Nigeria has had its highs and lows in sports generally, and athletics in particular.The story lately is becoming really worrisome as Nigeria’s sports development seems stunted.The talents are there, but talents, like potentials, are not enough to transform the country to a sporting power-house,if not properly harnessed.From football to athletics two dominant and elite sports, the struggle to regain relevance seems light years away.
Nothing better signposts the struggle in our football like the ongoing World Cup qualifiers, where the Super Eagles are facing the painful prospects of not qualifying for the 2026 mundial. If that happens, it will be back-to-back absence from the World Cup and the painful sacrifice of some players not making the world cup in their career.
This is however not the thrust of this piece but the steady decline in the country’s athletics with its attendant loss of sponsorship.There was a time when Nigeria was always sure of having one or two athletes in the finals of almost every event entered for at major global events like the Olympics, World Athletics Championships and the Commonwealth Games.We are painfully losing that enviable record as we struggle to have finalists at Olympics and World Athletics Championships.
Today you struggle to pick Nigerians who can make finals of their events,let alone making a podium finish.Since Tobi Amusan set the world record in 100m hurdles (12.12s) in the semi final at the World Championship in 2022 in Eugene, Oregun, and also went ahead to win the gold in the final,the light seems to have been put off. Maybe, the other name that readily comes to mind is Chukwuebuka Enekwechi,who made the final of the Short Put at the Tokyo Worlds, finishing fifth with a throw of 21.52m.On day of the Worlds our two entrants in the Discuss did not make it to the final.The coming through of Nathaniel Ezekiel, the reigning NCAA 400m hurdles champion,however, brings a rare of hope.
The standout point of our progressive decline in athletics is the failure to pick any spot in the relays,where Nigeria had always had hope of medalling. How can anyone explain that Nigerian could not qualify for any relay event at the ongoing Worlds in Tokyo, both men and women.? From 4x100m men and women, 4x400m men and women and 4x400m mixed relay. How we failed to attend the World Relays in China earlier in the year left us running from pillar to post looking for qualification.
Unfortunately, we had not the funds to invite our best legs to compete in some of the championships where we failed to make the qualifying standards.These same administrators, who could not fund inviting our elite athletes to join the team seeking for qualification are all in Japan now flexing on tax payers expense.This also explains why some athletes dump the country for pastures new, and we blackmail and demonise them for switching nationality on basis of financial gains.
The resultant effect of our athletics decline has been what i call ‘chere weere’ patronage from sponsors,both at home and abroad. ‘Chere weere’ is an Igbo slang that simply means ‘wait and take.’The good old days of the country’s athletics saw Nigeria had romance with kitting giants like Nike, Adidas, Puma,and Fila .Those days, the athletes were better for it given the financial goodies attached when athletes make finals or win medals at the continental Games ,Commonwealth Games, World Championships and the Olympics.There was truly motivation from the sponsors to the athletes, in addition to their individual sponsors.
The latest romance with HiRacer sponsoring Team Nigeria and 19 others to the Worlds in Tokyo, have left many wondering how we got to this level.You are tempted to ask, what are the benefits of this sponsorship for the country and athletes?What is the nature of it and for how long?Are there any financial benefits attached ? Nigeria has the unenviable history of signing secret contracts, across sporting federations, even though the property or product belongs to Nigerians not to an individual.
Looking at the countries being sponsored by HiRacer at the Worlds alongside Nigeria, will draw tears from your eyes.How on earth can Nigeria be in the same class with with the likes of South Sudan, Iran, Iraq, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Laos, Eswatini and Mozambique Twelve of the other 19 countries being sponsored by HiRacer came with just one athlete, except Algeria with 11 athletes, the highest outside Nigeria. Bahrain with our Enugu born Salwa Eid Nasser for the 400m, came with only eight athletes, a male and seven females.
Nigeria is an athletics powerhouse, even as the story today is lamentable,but to fail to attract any worthy sponsor but HiRacer shows our state is pitiable.Painfully, what we have seen of the kits left much to be desired, as even the athletes are making a joke of it.The kits had no singlet, no tight, no three-quarter pant or long pant.Everything was rationed as if they only had pity on us and decided, as an after thought, to dash us some for our athletes.Even the packaging, in a nylon, shows their class.For a world championships, and that is the best way to brand yourself,it’s a No No for people with eyes for beauty? It is not a surprise athletes are dumping Nigeria for countries that value them and know how to treat athletes well.Many more will likely follow, if urgent steps are not taken to address this embarrassing situation.
Ahead of Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, now is the time to rebrand from this our ineptitude and cry of no funds and embrace international best practices.You don’t mouth best practices but demonstrate mediocrity.Now is the time to plan to excel at 2028 Olympics, we should be ashamed and tired of going to Olympics and returning empty after wasting tax payers money.Government itself must show seriousness and hold the administrators accountable and hand down strict orders, if you are not sure of medal, stay back.This is the only way we can become serious.We have had enough of these embarrassing moments and now is the time to turn a new leaf, but certainly not with HiRacer, except there is more we don’t know.
Compare the sponsors/Kit suppliers of these countries with Team Nigeria
Britain – Nike
USA – Puma
Kenya – Nike
Botswana – Puma
South Africa – New Balance
Jamaica – Puma
Ethiopia – Adidas
Morocco – Puma
Uganda – Nike
Canada – Lululemon
Below are the 20 countries HiRacer has partnership or sponsoring at the Worlds in Tokyo.
Nigeria
Algeria
Bahrain
Uzbekistan
Zambia
Tunisia
Malaysia
Myanmar
Tajikistan
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Mali
Cambodia
Iraq
Mozambique
South Sudan
Eswatini
Iran
Palestine
Turkmenistan
