Lagos — Athletics coach, Tony Osheku says he is completely overwhelmed by the reception he received on assumption of office as head coach of the Libya Amateur Athletic Federation.

The USA-trained Osheku who is unarguably Nigeria's most successful track and field coach in the 1990s and early 2000 late last year got a renewable one year deal to take charge of Libya 's top athletes and prepare them for next year's IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Daegu, South Korea and London 's 2012 Olympic Games a year later.

On February 9, the coach was presented a huge cake right on the track of the main stadium in Tripoli after the morning training session to mark his birthday with the vice president of the Libya Amateur Athletic Federation spearheading the celebration party

'I am grateful to God that Libya have recognised my worth and have decided to give me this job. They want me to give seminars to their coaches and I'm also in charge of the technical areas. I was told they have been monitoring my career since the early 1990s when I lured Falilat Ogunkoya back to the track and inspired her to not only win two unprecedented Olympic medals and African records in the same Olympics but also made her, through God's grace I must add, the number one quarter miler in the world in 1998', Said Osheku in a telephone chat from his base in Tripoli, Libya.

Osheku says he is not angry with Nigerian officials for not recognising his worth and that of other talented coaches like Taiwo Ariyo who is now in Saudi Arabia as their junior sprint head coach. He even promised to assist Nigerian athletes anytime he comes to the country on vacation. He gets an all expense paid-trip to any part of the world for his one month, once-a-year vacation.

'With the kind of love shown to me by the Libya Amateur Athletic Federation and the Libyan people, I think this is one of the best things that has happened

to me as a coach. It is true some of us were frustrated by Athletic Federation of Nigeria officials who believe more in foreign coaches and some retired and obviously tired local coaches but I believe everything has happened for good. I am proud to be here where the people respect what I have achieved as a coach in the past and the promise of what I am offering now," he said.