Nigerian boxer (L) on the receiving end of a pummeling at the Games
By Olawale Ajimotokan
Team Nigeria members are displaying an active knack for shopping,
despite failing to honour the country with a podium presence at London
2012.
Officially, the curtains will close on the Olympic Games on Sunday,
with a gory scenario of Nigeria ending without a medal a very likely
possibility.
Now except Team Nigeria roll up their sleeves in the outstanding
events, particularly in the relays and Taekwondo, London 2012 will end
the same way of Moscow 80 and Seoul 88, when Nigeria finished without
medals, and forced government to set up probe panels.
But it seems that it is only in shopping that Team Nigeria is eying a
medal flourish, as the accompanying officials and athletes are jostling
to snap up any stuff in sight in any of London’s shopping malls.
Officials and athletes appear to be unfazed by the ghost of the past as
they continue to join the queues of patrons satiating their appetite
with shopped items.
They have been sighted streaming into shops, particularly at the
Olympic Park in Strafford, stocking goods for the homeward return trip.
The failure of officials to match their pre-London 2012 hype of a
collection of medals has already resulted in finger poking by Nigerians
at home and abroad, who are calling on authorities to set up an inquest
for the woeful Olympic campaign.
While by comparison to Nigeria which is yet to dig its foot in the
ground, South Africa is leading the continental push with a convincing
haul of three gold and one silver medal.
Other African nations on the medals' table include: Ethiopia with two
gold and two bronze; Kenya one gold, one silver and one bronze; Egypt
two silver and Tunisia one silver.
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