Modupe Oshikoya - A champion finally remembered

THE name Modupe Oshikoya, when heard, sounds like any other name from the south western part of the country to any Nigerian. Whereas truth being told, it should be a name well mentioned when grassroots sports development becomes topical in the country as she is one of Africa’s greatest athletes.

Modupe Oshikoya was born 2 May, 1954 and is a former female track and field athlete from Nigeria, who competed in the women’s sprint and long jump events during her career.

The true star of the 2nd All-Africa Games which Nigeria staged in Lagos in 1973, Modupe Oshikoya, won five gold medals at the 1973 and 1978 All Africa Games and is a one-time Olympian (1972), and who also competed in the heptathlon. This is no mean a feat for a girl who was recruited into sports from Methodist Girls High School in Lagos as part of a scheme to develop sports in the secondary school system.

Heroine of the 2nd All Africa Games, among others, established and made Nigeria a force to reckon with in the continent, Africa, and the world at large. There is no gain saying that, icons like this should be given their due during major sports events, especially those in which such icons had participated and excelled like the All Africa Games and the just-concluded National Sports Festival as a sort of model for budding talents to look up to. Even through her words “…I wish I can go back to my youthful days so that I can compete in the National Sports Festivals and make some money too...”, her love for the games and country could be felt.

The 18th National Sports Festival has come and gone but it remains to be seen if the desired purpose has been achieved based on the allegations that some states featured mercenaries from neighbouring countries such as Benin and Niger Republics. This is not the first time that some states have included foreign athletes in their teams. Rio 2016 will however determine the success of Eko 2012 and Calabar 2014 in discovering talents to represent the country as this year’s representatives were disappointing in their performances.

This turn of events comes as a disappointment for sports enthusiasts and heros like Oshikoya as it goes against every tenet of the festival, which is, to discover and groom athletes to represent the country. 

The California-based retired athlete laments the poor state of Nigerian sports, and concurred that the standard of the National Sports Festival has dropped drastically with grassroots sports development as the only way forward.

The Olympian, recommended embarking on a long-term camping of athletes, grooming the young athletes discovered from various competitions such as the sports festival and exposing them to regular competitions on the sub-region at least. This it is stated would improve the standard of our athletes to excel in future competitions such as the Olympics, Commonwealth Games and the All Africa Games, while also noting that giving cash incentives to these athletes at the sports festival is encouraging; a source of motivation to the athletes.

Finally, when all who knew her and her heroics for her beloved country, Nigeria, before leaving its shores, thought that she might never be remembered or duly appreciated, she bagged the Life Time Sports Award courtesy of the Nigerian Sports Award. This, we can say is a compensation to the years of neglected accolade.

Occasions like this should always provide golden opportunities to once again re-write names such as Chidi Imoh, Chioma Ajunwa, Mike Bamidele, Dele Udoh, Falilat Ogunkoya, Mary Onyali-Omagbemi and many other heroes and heroines of sports whether living or dead. Me thinks those who are dead should be immortalised by naming solid structures after them such as  stadia, like the venue of the just-concluded 18th National Sports Festival, Teslim Balogun Stadium which was built by the host Lagos State in memory of the late football hero who bore that name. Those who are still alive among them should be made living legends so that they could feel fulfilled, being appreciated by their beloved country while living.

Such gestures, however, should not be left for the federal or state government. The local governments too should get more proactive in this respect so that at all levels of governance, worthy citizens would be honoured and as such, become idols for budding talents within their environments of origin.

As Lagos is working in this respect, others should follow.

 
Meanwhile, rewards at youth competition should no more be cash-emphatic as may be potentially counter-productive, whereby a young recipient of such an award who suddenly finds him or herself become a millionaire may not see any reason for education thereby risking gross mismanagement of the rest of his otherwise lofty life. 

Bayo Banjo/LS

... Making SENSE of digital revolution!