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Nigeria: Ogba Pleads With Ministerto Save Country From Disgrace
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Vanguard (Lagos)
24 July 2008
Posted to the web 24 July 2008
Onochie Anibeze
Solomon Ogba has joined those raising alarm that disaster awaits Nigeria at the Beijing Olympics.But unlike many who have lost hope in the Nigerian team following the avalanche of problems, Ogba feels the situation can still be remedied to some extent. He is calling on the sports minister, Abdulrahaman Gimba to swing into action immediately.
"The situation in Nigerian camp is courting disaster but I think that it is what the minister can handle," Ogba, the erstwhile Commissioner of Sports in Delta State said. He led Delta to win three out of the last four National Sports Festivals. His knowledge of track and field is tremendous.
"I'm shocked that our teams are still here in Nigeria when they are supposed to be shapening up abroad and getting ready for the games.
The minister should get them out of the country right now. It is late but something can still be done. Staying here will jeopardize our chances of winning anything at all.
There are still hopes if they can leave now and train well.
"Patrick Ekeji (Director of Sports Development) should put his feet down and insist on things being done professionally. I want people to know that it is not only football that Ekeji knows," he said.
The ministry has been facing poor funding. Government released money only last week and we gathered last night that officials were still battling to access it.
Against this background, the Nigerian camp split and is now almost in disarray. Some athletes found their ways to Europe to compete and make money, thereby burning themselves. This is counter-productive in an Olympic time.
Some went to train on their own. Ogba who singlehandedly paved the way for some Nigerian athletes to move to USA to base there last week ordered Long Jump hopeful Blessing Okagbore out of Nigeria and back to the US to train before coming to China. Before this, many athletes had deserted the Nigerian camp out of frustration. This would not have happened if the Nigerian team was well funded and athletes embarked on training tour as other countries do.
Earlier in the week, media reports suggested that Gimba's directive that a certain travel agent be used to procure tickets for the Nigerian contingent further delayed their trip. We gathered yesterday that the minister had to do so because the ministry had no money and the agent agreed to give the tickets on credit. "The agent did not cause any delay. He couldn't have gotten seats for all the athletes in a day or two.
They approached him late and he even tried because some of the athletes are scheduled to leave tonight. They have not even paid for the tickets," a source said yesterday, further revealing the messy situation of the Nigerian camp. Wrestling team was slated to move to Korea for training that may lack steam following the aforementioned circumstances. Track and Field team still doesn't know when they will leave.
"They have just succeeded in disorganising us," one athlete said yesterday. Some are in US, some in Europe and the rest in Nigeria. They are not yet a team and the games are in 16 days time.
The minister who has been streamlining the team and reducing the contingent two days ago insisted that only three medical doctors accompany the entire Nigerian contingent. Top officials of the ministry were said to have openly disagreed with him, educating him on the implications.
While handing the athletes over to the National Olympic Committee last Friday, the minister told the athletes that he would ensure that not many officials would be at the games "to distract you."
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He is living up to his words. We gathered that even some directors may not be on the team to the Olympics and the idea of hiring a house (The Nigerian House) that would serve as an office to the members of the Nigerian Olympic Family as was previously done may not be necessary. Many other countries rent houses for such purposes but Gimba is said to be determined to reduce costs in Beijing.
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