As Nigeria marks its sixty fourth Liberty Pace yearly, ABIODUN ADEWALE spotlights some moments within the closing 12 months that upload to the attention-grabbing sports activities historical past of the rustic
Nigerians had been participating in world wearing occasions ahead of Liberty in 1960.
Sixty-four years after, the sports activities sector has grown larger in stature, with diverse unforgettable recollections (just right and malicious), and the listing assists in keeping getting longer.
HIGHS
U-19 Girls’s Cricket Global Cup price ticket
Simply ahead of some other Liberty Pace yearly, one among ‘the so-called lesser sports’ cricket has given Nigeria one thing to cheer about, due to the ladies’s U-19 group, the Youthful Yellow Vegetables, who clinched the price ticket in Rwanda on Sunday. Despite the fact that their ultimate hit in opposition to Zimbabwe used to be washed out via rains, the Nigerian women have been adjudged the most productive group within the qualifier, having long past during the staff levels with a really perfect checklist, together with a one-wicket win in opposition to Zimbabwe. It’s the second one future Nigeria will likely be qualifying for any cricket Global Cup then the lads’s U-19 group accomplished the feat in 2019.
Coincidentally, the triumphant group may also start within the nation on Tuesday, lately, when the family marks its sixty fourth Liberty Pace yearly.
Paralympians sparkle once more
Crew Nigeria’s seven-medal haul on the Paris 2024 Paralympics could be the rustic’s worst time out on the summer time match, however the feats of the athletes arise as one of the crucial absolute best the rustic recorded within the closing 12 months. Certainly one of them used to be para-powerlifter Folashade Oluwafemiayo, who beggarly her international checklist within the ladies’s over 86 kg para-powerlifting, turning into the primary para-athlete in historical past to boost 166 kg and successful a gold medal within the procedure.
Para-badminton participant Bolaji Eniola additionally turned into the primary African participant to win a badminton medal at both the Olympics or the Paralympics. Nigeria received two gold, 3 silver, and two bronze medals.
Oshoba’s Boxing Global Name
UK-based Nigerian boxer Elizabeth Oshoba turned into the primary feminine Nigerian boxer to win an international identify, a feat she accomplished via knocking out Italy’s Michela Braga (6-0-1) in spherical 10 in their bout on the Royal Area in Copenhagen, Denmark, on Saturday, January 13 to change into the fresh WBC silver featherweight champion.
It used to be Oshoba’s fourth occupation knockout victory as she passed Braga her first-ever professional defeat, generation she prolonged her highest checklist within the execs to seven directly wins.
Ademola Lookman’s Europa League heroics
Dubbed the incoming African Participant of the Pace, Atalanta ahead Ademola Lookman warmed his manner into the hearts of Nigerians along with his functionality on the 2023 AFCON in Ivory Coast previous this 12 months, the place he scored 3 objectives to energy Nigeria to a second-place end. His particular person brilliance additionally earned Atalanta their first Eu identify, as he scored a ancient hat-trick of their 3-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen within the 2024 Europa League ultimate. The 26-year-old ended the season with 16 objectives plus 9 assists in all competitions.
Osimhen, Oshoala APOTY awards
For the primary future since Kanu Nwankwo and Oblivion Akide 1999, Nigeria produced the lads’s and girls’s African Participant of the Pace award winners in December 2023, as Victor Osimhen and Asisat Oshoala have been topped in Marrakesh, Morocco.
Oshoala’s award used to be a record-extending 6th crown, generation Osimhen ended Nigeria’s 24-year look forward to the lads’s prize. It’s cover to mention it used to be an evening that reawakened Nigeria’s dominance in Africa, at the same time as the lads’s crown is perhaps committing to be passed to some other Nigerian quickly. That might as smartly reenact the provide from Rashidi Yekini (1993) to Emmanuel Amuneke in 1994. Alternative Nigerians to have received the crown since sovereignty are Victor Ikpeba (1997) and Kanu (1996 and 1999). Akide (1999 and 2001), Perpetua Nkwocha (2004, 2005, 2010, and 2011), and Cynthia Uwak (2006 and 2007) are the ladies to have received it as smartly.
