For Team Nigeria’s delegations to the 2022 Commonwealth Games and the World Athletics Championships, the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (ret.), approved on Thursday national honors of Officer of the Order of the Niger and monetary prizes of N200 million.
The President praised the athletes for their “outstanding performances” at an awards ceremony held at the State House in Abuja. He added that their achievements cast a favorable light on Nigeria and that their moment of sporting glory brought attention from around the world.
A statement headlined “President Buhari rewards Commonwealth Games, World Athletics Championships athletes with national honors, N200 million” and bearing the signature of Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, states as much.
They include gold medalists and other medalists such as Tobiloba Amusan, the world champion and record holder in the 100-meter hurdles, Ese Brume, Blessing Oborodudu, Oluwafemiayo Folashade, Taiwo Liadi, Ikechukwu Obichukwu, Bose Omolayo, Favour Ofili, Nasiru Sule, Ifechukwude Ikpeo
The President declared his government’s commitment to honoring excellence while speaking at a banquet held in honor of the athletes.
Buhari said the honors will “spur them to greater heights,” describing the athletes as champions, deserving ambassadors, national heroes, and heroines.
He said ‘’I watched with millions of Nigerians those exciting moments when you all brought smiles to us and our homes by breaking world, national and games records, as well as achieving personal bests in your careers.
‘’Your outstanding performances in recent times are consistent with the determination of a nation always yearning for excellent performance. You all, members of Team Nigeria, have ignited the spirit for victory in our nation but even more you have been victorious in major sporting championships and Games.
‘’I have followed keenly your achievements at the World Championships in Oregon, USA and indeed your remarkable performance at the recently concluded Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, United Kingdom. And I am very pleased that you displayed at both the personal and group levels great sporting talents and delivered for your country great podium performances.”
During the raising of the Nigerian flag and the singing of the National Anthem, the President noted that the entire world had stopped in its tracks 12 times. We also reached the podium 35 times.
“You all Team Nigeria made that possible. You brought glory and honour to our country. And today, on behalf of the nation I say, thank you.’’
He further expressed his satisfaction with the effect the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports’ Adopt-An-Athlete Initiative had on athletes’ performances while reiterating the commitment of this regime to creating the conditions necessary for young people to advance to the top of their chosen professions.
In keeping with contemporary norms around the world, he urged more private citizens and corporate organizations to support the government’s investment in sports, which has been reclassified from a recreational activity to a business.
Buhari also praised the numerous and consistent victories achieved over the past few years, praising the progress made in the sports sector by Sunday Dare, the minister of youth and sports development, and his staff.
For his part, Dare praised 2022 as a standout year in Nigerian sports history.
Amusan won Nigeria’s first-ever gold medal at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, USA, in a span of four months, setting a world record in a competition that was heavily dominated by Americans and Europeans, Dare said in highlighting the most amazing achievements in track and field.
He said that Amusan successfully defended both her Diamond League title, which she won in Zurich, Switzerland on September 8, and her Commonwealth Games title, which she won in 2018 in Gold Coast with a Games record.
In the history of Nigerian sports, no Nigerian athlete has ever achieved this astounding accomplishment, the minister continued.
Dare went on to say that Brume, another trailblazer in Nigerian sports, earned a gold medal at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games and a silver medal in the women’s long jump event at the 2022 World Athletics Championships, setting a Games record in the process.
The minister praised Oluwafemiayo for continuing the Nigerian tradition of winning gold in the women’s heavyweight division and breaking the previous world record in that division at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics and the 2022 Commonwealth Games. The minister referred to Nigeria as the best Para Powerlifting nation in the world.
‘’In confirming that the performance was not a fluke, she won a gold medal in the women’s 68kg category at the just-concluded 2022 Commonwealth Games,” he said.
‘’Mr. President, through the sporting exploits and excellence of the young athletes before you in this hall and several others not able to make it for this reception, Nigeria has served notice that it will not relent.
‘’That it will show up and compete for every laurel available, not only in sports, but in youth development, economic progress, social emancipation, political development and many more,’’ he said.
Eulogising the President, he said, ‘’this administration’s investment in youth and sports development, will continue to yield dividends years after you might have completed your term as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.’’
