WHERE IS THE HONOUR?

Though its exact origins are lost in antiquity, all agree that it originated in ancient Greece. It was first held, according to some records, in Southern Greece in 776 BC, and Koroibos of Elis emerged the winner of this first Olympic game. In the Olympics, the world’s best athletes compete against each other for individual and national pride, honour and treasure. Believe it or not, it’s the biggest game out there, much more so than the World’s Athletics Championship where World Records are set and broken. That is why Serena Williams will consider her one Olympic Gold Medal in the women’s singles the crowning achievements of her illustrious career despite having won 29 grand slam titles, including 3 in Olympics women’s double, with sister Venus. 

Lacking world class facilities, world class coaching, and world class spirit, like kindergartens in the midst of giants, and in the glare of over 3 billion people from the seven continents on earth, Nigerian Olympians crashed out of the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, without a medal. Their athletes disgraced, despised and trampled upon with contempt by more serious nations, a stunned citizenry watched in utter disappointment, bitterness and helplessness as the final Medals table was flashed around the world with the USA proudly perched at the top. Jamaica,  Ethiopia, and Kenya did the black race proud, placing 18^th, 24^th and 28^th respectively, running away with 12, 7, and 11 medals, including 4, 3, and 2 Gold each, in that order. Nigeria, the largest concentration of the black race in the world left empty handed, with no medals! A true reflection of the depth the country  has sunk, it would have been a moment for sober reflection, stout determination to punish culprits, and steely resolve to say, never again.

It is against this calamitous background that we should reflect on or assess the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati’s piece in Thisday, August 19, 2012, page 109.  Regarding the London calamity, and apparently in response to the national scandal of epic proportions, Dr. Abati wrote, ‘’President Jonathan was angry too, I can report. On Wednesday, August 15, Council Meeting had just ended, and it was time for AOB.  Everybody was in a relaxed mood, until the President said he was surprised that the Minister of Sports had not briefed Council about the outcome of the London Olympics’’, officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad. According to Dr. Abati, the President continued, saying jokingly, ‘’you are taking your time eh, okay don’t worry, we understand’’, and ‘’there was peals of laughter’’. At this juncture, according to Abati, the President’s tone changed. The President then continued with a barrage of questions, supposedly to express his anger. According to Abati, the President asked rhetorically, ‘’how can we possibly go to the Olympics and come back with nothing?’’  President Jonathan continued, ‘’we must get the private sector to invest in sports and governments at all levels must also do their bit. We are a country of gifted people. We must identify those areas in which this country can excel and work hard at them. We must win medals and bring glory to our nation.’’ According to Abati, the President said further, ‘’and I don’t mean going to the bus stop to recruit athletes, I mean serious business. We must get our act together’’.

To the non cognoscenti, AOB stand for ‘’Any Other Business’’. These are immaterial things that you can discuss in a meeting if you have time to spare. Only serious matters are put in a meeting’s main Agenda. Non serious matters are lumped together under AOB. So you see how our performance,   or none thereof, and the disgrace of the entire nation and the black race was handled by the highest administrative organ in the land, the Federal Executive Council? According to Dr. Abati, the Sports Minister ‘’thanked Mr. President’’ and concluded ‘’with a pledge that his Ministry was prepared to do everything possible to address observed lapses’’.

Gone are the days when participation in the sports in the ‘’Spirit of the Sports’’ is  enough. Today the Olympics, World Athletics Championship, Commonwealth Games, Wimbledon, New York Open at Flush Meadows, and all the top sports and competitions are avenues where nations test their might, hone their prestige and honour. That is why Americans will fight to their last breath to beat Chinese on the Medals Table, not only the overall number, but the Gold count. That is why the Queen of England at age 86, will brave torrential rains, the teeming crowd, and leave his ailing husband temporarily to go to the stadium to cheer British Athletes, knowing that while they may not beat the Americans and Chinese, at least they can avoid being disgraced in their home turf by the likes of Jamaica, Cuba, and Kenya. In Nigeria what do we get? We get ‘’pledge to address observed lapses’’, after the Olympics Games have been won and lost.

In nations where people are held accountable, the Sports Minister would have resigned as a matter of honour for letting down over 160million Nigerians and over 2.5billion blacks the world over. The Chairman of the National Sports Commission, and his entire board, would have resigned for letting down the nation. But what do we get here?  We get theatrics! We get ‘’marching orders’’. We get excuses. We get laughter. How sad. Where is the honour?

Where has honour gone? Are we just realizing the role of the private sector in sports development? Didn’t the Minister know the level of our preparedness for the XXX Olympiad? Who approved our participation if we knew there were lapses? What lapses is the Minister now talking about? Didn’t the Minister brief the President on the number of medals he was expecting? Did he deliver? Why not? Until the President’s question, ‘’how can we possibly go to the Olympics and come back with nothing’’ is answered, Nigeria will remain the world’s laughing stock. How sad. Where is the honour? Once again, where is the honour?