2023 AFCON silver
Nigeria’s first AFCON used to be in 1963, 3 years then sovereignty. Previous this 12 months, the Tremendous Eagles, led via Portuguese mentor Jose Peseiro, completed moment on the event in Ivory Coast, being the 5th future the rustic will emerge as runners-up. They have been crushed via hosts Ivory Coast 2-1 within the ultimate then a turgid run during the event. Vice-captain and defender William Troost-Ekong used to be additionally named the Participant of the Match then scoring 3 objectives, together with one within the ultimate.
LOWS
Paris Olympics no-show
Stories of woes about Nigerian sports activities resurfaced then the rustic’s 88-man contingent to the Paris 2024 Olympics did not win any medals. It used to be the 8th future within the nation’s Olympic historical past, which started in Helsinki in 1952 (ahead of sovereignty). Despite the fact that Nigeria began competing on the Video games ahead of sovereignty in 1960, the rustic didn’t win its first medal till Tokyo in 1964, due to the past due boxer, Nojeem Maiyegun, who received a bronze.
Ofili saga
Nigerian sports activities additionally collision a fresh low on the 2024 Olympics in Paris when sprinter Favour Ofili cried out over being not noted from the ladies’s 100m match in spite of qualifying. It used to be a moment gamble away the rustic used to be dealing at the sprinter, having up to now been denied the chance to compete on the 2020 Video games in Tokyo because of lacking out on pre-competition exams.
Minister of Sports activities Building, John Enoh, has arrange an investigative panel to get to the bottom of the reason for Ofili’s omission in Paris, amongst alternative problems that rocked the rustic’s N9bn participation within the Video games.
Misplaced glory of amenities
At 64, there is just one licensed stadium that may host CAF suits in Nigeria, in spite of the presence of giant stadiums in virtually each town in Nigeria. The Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, which serves as the house of the Tremendous Eagles, is the one licensed stadium via CAF to host suits, generation alternative amenities, together with the Nationwide Stadium in Surulere, rot away. The rustic hosted two FIFA tournaments in 1999 and 2009, with the stadiums simply serving as venues for golf equipment.
U-17 AFCON/Global Cup pass over
With 5 FIFA U-17 Global Cups, Nigeria is essentially the most a success nation at that stage, however has did not manufacture any affect within the duel since 2017, after they did not qualify.
Other generations of Nigeria’s Blonde Eaglets have ruled the arena 5 occasions (1985, 1993, 2007, 2013, and 2015), appearing the rustic’s prowess in churning out skill. However they are going to pass over back-to-back editions (2023 and 2025) then their woeful time out on the WAFU B event previous this 12 months.
The Nigeria Soccer Federation even made extra mess in their status, pronouncing that that they had certified for the previous event in Ivory Coast upcoming 12 months ahead of they after introduced their 3-2 win over Ghana in a third-place fit wasn’t plethora to stock them a place.
Doping bans
Since 1960, there was an extended listing of Nigerian athletes who’ve been prohibited for one doping violation or some other, and that quantity larger in past due 2023 and previous this 12 months. Nigerian sprinter Divine Oduduru and boxer Cynthia Ogunseilore got here underneath the hammer of various our bodies for being concerned with functionality enhancers.
Oduduru used to be prohibited for 6 years for committing two anti-doping rule violations (ADRVs) because the Athletics Integrity Unit introduced that there used to be “overwhelming evidence” in opposition to him. The case arose when U.S. prosecutors charged therapist Eric Lira with supplying performance-enhancing medication to athletes on the Tokyo Olympics.
Oduduru’s teammate Blessing Okagbare used to be prohibited for 11 years for doping within the lead-up to Tokyo and refusing to cooperate with the investigation.
On the Paris Olympics, light-weight boxer Cynthia Ogunsemilore used to be provisionally suspended then she examined certain for a prohibited substance forward of her opening combat on the Olympics, the Global Checking out Company stated.
Ogunsemilore examined certain for furosemide, a diuretic on WADA’s restrained listing, in an out-of-competition doping regulate.