Uncertainty and Nigerian sports sleep together, while those in charge of administration are experts in singing discordant tones, but amidst this cacophony, Nigerian athletes have always stirred up results, the year 2015 was no exception.
The achievements of the country’s sportsmen and women in the year ending, holds out a lot of hope for Nigeria, and only if the successes recorded can be built upon, the nation will have more to celebrate in the New Year.
However, lessons learnt must be put to use. As admitted by National Sports Commission director-general, Al Hassan Yakmut at the last Africa Games in Congo, there is lot of work to be done, if Nigeria were to be in the league of top sporting nations. But at the last check, those sermons by Yakmut are turning out to be mere persuasions to keep sports journalist busy scribbling away.
Of course the centre attraction in Nigeria sports is football. And there is so much to celebrate, even as the Nigeria Football Federation is bouncing like a yoyo in the hands of a little child; it is a wonder how Amaju Pinnick has been able to strike a balance in the midst of ever present storms in the football house. He has done a good job one year after being in the saddle of affairs. With the change of leadership at the centre, many predicted that his days are numbered. But if words by youth and sports minister, Solomon Dalung, urging Nigerian sports officials to eschew crisis and live by the rules at the NFF congress earlier this month in Abuja are anything to go by, then Mr. Pinnick need not panic, his days will be long at the NFF.
His first major function in 2015 was to sack former Super Eagles captain, Stephen Keshi as the coach of the Super Eagles. Keshi riding on the crest of popular opinions and good rapport with kitchen cabinet members of the former President Goodluck Jonathan after winning the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations and a second round finish at the 2014 World Cup. He had little regard for the NFF, but once the political dust was settled, the NFF had to settle scores so to speak; Sunday Oliseh was appointed as coach in his place.
Oliseh, also a former captain of the Super Eagles wasted no time in raising dust in the camp of the Eagles. He stripped long serving goal keeper, Vincent Enyeama of the captain band and handed it over to Ahmed Musa, of course Enyeama did not take it lying low. There was rumble in the camp, and Oliseh was shaken by the wave public condemnation of his action. However, the NFF waded into the matter and both men kissed and made up, but that did not stop Enyeama from announcing his retirement from the national team, striker Emmanuel Emenike followed suit.
On the field, the Super Eagles struggled in their World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. And this is raising some concern among members of the NFF and it was suggested by Amaju that Oliseh may need some help.
The Super Falcons, like the naira against the dollar are in a free fall. They failed to fly at the FIFA Women World Cup: agreed, they were in tough group, but preparations were not the best. After the dismal outing in Canada, they vowed to make amends with qualification for the Olympics, but they failed. The Super Falcons also failed to raise their game at the Africa Games in Congo and many began to question the NFF’s rationale for refusing to renew the contract of coach Edwin Okon. The Super Falcons are still without a coach even as the qualifiers of the 2016 African Women Championship is knocking on the door.
Nigerian clubs crumbled like paper in fire from continental contests. Enyimba and Kano Pillars in the CAF champions League, Warri Wolves and Dolphins in the Confederation all crashed out before the group stages.
The Flying Eagles parading most of the players who won the 2013 U-17 World Cup in UAE failed to jell In 2015. They Succumbed to superior teams at the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in New Zealand. Coach Manu Garba was accused of making the wrong choices.
However, The Golden Eaglets under Emmanuel Amuneke were a class act at the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Chile. The Eaglets won the trophy for a record fifth time in the tournament, where Victor Osimhen also claimed the goals scoring records. With nine goals he claimed the golden boot award.
The odds staked against coach Samson Siasia as faced the daunting task of qualifying Nigeria for the 2016 Olympics. He did not hide his frustrations, which include the kidnap of his aged mother, but he went on to win the Africa Under-23 Tournament in Dakar Senegal, and also qualified for the 2016 Olympics. However, the Under-23 team failed to break the jinx of Nigeria not winning the gold medal of the Africa Games they settled for the bronze after a penalty shootout with the hosts Congo.
In basketball, Nigeria won the Afrobasket championship for the first time, not only that. D’Tigersas they are fondly called beat Angola, the untouchables of African basketball at the tournament. However at the All Africa Games, the Nigeria team, settled for bronze and it was generally concluded that the D’Tigers are nothing without their Nigerian-born American players. This was something hotly disputed by coach Sanni Ahmed.
Athletics had a turbulent season; first there was the usually lack of funds to run the Athletics Federation of Nigeria’s programmes. But this did not stop the country’s athletes from doing well at the African junior championships in Addis Ababa Ethiopia and also the African youth championships in Mauritius. However, it was still the regular junior athletes whose faces we have been seen before, but technical officials argued that these athletes are still within the age grade. Divine Oduduru summed up it when he declared that he was tired of running in the junior cadre.
Cross River where athletics seem to have found a home, pulled out of sponsorship of the national open trials, but for the quick fix manoeuvres by AFN president, Solomon Ogba, the athletes would have been left stranded. The Championships was moved to Warri.
At the Beijing 2015 World Championships Nigeria failed to win a single medal. The highlight of the event was Blessing Okagabre’s opting out of the 200m after she claimed to have picked up an injury. However, a week later at the IAAF Diamond League in Zurich, Switzerland she ran one her best race of the season much to the chagrin of athletics and NSC officials. She was subsequently threatened with expulsion from the Olympics, by the NSC if she failed to attend the Africa Games.
At the Africa Games though Nigeria failed to win any of the sprint gold medals, Nigeria athletes gave a good account of themselves athletes like Urukpe Eriyokan, Patience Okon, Tobiloba Amusan, Tega Odele and Ogho-Oghene Egwero ran their personal best in their respective events.
It was an indication that more funding for the athletes will see them making good times, however the promise of supporting them by NSC with grants and early camp seems to have faded after the Africa Games.
Nigerian boxers and wrestlers also made huge impact at the Games. The Nigeria wrestling Federation led by Daniel Igali produced nine gold medals. Igali was optimistic that his wards will do well at the Olympics, only if they get the requisite training.
This is something Barrister Dalung has been scratching his head on, since his appointment in November. Sports enthusiasts have eagerly waited to know who will be in charge of the sector. When Dalung came on board, he was greeted with mix feelings, but he was given the benefit of the doubt, he has made his promises, and Nigerians are looking up to him to deliver quality leadership and direction in the New Year.
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