Minister of Sports Development, John Owan Enoh has pleaded with Nigerians for more understanding saying the Federal Government will not relent in making Nigeria a force to reckon with in global sports tournaments.
The minister made the plea at a reception organised in honour of wrestlers and coaches of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF) to the just concluded Paris Olympics which was held at the Customs Quarters in Abuja over the weekend.
Sporting Tribune recall that Team Nigeria did not win a single medal despite the N12 billion released by the Federal Government for the Games. The minister had boasted before the Games that Nigeria would surpass its Atlanta Olympics records which till date remains the best outing at the global sports fiesta. Nigeria was represented by 88 athletes and participated in 12 sports with no results to show.
Enoh, however, called for more understanding from Nigerians saying whether winning or losing, they should support their teams at all times. He described as unfortunate what happened in Paris but urged Nigerians to remember the recent successes in the sports sector.
He said the Super Eagles, against all odds, went all the way to the finals of the AFCON held earlier in the year before losing to host Cote d’Ivoire in the final and also made reference to the outings of Team Nigeria at the All Africa Games in Ghana where Nigeria came second behind Egypt.
“What happened in Paris was just unfortunate. But I want to appeal to Nigerians to continue to support their teams at all times. If we all recall, the Super Eagles, against all odds, went all the way to the finals of the AFCON in the year before losing to host Cote d’Ivoire in the final.
“Team Nigeria also emerged second at the All Africa Games in Ghana where we came second behind Egypt. I want Nigerians to remember these too and should not focus entirely on where the mistakes are. The Paralympics Team are presently in Germany and I know they will make the country proud,” the minister said.
President of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation, Daniel Igali, however, lauded the wrestlers and coaches saying they gave their best despite not winning medals in Paris.
“I want to appreciate the Minister of Sports Development, John Owan Enoh and the Comptroller General (CG) of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bashiru Adeniyi for their support to the athletes before, during and after Games.
“I thank the CG specially for hosting the wrestlers and the coaches and his support to the Federation financially and in many ways. Also the NOC were not left out. I thank the NOC for the scholarship programs enjoyed by three of our athletes.
“To you, the wrestlers, I want to thank you for your hard work and efforts of making it to the Olympics and representing the country though you slightly fell short but we should not undermine your successes before the Olympics and your various rankings in the world because the future is very bright.”
Igali described the Minister as one of the most proactive ministers he has worked with saying it is the first time that all the allowances and expenses of the athletes and coaches were paid. He called for more support for the minister and urged him to bid for the Commonwealth Games in 2030.
He said by bidding for the Commonwealth Games, it would put Nigerian athletes in right frame of mind to go into 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and the 2032 Games and do the country proud.
“The minister needs more time but to make changes, he needs to put his grip fast on the sports sector. Nigeria should bid for the 2030 Commonwealth Games because by hosting the Games, we will have more funds to refurbish a lot of our facilities and hopefully the nation will leverage on that to go into the 2028 and 2032 Olympics to make the nation proud.”
The NWF boss heaped praises on the Customs CG for his total support to the Federation. He said the CG’s has contributed in no small way to the successes being recorded by the Federation in competitions it has participated in.
The CG, who is also a member of the Wrestling Federation, said lessons have been learnt from the Olympics but commended the athletes for giving their best. He said irrespective of the outcome of the Games, the athletes made the country proud.
“The Nigeria Wrestling community is one. We stay together when we’re happy. We stay together when we are not happy. There are very many useful lessons to learn from the experience we just had at the just concluded Olympics in Paris.
“This reception was organised to enable us the opportunity to come together to appreciate our athletes and officials for the efforts they have put to take us this far. Despite that we did not have a podium finish, the athletes gave their best.
“It necessary for us to show our athletes and officials that we are indeed a Federation and nation that appreciates what they have done. We want to continue to encourage these ones and we want this to serve as a reference to the younger ones that are coming way behind them to know that the Federation and the country will always appreciate them for the efforts they put into any endeavour irrespective of the outcome,” the Customs CG told Sporting Tribune.
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