Politicians, don’t forget sports

Politicians, don’t forget sports 

By Clem Oluwole

The long awaited 1979 is here… staring you and I right in the face. The year that will usher in politics which has been ‘suppressed’ for more than a decade!

A momentous year… that is what 1979 must be. It does not really matter whether you are a politician or not… provided you are a Nigerian who has been ruled by the military for a period of 13 years. And it does not really matter whether you reside outside the country or not. The future of the country must bother a true Nigerian. Yes.

I am not turning this column to a political column. It is still your favourite sports column. But I feel I should start off the year of politics – 1979, that is – with the politicians who will receive the relay baton from the soldiers who have done 13 laps. But whether this is going to be the anchor leg for the politicians or the military will turn round to receive the baton from them as they did in 1966 is entirely outside the ‘terms of reference’ of this columnist. But all I know is that it all will depend on how the politicians run the race.

Yes, politics is back. Ever since the ban was lifted and ever before the political associations were hacked down, leaving only five to contest in the presidential election, several manifestoes have been dished out to the electorate. And among the catchment areas of the five surviving parties are the farming and teaching professions, the two spheres of our national life that have been neglected all along. Free education to university level is no longer a catchment area because that aspect has been taken care of in the new constitution. Some of the parties have gone to the extent of promising to accomplish what the military has failed to achieve. Traditional rulers are not left out in the promises.

However, it is surprising that none of the five political parties has pledged to carry this great sporting nation to the 1982 World Cup to be held in Spain. We may not be able to qualify for the semifinals let alone win the cup. But mere participating in the world’s most prestigious soccer tournament should be seen as a landmark in the annals of sports in this Africa’s leading nation.

The military failed to take us to Argentina, try as we did. But at least it is on record that during the civilian era, we could boast of two world boxing crowns won by Hogan Kid Bassey and the late Dick tiger.

But that is not to say that Nigeria has not made any impact in the field of sports during the military era. Have we forgotten Power Mike who retired a couple of years ago as undefeated World Heavyweight Wrestling champion? Then there is Mike Bamidele who is the current World Light Heavyweight Wrestling king. And IICC and Rangers won the Cup Winners Cup in 1976 and 1977 respectively.

In fairness to the military men, they have done quite a lot for sports. Overall, Nigeria has proved to be resourceful at international sports meetings. In individual events, we can boast of titles in boxing, lawn tennis, table tennis, judo, et cetera, during the outgoing military era.

The military has created a good ground for greater achievements. Before the military seized power, we had only two standard stadia in the country – Liberty Stadium in Ibadan and Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna. But from 1966 to date, we can boast of at least three international stadia, including the prestigious National Stadium, Lagos. And where new stadia have not been constructed, the old ones have been improved upon and modernized.

Yes, Jos is my base and it is lamentable that the proposed stadium complex planned for this Bethlehem of Nigerian soccer has failed to take off until the military men are handing over the baton.

This is another catchment area for politicians in Plateau State. Jos must not be left out when counting the soccer cities in this country that can boast of international stadium complexes.

To cut a long story short, we want to hear what these five giants have in stock for sports when any of them comes into power later in the year. None of the parties should see sports as a trivial aspect of our national life. There is no doubting the fact that sports build a healthy mind. And health, they say, is wealth. An unhealthy nation will be backward economically and politically. If the working population, a great asset of a country is unhealthy, what contribution can it make to the progress of the country?

No political party can pull up to 30,000 people at one rally. But Rangers-IICC can pull thrice that number in one match. In developed countries like the Soviet Union, sports are accorded great recognition. There is what can be termed ‘Operation Keep Fit’ in that country and every citizen including kids is involved. Every school has a sports ground. There are also sports grounds scattered all over the country for public use.

Our next target is the 1982 World Cup… at least we want to be there. And I bet I will cast my vote for the sports conscious party that pledges to see this country to Spain. I am sure millions of Nigerian soccer followers are with me.

It may interest the politicians to know that the 1982 World Cup qualifying series will begin barely six months after ‘grabbing’ power from the army. And, eerr… they should not forget the ban slammed on sports equipment which is not manufactured in this country.

(Culled from Saturday Commentary, first published on January 13, 1979).