By Ayo Oyoze Baje
Quote
“Let me use this opportunity to call on sports administrators in Nigeria to recognize retired athletes and footballers who did so well when they represented the country during their various careers.”
-Chief Falilat Ogunkoya (Olympic Medallist):
The sports news headlines are simply captivating, engaging and inspiring. A few of such would do as an insight into the body of this discourse. For instance: “Three Nigerian weightlifters who won gold medals on the same day at the 2026 Commonwealth Games are Edidiong Joseph Umoafia, Onome Omolola Didih, and Rafiatu Folashade Lawal. They delivered clutch performances on Day 4 of #Glasgow2026′.The next one is similarly pride – provoking. It stated that: ”
Kayinsola Ajayi became the first male Nigerian sprinter to win a 100m medal (Bronze ) at the Commonwealth Games, since Olusoji Fasuba won Silver at 2006 Melbourne Games.” That came after 20 good years! But there are more of such history -making and game-changing performances to reckon with.
A look at the prominent Nigerian sports record breakers is of necessity. For instance, Chioma Ajunwa won the Olympics gold medal in long jump in 1996, and the first Nigeria to achieve that feat.Tobi Amusan set the women’s 100m hurdles world record at 12.12 seconds during the 2022 World Athletics Championships semi-finals. On his part, Kayinsola Ajayi smashed a 20-year-old national record by clocking 9.84 seconds in the men’s 100m. And Chukwuebuka Enekwechi set the national shot put record with a throw of 22.10 meters.
Also in the field of Para-Sports, Folashade Oluwafemiayo shattered multiple world and Paralympic records in the women’s heavy para-powerlifting categories.Bose Omolayo also set world records in the -79 kg para-powerlifting class while Goodness Nwachukwu broke the F42 discus throw world record at the Commonwealth Games.
.In the fascinating field of football Freestyle and Endurance, Chinonso Eche: holds multiple Guinness World Records for most consecutive football touches and headers.Vincent Okezie secured multiple records for football “around the world” juggling tricks.
In addition, Harrison Chinedu set the record for the farthest distance walked while balancing a football on the head (48.04 km).
With regards to the soccer world, Nigeria’s youth football team won the FIFA U-17 World Cup five times in 1985, 1993, 2007, 2013, and 2015.
So, wherever you might be,
mention football superstars and iconic names such as Jay Jay Okocha, Nwakwo Kanu , Sunday Oliseh, Rashidi Yekini, Mikel Obi, Vincent Onyeama, Segun Odegbami, and Victor Osimhen crop up, ringing a loud, global bell. But what has really happened to some of our top footballers and athletes years after retirement? That is the critical question.
Painfully, not a few of our once prominent Nigerian footballers and athletes have faced severe financial distress or poverty after retirement. These include Celestine Babayaro, Wilson Oruma, and Rashidi Yekini. While in some instances some suffered out of financial mismanagement, failed investments, scams, and a lack of post-career support, leading one or two to their untimely deaths, the persisting problem of government”s crassy neglect of their wellbeing has turned their life trajectory from hero -to-zero.
Yet, these heroes who sweated it out to hone and showcase their talents to the world certainly deserve a better deal. It is not only when their glory is shining that they should be honoured and checked on but more so when they have retired. And that is because they remain Nigeria’s brand ambassadors.
From the perspective of positive image, success in sports changes how people view a nation, shifting focus from past troubles to current achievements. Believe it or not, most of these patriotic sportsmen and women have in one way or the other reshaped Nigeria’s image as that of being peopled by an irredeemably crop of corrupt political elite and rudderless yahoo-yahoo youth to that of a nation that is not only abundantly blessed with natural resources to that of one with gifted human capital. That is similar to several of our young, ingenious brains breaking records in the academic world.
This set of footballers and athletes assist to boost tourism, especially when Nigeria hosted a junior world cup tournament in 1999 and 2009. The country hosted the FIFA World Youth Championship (U-20) in 1999 and the FIFA U-17 World Cup back in 2009. Through such the viewers were able to see beautiful stadiums and cities, which also literally sold Nigeria to the world.
Such big games bring in tourists who pay for hotels, food, and travel.In addition, building stadiums and hosting events creates work for local people. Furthermore, considering global trade, famous athletes and winning teams attract big international companies to invest.
Without doubt therefore, national teams make citizens forget their differences and feel proud together. As role models, great athletes such as Jay Jay Okocha, Ahmed Musa, Tobi Amusan and Victor Osimhen
inspire the youth to work hard and stay healthy, as winning games shows the strength and talent of a country to the rest of the world.
Even as we collectively rejoice at the athletes doing us proud at the Commonwealth Games and footballers rebranding our image across the globe, this is the time for both the government and the private sector to come up with pragmatic policies, programs and projects to enhance the wellbeing of our athletes and footballers long after they have left the global stage of sports.
That reminds us of the thought -provoking words of
Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau (NFF President):. Said he; “These legends did Nigeria proud in their different lifetimes. They were warriors. They defended our colours, inspired our youth and lifted our spirits. We will never forget their amazing contributions.”. No, we should not! Now is the time for fruitful action.
