The past few days have been particularly traumatic for me, with anxiety levels peaking as I watched some Nigerian athletes advance to the semifinals and finals of their respective events at the Paris Olympics.
A sense of hope had begun to stir within me—perhaps Nigeria had a chance to win a few medals.
However, even our fastest woman, Tobi Amusan, couldn’t secure a place in the 100m hurdles final, reminding us that indeed, “the race does not belong to the swift.”Yet, I remain hopeful that Amusan and other athletes will rise again.
For the first time since Seoul 1988, Nigeria’s athletes returned home empty-handed. “The Paris Disaster” as the Honourable Minister of Sports, Senator John Enoh aptly termed it prompted a deep reflection on factors that have contributed to Nigeria’s poor performance at global levels.
First, a closer look at our competing athletes reveals a concerning trend. Favour Ofili, who made history as the first Nigerian woman to reach the 200m final since Mary Onyali in 1996, has been nurturing her talent at Louisiana State University under American coach Dennis Shaver. Similarly, 18-year-old Samuel Ogazi, the first Nigerian man to reach the 400m final since Innocent Egbunike’s 1988 feat, has been training at the University of Alabama since 2023. This pattern extends to other athletes like Tobi Amusan, long jump stars Ese Brume and Ruth Usoro, and even our entire women’s basketball team, D’Tigress.
The stark reality is that a significant portion of our Olympic team was trained outside Nigeria. This fact underscores a fundamental issue: Nigeria’s failure to invest in sports development as we should.
I have intentionally decided not to put the blame entirely at the feet of the government. Wonder Why? Universities across the country rarely offer sports scholarships, and investments in training facilities are minimal. Sports competitions, other than football, rarely attract sponsorship or attention. This lack of support has left many talented athletes without the resources and opportunities they need to excel.
I, too, share in this blame. Two years ago, I organised a sporting event where I offered scholarships to athletes. In all honesty, I prioritized footballers over sprinters, jumpers, and others. I also sponsor a football club – – Henrich FC, but if I had received more support from fellow Nigerians, I would have extended my vision to include track and field sports—a goal I still intend to pursue.
We have also neglected the crucial “catch them young” opportunities that are important for nurturing talent. There’s a direct correlation between the poor performance of Nigerian-trained athletes and the decline in secondary school sports. Historically, secondary schools have been breeding grounds for athletic talent. However, recent years have seen a significant reduction in support for sports programs at this level due to lack of funding, inadequate facilities, and reduced emphasis on physical education in the curriculum. Without a strong foundation at the secondary school level, identifying and nurturing young talent becomes challenging, leading to a weak pipeline of athletes capable of competing at elite levels like the Olympics.
Despite these challenges, the achievements of athletes like Amusan, Ofili and Ogazi offer a glimmer of hope for Nigeria’s Olympic future. As the country prepares for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, it is crucial to build on these successes and break the medal drought.
To the Honourable Minister of Sports and Commissioners across the 36 states, I offer the following recommendations: Let us –
- Invest in grassroots sports development, particularly in secondary schools. Establish a national program to identify and nurture young talents across various sports disciplines.
- Focus on developing all sports disciplines equally, rather than prioritizing football over others. This will ensure a more balanced and robust sports culture in Nigeria.
- Encourage universities to offer more sports scholarships, not just for football but for track and field, basketball, and other sports. This will provide young athletes with the support they need to excel academically and athletically.
- Implement a talent retention strategy to encourage Nigerian athletes training abroad to contribute to the development of sports in Nigeria.
- Invest in coach education and development programs to improve the quality of coaching at all levels.
- Create a transparent and merit-based athlete selection process for international competitions.
- Create incentives for private companies to sponsor sports competitions and provide financial support for athletes. This will help diversify funding sources and ensure that more sports receive the attention they deserve.
- Develop a comprehensive national sports policy that focuses on long-term athlete development, from grassroots to elite levels.
By implementing these recommendations, we can work towards reversing the “Paris Disaster” and building stronger, more successful attempts in future competitions.
Engr Henrich Akomolafe is a Forbes 30 under 30 Alumnus and Sports Administrator (Henrich FC, Ikere). He writes from Abuja. He is on X @henrich_banks
