Nigeria and the 2012 summer Olympics

One event I will not forget so soon is the just concluded 2012 summer Olympic games and this is not because I enjoyed watching any of it but because of Nigeria’s excellent performances in all of the events they participated in, so much D’Tigers helped Team USA make a record in a basket ball game. I mean the result was only a manifestation of what most Nigerians had predicted even before their London bound flight left the country, Nigerians being the pessimistic people we are.

I watched the opening parade and saw the Nigerian contigent raise the country’s flag with smiles on their faces. One even had a dark shade on, in sharp contrast to his white teeth which shone brightly. Another woman danced with so much energy, one would think she had secured a gold medal already. Now as I watch the closing ceremony, I look out for that flag, that smile and that dance, I find nothing similar and dit dawns on me I was ‘sleeping on a ladder’ (this is the slang in our newsroom. Feel free to ask Wizkid for the meaning).

I realised the ‘drama’ I saw 16 days ago was nothing but a facade and behind it lay a bunch of unprepared individuals whose preparation for medals was as bleak as devil’s desire for a spot in heaven.

The game began and just as expected, medals showed forth not. It continued and still, medals refused to be. Nigeria’s best then became the the world’s 200th as none came close to a bronze medal in all of the over 300 events. Chika Chukwumerije, Blessing Okagbare and a few others could be pardoned for they truly gave brilliant performances but of course the truth is that they got us neither silver nor gold.

I know many have already complained about our shameful outing, and condemned the athletes and officials, but I add my voice; in support of the athletes, all of whom were ‘unluckily’ selected to embarass themselves and the country in from of the whole world- or how else would one explain the decision to send people on an errand without the item to deliver to the reciever?

Nigeria could have excused herself from this year’s edition. We could have asked to be excused, then taken time to prepare for the next, at least that would have saved money, time and the entire nation from this big disgrace.

On the bright side, though: our athletes still outshone some countries especially as they maintained calm and scandaless lives during their brief stay; as compared to Cameroon which not only lost out of the medal share but also lost several team members, who absconded from camp in search of greener pastures. How embarrasing!