports activities historical past or if correct documentation and celebration have been absent of these achievements. With out studying or doing heavy analysis, I encountered Usain Bolt, Serena Willaims and different athletes’ names subconsciously. Why didn’t I encounter my nation’s athletes too?
Twenty-five years in the past, Chioma Ajunwa-Okpara grew to become Nigeria’s first Olympic Gold particular person medalist together with her lengthy leap victory on the 1996 Atlanta Video games. Definitely, her title was etched into the corridors of Nigerian sports activities historical past, a beacon of pleasure for the nation. But, as vastly necessary as that achievement was (nonetheless is) her presence within the public eye has not been as distinguished as I’d have anticipated. She narrated in an interview how successful the gold medal on the Olympics was largely celebrated within the nation. “The group I met on the airport was overwhelming and unprecedented. The federal government declared a three-day public vacation, we had been pushed around the nation in a motorcade.” At the moment, I’ve been questioning: what turns into of Nigeria’s sports activities heroes after the applause fades?
Within the UK, athletes’ careers typically shift into new roles that preserve them within the limelight. Footballers like Gary Lineker and Gary Neville transition into media roles, providing punditry on main sports activities networks. Serena Williams, after her stellar tennis profession, has not solely remained related by her enterprise ventures however has additionally change into a major voice in sports activities and common tradition. Even after retirement, the visibility of those athletes speaks to a system that values and sustains their contributions past their energetic years.
Nonetheless, in Nigeria, the story shouldn’t be the identical. Names that when commanded international consideration on this planet of soccer and different sports activities have largely receded from public view. I ponder why their achievements within the subject haven’t translated into sustained visibility or affect off it.
I’m in search of to discover why this occurs, and what it says about how Nigeria honours, or fails to honour, its previous heroes in sports activities.
Absence of Institutional Assist
One of the crucial obtrusive variations between the experiences of retired athletes in Nigeria and people in locations just like the UK or the US is the extent of institutional assist. In these international locations, there are constructions in place to assist athletes transition into new roles. As an example, the Skilled Footballers’ Affiliation (PFA) within the UK presents a variety of providers to help retired footballers discover new profession paths, from training grants to networking alternatives inside media and training.
In distinction, Nigerian athletes typically discover themselves with out such a security web. The shortage of a strong assist system signifies that many are left to navigate retirement on their very own, typically with little to no steerage on the right way to leverage their sports activities careers into different ventures. These days, most athletes with Nigerian roots would reasonably play for an additional nation than Nigeria. This absence of assist not solely impacts their post-retirement success but additionally contributes to the erasure of their contributions from the general public consciousness.
Whereas this isn’t specific solely to Nigeria, it speaks to the amount of misalignments and poor establishments within the nation. This 12 months, Favour Ofili was unable to compete within the 100 meters at this Olympic Video games as a result of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) and Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) didn’t register her title. When the establishments did not cater for the current and enjoying athletes, what assurance does that give they’d be involved in regards to the retirees?
Cultural Attitudes
Till a participant or athlete turns into worthwhile on the worldwide stage, I’ve additionally realised that Nigerians have a nonchalant angle in the direction of sports activities usually. This considerably influences how the legends are revered. In households, everybody desires their kids to change into attorneys, medical doctors and engineers. Stereotypically talking, nobody hopes to boost a toddler within the nation who needs to change into a footballer sometime. In Europe and the Americas, kids see morales and graffiti of athletes on the partitions and streets, which subconsciously affect their future aspirations. Statues are erected, and their tales are advised and retold, making certain that their legacy endures and evokes generations. That celebration of legacy shouldn’t be as ingrained in Nigerian tradition. We frequently have fun present success over previous glories, with a deal with the current reasonably than a sustained appreciation of historical past. In a number of years to come back, a few of the present athletes will shortly be forgotten as new stars emerge. And it considerably reverses the establishment. The Nigerian system doesn’t regard sports activities as an exportable materials.
The Position of The Media
I consider the media additionally performs a task within the public recession of former athletes. Within the UK, for example, former athletes are repeatedly featured as pundits, columnists, and commentators, which retains them within the public eye. This fixed presence helps to maintain their relevance and ensures that their legacy endures.
In Nigeria, nonetheless, the media panorama doesn’t supply the identical alternatives. There are even no platforms devoted to sports activities evaluation and commentary. This lack of visibility within the media signifies that athletes are shortly forgotten as soon as they retire. Even essentially the most adorned of Nigerian sports activities figures wrestle to keep up a presence within the public discourse.
I perceive that a few of the athletes won’t be simply accessible, however media is media for a motive; if there had been a thriving tradition of devoted platforms and ones that characteristic former athletes, that includes them wouldn’t have been as troublesome. And this provides, once more, to the amount of the character of the Nigerian system. The system doesn’t admire sports activities sufficient to generate income which seeps all the way down to the grassroots. The final finances for sports activities, N31.24 billion, was described by a former athlete, Sadiq Abdullah, as “Nigeria not able to develop sports activities.”
If Nigeria is to do justice to the legacy of its sports activities heroes, there must be an effort to vary the way in which athletes are handled, which might switch into how they’re handled throughout retirement. This might begin with the institution of higher assist methods for athletes throughout and out of doors energetic competitors. A nationwide physique devoted to the welfare of athletes, just like the PFA within the UK, might present much-needed steerage and alternatives. It doesn’t converse effectively that our athletes rewash their solely jerseys all through a match or that the our bodies accountable fail to enter them for competitions.
If Nigeria is to actually honour its sports activities legends, it should handle these points and create an atmosphere the place their legacy can endure lengthy after their enjoying days are over. Chioma Ajunwa-Okpara’s achievements, and people of numerous different Nigerian athletes, should be remembered and celebrated, not simply on anniversaries, however as a long-lasting a part of the nation’s heritage.
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Characteristic Picture by Victor Chijioke for Pexels
