AFTERMATH OF RIO OLYMPICS
David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka
The Proprietor of Rojenny Stadium, Chief Rommy Ezeonwuka has called on the Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung, to resign from the post after Nigeria’s woeful performance at the just Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Speaking with journalists yesterday, Ezeonwuka said that Dalung’s resignation would be the only way to apologise to Nigerians and sports lovers for the poor outing of Team Nigeria at Rio2016.
He said this was part of the urgent steps that should be taken towards restructuring the Nigerian sports sector to forestall further embarrassment in the international arena.
While lauding the Samson Siasia led Dream Team VI for registering the country’s name on the medals table, Ezeonwuka described the general performance of Team Nigeria as disgraceful.
“Nigeria only got what she prepared for from the Olympics because the Minister, Solomon Dalung, did not show or give the quadrennial event the seriousness it deserved.
“The minister should honourably resign because he had shown himself to be more of politician than a sports administrator.
“It is good that our soccer team won bronze but we’ve know the story, they won because of their individual commitments to the country.
“The team was stranded in Atlanta and it took the intervention of John Mikel Obi before they could get to Brazil yet we have a minister in-charge of sports in the country. We need genuine change in all sectors, most especially in sports,” stressed the proprietor.
He described as unfortunate that government at all levels have refused to invest in the sports sector.
“Our government refused to invest in sport that unites us as a country but they continue to fund religion that tears us apart. If you remember, all that matters to Nigerians when ever any of our athletes was competing during the Games was success of Team Nigeria not the tribe or religion of such athletes,” he further observed.
Ezeonwuka said it was time Nigeria identified her area of sporting advantage and streamlined her contingent to international meets instead of going for many events and not excelling in any.
“I think this jamboree should stop, let us train Olympians in events we have advantage and not go with eight or nine events and flop in all of them when smaller countries like South Africa, Kenya and Ethiopia with smaller teams do better,” he said.
