Sports
Nigeria, 2016 Olympics and other stories – by Reuben Abati
“I don’t expect that if any Nigerian wins a medal at the Olympics, there will be any moral right to present that medal to the President of Nigeria.”
“I am convinced that those athletes in Rio believe that they are there on their own, not for Nigeria. That is why there are press up things currently getting ready in Daura. You want to bet? ”
“Sad.”
“But there is a good side to it, though”
“Which is?”
“One point is that Nigeria saved a lot of money.”
“How?”
“Anybody wey wan do Olympics, make him or her find way. Shikena. And if you win anything . you are on your own.”
“No. That is not state policy.”
“But it may be a sanctioned strategy. In the face of official and technical indifference, you can see that nobody that is suspiciously important went for the Opening ceremony of the Rio Olympics. If it were in the past, Nigeria would have had the largest delegations at both the opening and closing ceremonies. Governors, Senators, DGs, all sorts, big people chopping money, accompanied by girlfriends to watch show and spend public money. You hear say any Governor don go Rio Olympics? Make dem try now, make we see. That is why I am reluctant to call for Solomon Dalung’s head. The bush man knows what he is facing.”
“But how about the International Olympics Committee?”
“I am also surprised that they are silent. But you know we are in the era of change. Everything has changed, including Nigeria’s Olympics participation.”
“The IOC is dead?”
“I don’t know. May be they won’t be dead if there was no forex problem.”
“Hello?”
“I am saying I am not sure any member of IOC can make it to Rio. The only people who can travel right now are the people going on pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia from Nigeria. If the athletes can’t travel due to financial constraints, so why should the IOC members travel?”
“Wahala dey oh”
“I think everything has to do with foreign exchange and the dollar”
“Is that what you think?”
“More or less.”
“But I hear there is forex deal for people going on pilgrimage? The black market rate is N400, but privileged persons going to the Hajj get it for N197 to the dollar. Right now, you only need to go to the Hajj”
“Right now, I want to be a Muslim”.
“Is that why you have been saying Allahu Akbar?”
“My brother, this is the era of change. Man must have sense. At this moment I am a Muslim.”
“I don’t get it. Didn’t they tell us that religion is a personal thing? And that government will not fund pilgrimages? And that things have changed?”
“Don’t you know government policy on pilgrimage right now will create many billionaires? All the government big men who send people on pilgrimage will make money through forex deals. Big money. Talk sense, I beg.”
“Hmmm”
“In fact, I am now a Muslim. And I want to travel to Saudi Arabia”
“ I hear it is a standard policy from which Christians can also benefit.”
“Yes. When that time comes, I’ll also become a Christian again.”
“Bad. We can’t have a country where people just switch and wheel and deal. The people who should benefit from this kind of policy are people who have children in foreign universities, people who are running businesses and can add value, people who are truly Nigerian.”
“Sorry, then, but this is where we are. Fact. Reality.”
“No. This is not about fact or reality. It is about the truth.”
“Tell me about the truth.”
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