{"id":3507,"date":"2013-05-11T16:26:57","date_gmt":"2013-05-11T16:26:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/disnaija.com\/nigerian-newspapers\/onyali-turns-lemon\/"},"modified":"2013-05-11T16:26:57","modified_gmt":"2013-05-11T16:26:57","slug":"onyali-turns-lemon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/disnaija.com\/onyali-turns-lemon\/","title":{"rendered":"Onyali turns lemon"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Hello everyone!<\/b><\/p>\n

It\u2019s been a few years since my last blog entry so I thought it was time to catch all of you up on what\u2019s been going on recently.<\/p>\n

Hard to believe but the Nigeria Sports sector is still on its crawling stage. Trust me; we are going to get there. Crawl, run and \u00a0jump. The most important thing is to keep moving. Who says that one day the few billions of naira injected into the National Sports Commission (NSC) by the Federal Government would not go into the mainstream and used judiciously? *wink*<\/p>\n

Onyali turns lemon<\/b><\/p>\n

Who has seen Mary Onyali of late? Is she still fair in complexion or white? Well, I saw her last in Warri, Delta State\u00a0and she was still fair but not white. My incredible source told me she is back to her base in the United States of America.<\/p>\n

The ex-international would indeed not forget the oil rich city in a hurry. I did not forget. The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN)\u00a0went back to the grassroots.\u00a0 They won the maiden edition of the Africa Youth Athletics Championship. Team Nigeria had a total of 13 gold, 10 silver and 12 bronze medals to emerge champions.<\/p>\n

The kids ran the race of their lives; someone must fill the shoes of the likes of Mary Onyali, Ezinwe brothers, Falilat Ogunkoya and\u00a0late Sunday Bada, among others.<\/p>\n

However, Onyali took the back seat\u00a0to watch who can fill in the big gap she left behind.\u00a0\u00a0She had other obligations which enriched pocket, if I must say it out loud.\u00a0\u00a0For those not aware, the role of a merchandise contractor was given to her at the age grade competition.<\/p>\n

She was asked to supply jerseys for Team Nigeria. However, there are claims that Onyali provided\u00a0a wrong shade of green for the country’s contingent. Olive green, lemon green became a dispute amongst officials. President Solomon was said to have rejected the jerseys. AFN claimed otherwise days later.<\/p>\n

Anyway, when next, team Nigeria\u00a0files out in their jerseys for a competition, Mary Onyali will come to play. We must justify whether claims that Onyali’s lemon green\u00a0color is a fluke is real.<\/p>\n

When Oshiohmole overtook Bolaji Abdullahi<\/b><\/p>\n

The sleepy village of Okpekpe in Edo State was jolted awake last Saturday.\u00a0 Not to casualties like that of the ‘tragic’ Boston Marathon. If you are wondering what efforts were made to curb terrorists lurking around, at the race, you need not hold your breath\u00a0for an answer as the Inspector General of the Nigeria Police, Mohammed Abubakar boys were on parade at the maiden edition of the Okpekpe road race held in Edo State last weekend. Some said, that the police men on duty were actually more than the athletes on parade. I felt the fear of the Nigerian police is the fear of bomb attacks. Well, feel free to have a contrary opinion.<\/p>\n

In a country where security has become secondary to none, would the fear\u00a0of the IG become the fear of perpetuators of bomb blasts? Well,\u00a0all loose ends were\u00a0tied up as Edo State joined the league of the Cross River State government who has been in the business of marathon races for so many years.<\/p>\n

Is anyone on a suicide mission?\u00a0 If at sixty-one- year old, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole feels he is fit to run the 10km race?\u00a0 Then let\u2019s wish him well.\u00a0 However, we would always have it in mind that running a marathon involves lots of hard work coupled with the enduring skills sharpened for triumphs.\u00a0 For those who were in\u00a0the race to have their pot bellies trimmed down, then I will be surprise if they don\u2019t\u00a0\u00a0cash in on the opportunities availed them to sweat it out in the ancient town.<\/p>\n

After the race, Oshiomhole did surprise me. Initially aside the main race,\u00a0\u00a0it was also\u00a0\u00a0supposed to be a novelty match among him, the sports minister, Bolaji Abdullahi and Nollywood stars. The amiable Governor did complete the race, though he won the race from behind. 61st to be precise.<\/p>\n

Oshiomhole’s stamina was a force to be reckoned with, the sports minister did agreed as he also sweat it out on Oshiomhole’s tarred road. The minister did not catch up with Oshionhole at the race.<\/p>\n

If you say that the primary function of the Edo State government is to provide for the indigenes of the state, you are not wrong.<\/p>\n

Well aside showcasing that there is rapid development in the state through sports,\u00a0 Oshiomhole\u00a0 had this to say: ” there is development going on in rural Nigeria, Edo state and that the quality of those roads are as good and even better than Federal highways. That our rural roads are not inferior to Federal highways.”<\/p>\n

Dollars rain: Nigerian athlete stops sex for marathon race<\/b><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/b>It\u2019s not the birthright for the East Africans to cart home the cash prizes. Though East Africans have been termed the premier distance runners but who says it cannot be upturned? It is a known fact that East Africans (who are relatively slow sprinters but the world’s best distance runners) trace their ancestry to mountainous terrain.<\/p>\n

Nigerian athletes also have the qualities of winning long distance races\u00a0 because we are blessed with the terrain needed to run the long distance races.<\/p>\n

But Hell No! After the Okpekpe race, Nigerian athletes could only manage to\u00a0\u00a0trail the East Africans who carted home the cash prizes.<\/p>\n

Ethiopia’s Abebe Bikila shocked the world at the 1960 Rome Olympics when, running barefoot, he won the marathon. But\u00a0\u00a0when I spoke with the Nigerian athlete who emerged the best finisher, all he had to say to shock me was that he had to stop making love with his girlfriend for two months to win the race.<\/p>\n

I would have expected to hear that he managed to win the race despite funds constraints. Did I hear you say different strokes for different folks?<\/p>\n

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…AND THIS IS WHAT I’VE BEEN DOING THIS WEEK<\/b><\/p>\n

Since last week, football fans across the globe, celebrated the end of an era.\u00a0 Spain is no longer the Mecca of football. I watched as one of my great heroes, Jose Mourinho fell like a pack of cards in the hands of Borussia Dortmund.<\/p>\n

The great seducer is however eyeing the English league.Chelsea was top on my list. I hope I won\u2019t be wrong though, after Alex Ferguson’s retirement from Man U, who says he cannot be tipped for the exalted position at Man U. But I have my fears, Everton’s Moyes is however top on Ferguson’s recommendation. Prove me wrong what has Moyes achieved in the English League to displace Mourinho?<\/p>\n

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Posted in Nigerian Newspapers. <\/a>A DisNaija.Com<\/a> network.<\/p>\n

Source: The Nation Newspaper<\/p>\n

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