SPORTING HISTORY by Femi Ogunsanwo

Big congratulations Nigeria won the U-17 World Cup for the record fourth time yesterday but what I don’t understand is the fact that anyone will ascribe the victory to the Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan, below is the list of sporting successes recorded by Nigeria in sporting events;

U-17 Competitions:
The 1985 FIFA U-16 later U-17 World Championship, the first edition of the tournament, was held in the cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, and Dalian in People's Republic of China from July 31, 1985 to August 11, 1985 and won by Nigeria when General Muhammadu Buhari was the Head of State and Military Ruler in Nigeria. Meaning he is the first leader in Nigeria to herald a World Cup Winning team in the country. As a matter of fact he gave the team the name World Golden Eaglets.

The 1993 FIFA U-17 World Championship, the fifth edition of the tournament, was held in the cities of Tokyo, Hiroshima, Kyoto, Kobe, Nagoya, and Gifu City in Japan between 21 August and 4 September 1993 and Nigeria triumphed in that tournament lifting the trophy for the second time. General Ibrahim Babangida was in power when the competition started and later handed over to Chief Ernest Shonekan shortlived Interim National Government on 27 August 1993 when he “stepped aside”

The FIFA U-17 World Cup 2007, the twelfth edition of the tournament, was held in the Korea Republic between 18 August and 9 September 2007. Nigeria lifted the trophy for the third time and President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua was at the helm during the period

Just yesterday our New Golden Eaglets was superb in their display when they trounced the team from Mexico 3-0 to lift the U-17 Trophy record 4th time in the competition and the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan will have the singular honour of being Nigeria leader during this period

Nations Cup:
In 1980 our senior national team known as Green Eagles then lifted the Nations Cup at the Mainbowl of National Stadium Surulere Lagos when Alhaji Shehu Shagari was our leader

In 1994 Super Eagles of Nigeria conquered the rest of Africa in Tunisia when they lifted the Cup of Nations Trophy the second time when General Sani Abacha was the Maximum Ruler in Nigeria

Just this year our darling team Super Eagles again conquered all in South Africa when they lifted the Cup of Nations and the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan is the man at the helm.

Olympics:
In 1996 Atlanta Olympics Nigeria U-23 Dream Team defeated Argentina in the final to bagged the Olympic Gold Medal and in that same competition Chioma Ajunwa got a Gold Medal in Long Jump event.The 2 Gold medals will be the first time Nigeria will win Gold Medal since we started competing in the Olympics and the man in power then was General Sani Abacha

I have a message for the simpletons, hopeless plonkers and clueless bunch of cretins attributing the victory of New Golden Eaglets last night to President Goodluck Jonathan, some even went to the extent of using the word “Goodluck” the reason for the boys success.

The Golden Eaglets boys conquered all because of adequate preparation, proper camping, absence of favoritism by their handlers and the best legs available are showcased to the entire world and nothing to do with President Goodluck Jonathan.
We have never had it so bad in Nigeria where every form of success in the sporting arena will be attributed to the man at the helm of affairs.

Actually the man with the best sporting history as a leader in Nigeria is General Sani Abacha;Cup of Nations 1994, U-23 Olympic Gold Medal 1996, Long Jump Gold Medal 1996, Silver Medal in Women's 4x400 Metres Relay 1996, Bronze Medals in Women 400 Meter 1996, Women 200 Meter 1996 and Boxing Men Super HeavyWeight 1996. Atlanta Olympics is regarded as our best outing in any Olympics event till date

But the man General Sani Abacha with the best sporting record in our history is the same man with the worst record in the history of Nigeria as a leader, our country was a Pariah Nation under him with so much state sponsored killings and terrorism, suppression of any form of opposition, oppression in a Gestapo like fashion

Why will anyone shout to high heaven or glorify a leader because the country Nigeria is having success in the sporting arena, only the sycophants who know quite well that no tangible achievements in Human Capital Development can be identified under the leadership of Mr President will trumpet victories in sporting events as an achievement.