...More ‘runaway Favour Ofili’s’ will emerge if the right policies, incentives are not put in place
By Maxwell Kumoye
Sports and athletics in particular, in many countries including Nigeria, have been used to develop and empower the teeming youth population. It has also helped the government, well meaning individuals and corporate bodies to reach their target audience and market.
It has become an industry where Athletes, Coaches, Musicians, Administrators, Marketers, Advertisers, Sponsors, and other Stakeholders earn their livelihood.
In Nigeria, there is a conscious effort at attaining that height with consistent reforms in sports and its related sectors, aimed at taking the country beyond the ordinary in all ramifications.
Through the sheer determination of our athletes and the contributions of the present administration, and certain corporate bodies, Nigeria has been able to excel in many international competitions and events, engraving the country’s in gold.
Indeed, the support of the private sector through their numerous world class clients, products and services has contributed to Nigeria’s success in this area of the economy.
However, it’s imperative to state that most of the success stories and landmark developments in sports and the showbiz sectors are gradually being eroded by the high and purposeful spending on foreign athletes by countries in America, Europe and Asia. And Turkey or Turkiye is one of them.
Only last week, the news broke that world record holder in the women’s 150m and Nigeria’s record holder in 200m, Favour Chukwuka Ofili, has decided to switch allegiance to Turkey.
Although she claimed that money was not the primary reason for her decision. All investigations, facts and the recent movements to Turkey by over a dozen Olympic Games gold medallists and World Champions in athletics, from well organized and established countries says it all.
THE FACTS BEFORE US:
The Turkish government under the leadership of 71 years old Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who is the 12th and current President of Turkey, is using sports and athletics in particular to open his country to the business, political and tourism worlds.
And one of the ways Turkey is using to grab the headlines, as well as reach its grand and rapid plan is by hooking top athletes who are not of Turkish origin to win laurels and add value to their economy.
They are offering earth-shaking incentives to lure these world class athletes including our own beloved daughter, Favour Chukwuka Ofili, into their dragnet as part of the country’s sporting ambassadors who will then invite the much needed investors and tourists to Istanbul and other parts of the country.
THE IRRESISTIBLE CARROTS
The Turkish Athletics Federation is offering half a million dollars as sign-on fee to any top athlete that agrees to switch allegiance to Turkey and a month allowance of thirty thousand dollars as training grant.
That’s not all, gold medal winners at the Olympic Games, World Championships and European Championships get half a million dollars for gold, three hundred and fifty thousand dollars goes for a silver medal and a hundred and fifty thousand dollars for a bronze medal winner, this is besides the appreance fee for these competitions.
THE RESULTS SO FAR
Six members of Team Jamaica including a gold medal winner, a silver medallist and two bronze medal winners have changed their nationality to Turkey and information making the rounds indicates that more athletes will be moving over to Istanbul after the Jamaica National Athletics Trials this weekend.
The same story goes for a number of top Kenyans, Americans and perhaps Nigerians if urgent steps are not taken in Nigeria’s case.
WHAT THE PRESIDENT MUST DO
As the popular saying goes, a stitch in time saves nine or a journey of a thousand miles begins with the first steps. The Federal Government, the National Assembly and the National Sports Commission must review our sports policies, incentives and reward packages to rekindle elite athlete’s confidence and commitment to the country.
It’s commendable that the Government has improved sports funding in the last two years, athletes are getting training grants ahead of major competitions. But the figures are a far cry compared to what Turkey, USA, UK, Germany, Morocco and South Africa are offering their top athletes.
Currently Nigeria is offering five thousand dollars for gold, three thousand dollars for silver and a thousand five hundred dollars for bronze medal winners at major competitions aside football.
This amount should be significantly improved upon, if we hope to rub shoulders with the big sporting Nations and also prevent our elite sportsmen and women from dumping Nigeria in the face of flowing milk, honey and dollars being offered to them by Turkey, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and America to mention but a few.
We cannot deny the fact that sports is under-funded from all the three tiers of government and the private sector. Our sporting infrastructures are in a sorry state, training of technical officials is lagging behind and the much needed investors are not forthcoming.
It’s informative to state that since 2021, Rwanda has hosted over 70 international competitions and sports events, generating more than $50 million in revenues. Sports is more than a game. It is a platform for youth, innovation, economic stimuli and continental and equally world visibility.
The time to take this BOLD and DECISIVE step to correct these inadequacies is NOW, not tomorrow.
Dear President, His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Glory and Gloom is in your hands. Go for what fits into the Renewal Hope agenda.
Cling to glory, and nigerian sports, athletics and our teeming youth population will blossom and write your name and that of the ‘Energetic Green and Royal White’ – NIGERIA, in GOLD.
