SPORTS IN NIGERIA SINCE INDEPRNDENCE

BY
EMMANUEL MGBALAM

If there is anything that has given Nigeria the brightest positive image in the eyes of the international community within the past five decade. It is sports of all the sports, that the nation has participated in, on the global scene, three tower high above all other in terms of the glory they have brought the country. They are. –football, athletics and boxing, in that order. In athletics, we have participated in such competitions as ; the Olympics. The world Athletics Championships, the commonwealth Games, the all Africa Games and others. The sprints, jumps and relays have earned us move respect than other events. However, at the highest level where it matters the most, that is at the Olympics, we have only won one gold medal. Chioma Ajunwa”s Long Jump Gold at the Atlanta 96 Olympics remain the biggest honour we have earned in athletics to have done far much better, but for the bane of late preparation, poor athletes welfare, dearth of school sports Competitions as well as inadequate training facilities.

Notable names that have done Nigeria proud in athletics include: Mary Onyali, Chioma Ajunwa Falilat Ogunkoya, Innocent Egbunike, Sunday Bada, To Mention a few. Boxing has gone down the annals of Nigeria’s history as the sport that gave Nigeria its first ever Olympic medal. Nojeem Maiyegun won a bronze medal in the Light Middleweight category at the 1964 Tolajo Olympics. Beside Maiyegun other boxers have also done Nigeria proud. A few names that are worthy of mention include:Joe Lasisi, Jerry Okorodudu, peter Konyegwachi, Besh Ali etc. The biggest name in Nigeria’s boxing history in the last fifty years is Samuel peters. He rose become WBC World Heavyweight Champion in 2007; becoming the first African to occupy that enviable position. Football has brought Nigeria much more popularity than other sports. The first victory that announced Nigeria to the world as an emerging soccer power was the FIFA Under -16 World Cup trophy that the country won in 1985 Nigeria has remained one of the most successful nation at FIFA age grade competition with three titles and three silver medals under – 17 level At under – 20 level.
We have won two silver medal; in 1989 and 2005, as well as a bronze medal at Moscow 1983. Our seeming success at age grade level hasn’t been translated at the senior level however. In four FIFA World Cup appearances, our best i9s yet a Round of sixteen showing. We have won one football gold and a silver at the Olympics. Our participation at the Africa Nations, Cup began in 1963, and in 16 appeearances, we have only managed to win two titles, in 1980 and 1994. We have also won 4 silver medals and a Cuple of bronze medals. Nigerian women began embracing football only in the late 1980s . on the Afican scen, our ladies have maintained a clear dominance of the game. But at the world stage, they are only just beginning to fundtheir rhythin our National under- 20 Women team finished as runner up at the recently concluded FIFA World Cup in Germany Several men have made Nigeria proud in football.Rashidi Yekini remains the highest scorer with 37 goals for the National Team Muda Lawal holds the record of the highest number appearances with 86 caps for the Green Eagles.

While we can safely say that Austin Okocha is the most gifted and skillful foot baler to come out of Nigeria, kanu Nwakwo remains the most decorated Nigerian player ever; beside the senior World Cup, Kanu has won virtually every other important laurel in the game. Stephen Keshi has the honour and privilege of being the longest – serving captain of our national soccer team. Within the said period, the nation has played host to a number of important sport fiestas, including. The second and eighth All Africa Games of 1973 and 2003 respectively We hosted the FIFA Under- 20 World Cup in 1999 and the under 17 in 2009. We also hosted the Africa Nations cup twice. It must be pointed out however, that one of the biggest problems we have had with our sports has been poor maintenance culture. We append so much money to put up facilities for competitions, but as soon as the competitions are over we allow the facilities to rot for want of use and maintenance. We have all it takes to achieve more than what we’ve done in the last 50 years if only we will improve on our sports management and shun corruption.

Source: recorded live from FRCN daily commentary

By 2060 when we shall be celebrating the centenary of our independence, we should have won the FIFA world cup at least once, and also hosted it along with the Olympics and commonwealth Games.
God Bless Nigeria.