Thank You Amusan, Brume For The Relief

Adeboye 'Fall My Hand'

For once, in a long while, we heaved a sigh of relief with the refreshing news coming from far away Oregun in the United States, with the stunning performances of our ladies, Toby Amusan and Ese Brume. While Brume finished second in the long jump event, Amusan simply got the world talking and wondering with a jaw-dropping, record-breaking gold medal in the women’s 100m hurdles.

The 25-year-old Amusan beat a field of dominant champions, including former world record holder Kendra Harrison, Jamaica’s Britany Anderson and Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, to become Africa’s first ever gold medalists in the women’s 100m hurdles.

Amusan, who had broken her own record 12.12 seconds performance in the semi-final in the final with an unacceptable wind-assisted 12.06 seconds, chose the right time and the right place to stun the world. There couldn’t have been a better venue to put up such a five-star performance.

That more than anything else is the reason the world has been talking. From those who have hailed her performance to those who have reduced the debate to the type of shoes worn and questions over the appropriateness of the timing. What cannot be disputed is the fact that Amusan beat a field of the very best in the world to achieve that feat.

For me, this is a refreshing news from our girls and serves as soothing balm and relief for many in a nation that seems to have been doing everything wrongly. It was a relief from the gory news of killings and kidnappings. It is a relief from the negative news that goes out of this country and for which the world is beginning to define us as a people.  It is also a bold statement to accentuate the saying that sports has done more to project the image of this nation and must be used in a conscious effort to tackle the myriads of challenges that have held us down for so long.

Unfortunately, our sports administration has been left for the least qualified persons to oversee. All they do is raise money; prepare teams for international events and return to wait for the next big event in the sporting calendar to prepare for.

On May 12, this year, the Nigerian government announced a self-imposed two-year ban and withdrawal from basketball to allow for the setting up of an Interim Management Committee to oversee the management and development of the domestic leagues.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Youth and Sports, President Muhammadu Buhari approved the country’s immediate withdrawal from all international basketball competitions for two years.

“Following the unending crises that have plagued and nearly crippled Basketball development in the country, President Muhammadu Buhari has today approved the immediate withdrawal of Nigeria from all International Basketball competitions for a period of two years,” the statement signed by Mohammed Manga Director (Press & Public Relations) read in part.

The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, said the withdrawal of Nigeria was to provide the government with the opportunity to revamp the sport from the grassroots as well as revive the domestic leagues which have become moribund.

Sounds more like throwing the baby with the bath water. Sorry, it sounds more like cutting off the head in seeking a solution to a mere headache. No minister of sports worth his salt will take this drastic decision in total disregard to the effect this will have on the poor young boys and girls who see sports as a means to escape poverty and the hopelessness that confronts the Nigerian youth.

The Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) has been plagued by a series of crises over the years and currently has two parallel boards laying claim to the leadership of the federation. And so for an inept minister, the way to solving, what is clearly an administrative failure on his part as the supervising minister, was preventing opportunities for young and budding talents from this nation to explore opportunities open to them around the globe.

Mr Minister, if our football league is moribund, if boxing is moribund, if athletics is moribund and if sports in general is now in coma, doesn’t this tell us that the problem is with the administration of sports?

Meanwhile, this was happening at a time when the nation was ascending in female basketball and beginning to stamp their authority on the African continent and global stages and had qualified for the 2022 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup scheduled for Australia. That same sports minister would be celebrating Amusan and Brume. The same government that stood aloof and could do nothing about resolving the crisis in basketball leadership has been celebrating the achievements of these girls as though they cared a hoot how these athletes fared.

The superlative performances of these girls at the world championship is coming a few weeks after the brazen breach of security at the Kuje prison that led to the release of hundreds of prisoners including detained terrorist combatants, as well as attack on presidential guard where the Nigerian Army said it recorded three casualties when its troops from the guards brigade’s 7 battalion ran into an ambush by gunmen on Sunday at Bwari.

The report of the success of these women has given Nigerians reasons to be proud. This is at a time when the larger sociopolitical space has been overrun by non-state actors, politicians who had hitherto taken refuge in Abuja, while their country homes were deserted can no longer feel safe in Abuja. Unity schools have been closed and parents in a frenzy have been picking their children from schools. This is the story of a country that is so blessed and yet appears cursed with rudderless leadership.

Perhaps, the most unfortunate thing to happen last week was that in the midst of fear, uncertainty and universal insecurity across the country, President Buhari still had time to jet to Liberia to discuss insecurity on the continent.

The take away from the US outings by Amusan and Brume, was also the fact that sports again proved the ultimate unifier of Nigerians. While we celebrated, we spoke in one voice and never cared where these girls are from nor the language they speak. It did not matter what their religious faith was. We just celebrated.

What our floundering political class does not realise is that our youth are no longer looking up to them to realise their dreams, they have since taken their destiny in their hands and are ready to achieve their set goals, regardless of government support. Therefore, the least expected of the political class is not to stand on their way to success with poor administrative or political judgments.

Once again, thank you, Ese and Toby, you have proven that with the right leadership, Nigeria would be the envy of the world. 2023 offers us the opportunity to reset this potentially great but disappointing nation.

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