The athletes who represented Nigeria at the 2016 Paralympics arrived the country on Sunday with eight gold, two silver and two bronze medals. The number of gold medals won was two short of the 10 promised by the athletes but we believe the performance was still very commendable.
Powerlifting gave Nigeria six gold medals at the games courtesy of Rowland Ezurike, Paul Kehinde, Lucy Ejike, Bose Omolayo, and Josephine Orji while athletics produced gold medals in shot put through Onye Lauretta and javelin through Flora Ugwuna. The dance steps of Lauretta after winning her shot put gold was exceptional. It will linger in the minds of many for a long time.
Such was the patriotic zeal of the athlete. We are aware that Team Nigeria’s Paralympics athletes have been consistent. They never disappointed. They always make the country proud at all continental and global events. Our investigations revealed that the key to the consistent results being posted by these athletes is hard work.
The athletes train without season. With or without a coach, they train rigorously because work out is seen as a way of life. Some of them cannot walk properly and some are even partially sighted. Yet, they enjoy coming together to train, keep fit and generally make themselves happy.
They enjoy training regularly even when there are no competitions before them. It is of huge concern that most of the special sports athletes do not have means of livelihood and there are no competitions to keep them busy or serve as means of winning some price monies like their abled counterparts.
It is really amazing that despite all the odds, these athletes excel at global stage. We recall that at the Olympics Games proper which took place between August 5 and 21, Nigeria only managed to win a bronze medal courtesy of the U-23 team in the men’s football event.
It is sad that the winless run recorded at London 2012 Olympic Games almost repeated itself it Rio. On the con-trary, the Paralympic athletes won five gold medals in London but surpassed it at the Rio Games.
That is progression and so the glorious heroes and heroines should be shown appreciation not only by government but other wellmeaning Nigerians and multinational bodies. We believe what the Paralympic athletes needs most from Nigerians is love.
This is the best time to do so for these hard working people. It is important to also remember that the glorious athletes prepared for the competition in tears. They barely feed well. Some of them paid to keep fit in the run-in to the games and also paid some experienced coaches to be ready for the games.
Most of them are not under any form of employment and they do not have good homes as well. Government can give the medallists automatic employment in their respective bases. There should also be employment opportunities in stadia and local governments for other athletes who did not make it to the games. Some failed to make it because they do not have money to prepare well like others who struggled, borrowed money to make the cut for the games.
We also recommend that a sports hall with gymnasium and accommodation facilities be built in major cities like Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Delta for the use of the special sports athletes. Only recently the sports reform committee submitted its report to the minister and recommended that a gold medallist at the level of the Olympic Games should be given N10m, N5m for silver and N2.5m for bronze.
President Muhammadu Buhari can make a bold statement by starting with the Paralympic athletes even if it is half of the recommendation of the committee. On the other hand, the ministry can source funds from the private sector to put smiles on the faces of these athletes.
We make bold to say nothing can be too much to compensate the athletes. It is bad enough that there is no sports policy and so there seems to be nothing to fall back on as platform to reward the great job done by the special athletes.
This is an enormous test to the ministry of sports and the Buhari administration. At the airport reception held for the athletes, Permanent Secretary in the ministry of sports, Christian Ohaa, said: “This is one of the most astonishing performances that have brought great honour to this country.
It goes to prove that beyond strength, there is also ability in disability. “You told us that you were going to make Nigerians proud and you fulfilled your promise. It was a wonderful outing because Nigeria emerged the best country leading in Africa in Paralympic Games and we are 17th in world.”
These are kind words, Nigerians appreciate the feat achieved by the special sports athletes but government should adequately compensate them so that ‘their labour will not be in vain.’ The response of government and corporate organisations at a time like this, we believe, will go a long way in motivating other athletes in preparing scrupulously to bring honours to the country.
