By Ezinwanne Onwuka
[Kaduna] The oblique grandeur of Nigerian athleticism was on display at the Paris Olympics, despite Nigeria’s 88 athletes returning home without a single medal.
Few could deny that athletes of Nigerian descent competing for other nations – including the United States, Germany, Spain, and France showed world-class talent. They didn’t just show up; they shined.
Rising Stars with Nigerian Roots
Take Annette Nneka Echikunwoke, for example. She made headlines by winning silver in the Hammer Throw for Team USA. But here’s the twist: Annette actually competed for Nigeria in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Unfortunately, she was disqualified at the last minute due to the Nigerian Athletics Federation failing to complete mandatory doping tests. Feeling disillusioned, she switched her allegiance to the United States, where she found the support and structure she needed. Her performance in Paris made her the first American woman to win a medal in Hammer Throw, rewarding her decision to change countries.
Then there’s Antoinette Ebelechukwu Agbapuonwu, who now competes as Salwa Eid Naser for Bahrain. She took home a silver medal as well, but like Echikunwoke, her journey began in Nigeria. Her choice to change her nationality and fully integrate into her new country has paid off on the global stage.
Joining the medal tally were Yemisi Ogunleye who ended Germany’s 28-year gold drought in shot put, while Victoria Ohuruogu helped Great Britain secure a bronze in the women’s 4x400m relay. On the basketball court, Femi Adebayo was part of the American men’s team that clinched gold.
Across the Atlantic, Nigerian-born Samu Omorodion was a key player for Spain’s gold-winning men’s soccer team. And the French teams? They had their own stars with Nigerian roots, including Michael Olise and Barthélémy Chinenyeze, who helped their squads bring home silver in soccer and gold in volleyball, respectively.
Completing the contingent of Nigerians who carried the flag of other countries at Paris 2024 included Rasheedat Adeleke, who holds the title of Ireland’s fastest female athlete. She was part of Ireland’s 4×400m women’s relay that came in fourth. She holds Ireland’s national record in 60m, 100m, 200m, 300m and 400m.
Team Nigeria’s Medal Drought
Whereas athletes with Nigerian roots were racking up medals for other countries, Nigeria’s official team had a tough go at it. Despite high hopes and a talented line-up, they couldn’t secure a single medal across 12 sports.
Expectations were especially high in track and field, where Nigeria historically has done well. But key athletes such as Tobi Amusan, who was hoping to defend her world record in the 100-meter hurdles, did not make it to the podium. The Super Falcons, Nigeria’s senior women’s soccer team, also had an early exit, failing to get past the group stage. Boxing, canoeing, cycling, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, weightlifting, wrestling—the story was the same across the board. Most of Nigeria’s athletes didn’t make it past the preliminary rounds, leaving the country without a single medal to show for the government’s N9 billion (U.S.$5,661,000) spending on the Games.
True, there were bright spots. The women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, made history by reaching the quarterfinals, the first African team to do so. Their coach, Rana Wakama, was named the Best Female Basketball Coach at the 2024 Olympics by the International Basketball Federation. And there was Samuel Ogazi, who made it to the 400m final—something no Nigerian athlete had done in 36 years. He finished seventh, just short of the medal positions, but his achievement is a silver lining in an otherwise tough Olympics for Nigeria.
Reflection on the Results
The performance gap and contrasting fortunes between Nigerian-descent athletes vs the Nigerian team has sparked some soul-searching.
“I don’t think there is a sadder imagery of the hazard that Nigeria poses to Nigeria than this,” wrote Emmanuel Ogebe, a native of Benue State who serves as an international human-rights lawyer today. “Nigeria is bad for your health and progress,” he wrote in a recent opinion column. He pointed out that American gymnast Simone Biles, a descendant of enslaved Africans, has more Olympic golds than Nigeria has had in the last 25 years. “Even under the corrupt Gen Sani Abacha who stole $5 billion, Nigeria won multiple golds in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. This is how far we have fallen,” he added.
Ogebe rued the failure of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) and the Olympics Committee to submit Favour Ofili’s name for the 100m race.
In the midst of the backlash, Sports Minister John Enoh has acknowledged the disappointing performance. According to him, “the underwhelming performance of our team is puzzling.” He pointed out that upon assuming office just a year before the Games, he was shocked to learn that preparations for the Games had not yet started. Yet, he swung into action with the little time left for adequate training.
Enoh says he is committed to turning this setback into a stepping stone for future success. “We have swung into a review process. We shall evaluate the competition readiness of every athlete comprehensively, including their injury and medical history within the limits of patient confidentiality. The role of coaches and administrative staff will also be examined,” said Enoh.
Ezinwanne Onwuka is a TruthNigeria reporter based in Kaduna.
