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PARIS 2024 OLYMPICS: Tinubu commends D’Tigress coach for bagging women’s basketball best coach; Obi slams reckless leadership for zero medal outing

President Bola Tinubu congratulates Ms. Rena Wakama, D’Tigress’ coach, on her recognition as the best coach of women’s basketball at the just concluded Paris 2024 Olympics.

The Nigeria women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, put up a spectacular performance at the Olympics, becoming the first African basketball team to play in the quarter-finals at the Olympic Games.

President Tinubu states that the recognition of Ms. Wakama, 32, by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), further accents her well-established leadership qualities and dedication to excellence.

The President commends the team, the coach, and all those who played a part in the unprecedented feat at the Olympics, enjoining them not to relent or become crestfallen, but remain resilient and determined for greatness.

President Tinubu affirms that winning trophies and medals is the ultimate goal in competitive sports, but nothing trumps the place of good sportsmanship, discipline, and sacrifice shown by all those who held the Nigerian flag at the Olympic Games.

The President thanks the Nigerian contingent and wishes them success in their respective endeavours.

Former Anambra governor and presidential flagbearer for LP in 2023 elections, Peter Obi has urged Nigerians to recognise the message from the 2024 Olympics—that poor leadership continues to harm the country.

In a stinging critique of Nigeria’s leadership, Obi condemned the country’s woeful performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where Nigeria failed to win a single medal despite a significant financial investment.

Obi expressed his frustration on social media, accusing the nation’s sports authorities of “rascality and recklessness” in managing the Olympics project.

He stated in a post in his X handle, “Now that the Paris Olympics 2024 has officially ended, and our dear Team Nigeria, despite the huge financial investment made into the project, is returning without a single medal, may I sincerely register my displeasure with the rascality and recklessness that has continued to characterise leadership in our nation, which often portrays our country as a joke, even on the international stage.”

Obi who decries waste resources, poor talent management of LOC, said that this expenditure was nearly double the budget allocated to the entire Ministry of Science and Technology for the year.

He drew comparisons with Jamaica, a country that spent significantly less—approximately $2300 per athlete—yet managed to win six medals, including one gold.

“How can one explain that a country like Jamaica spent less than 5% of what we spent on our contingents for the Paris Olympics 2024 and won as many as 6 medals, and with our huge financial investments, we could not win even a singular medal?” Obi querried.

He criticised the sports leadership for favouring personal interests over competence, pointing out that the mismanagement and administrative recklessness has affected individual athletes leading to Nigeria’s poor performance.

Obi further lamented that some injured and unfit athletes were still present in Paris, receiving allowances from the national budget.

He buttressed his claim with the case of Nigerian sprinter Favour Ofili, whose name was inexplicably removed from the list of athletes for the 100m race, and Annette Echikunwoke, a former Nigerian hammer thrower who switched allegiance to the United States after being frustrated by Nigerian sports authorities.

He mentioned also Echikunwoke who went on to win a medal for the U.S. at the Olympics, a loss that Obi attributed to the “rascality of some Nigerian leaders.”

Obi also highlighted the case of Ese Ukpeseraye, a Nigerian cyclist who had to borrow a bicycle to compete in her event, describing the situation as “a national embarrassment.”

“What a country! What a shame!” Obi exclaimed, calling on the government to investigate these issues and hold those responsible accountable.

However, Obi acknowledged the success of Nigerian-born athletes who competed under other flags like Yemisi Ogunleye won gold for Germany, Annette Echikunwoke won gold for the United States, and Ebelechukwu Agbapuonwu, who left Nigeria at a young age, won silver medals for Bahrain.

He also praised Rena Wakama, the Nigerian-American head coach of Nigeria’s female basketball team, who was named the best coach at the Olympics.