By Ikeddy Isiguzo
THERE was a sense in which it seemed that some members of the Commonwealth did not want to see Indian host the Commonwealth Games that began with a magnificent opening ceremony last Sunday.

A rave of publicity over the poor state of the preparation within weeks to the Games created a huge impression that the Games could be in jeopardy.

The concern ranged from the sanitary conditions in the Games Village to uncompleted competition facilities. So much issue was made of anything that added to the worries.

Issues that were long settled were resurrected to add to the growing assertions that India was not on schedule. Other concerns were about the quality of the competition when in athletics the likes of Usain Bolt would be absent?

Who did not know that Bolt would not be in India ? More than a year ago, most of the absentee Jamaican athletes had said the Games were at the wrong side of the season for them, explaining the Games would either affect their studies or their programmes for the next indoor season. But in the search for more evidences to support the failure of the Games, the Jamaican athletes were cited.

Those who doubted India ’s ability to pull off the Games made it seem as if they were waiting for India to fail. The reports tended to portray some pain each time India corrected whatever anomaly was noticed with the Games.

It was nice seeing Team Nigeria in brilliant colours as we marched with the other 70 Commonwealth countries that are in India . I wish the team well, though the preparations were less than sterling.

Nigeria has, until the past few Games, given good account of herself at the Commonwealth Games. For most Nigerians who grew up in the then British Empire , when they were called the Empire Games, there are fond memories of the Games, particularly for the opportunities they provided to test the prowess of Nigerian competitors against some of the best in the world.

The importance of these Games might have diminished over the years but the admission of other countries, some not wholly former British colonies have revved things up a notch. The list includes Cameroun , Angola , Mozambique and Togo from Africa .

For Nigeria , an articulation of its sports calendar would have benefitted from the Commonwealth Games which come about two years to the Olympic Games. The 2012 Olympics in London would mark 60 years of Nigeria ’s participation in the Olympic Games, beginning in Helsinki , Finland in 1952.

Delhi 2010 is more than the Commonwealth Games to us, it is the half way mark assessment of Nigeria ’s preparedness for the Olympics in London . Each medal in Delhi , in – athletics, badminton, weightlifting, boxing, wrestling, table tennis, tennis – adds to the chances of our athletes qualifying for the Olympics in London .

Congrats Nwaokolo
NIGERIA scored a first in Delhi , winning the first gold medal of the Games by Monday through weightlifter Augustina Nkem Nwaokolo who took the prize in a record_breaking session at Jawaharlal Nehru Sports Complex.

She set new Games records in the snatch, clean and jerk and overall categories to win in the 48 kg class with a total of 175kg. Indians Soniya Chanu won silver (167kg) and Sandhya Rani Devi bronze (165kg).
Still In Court

I AM still pleading for reason to prevail in the football matters that are lying in court. I learnt that there are growing chances of more cases around football ending up in court.

There would be little profit for football in these cases, since they may drag for a longer time than litigants and defendants think.

My suggestion, without prejudice to the contending interests, is that since all of us claim to have a common interest, the prosperity of football, we should find a common ground for resolving the disputes.

I am not saying this as a way of avoiding a FIFA ban, which many say would finally damage our football. FIFA is a major obstacle to the health of football in Nigeria .

There is hardly any way the matters in court would be settled without heavy indictment for FIFA. It is also in FIFA’s interests to start listening to the dissenting voices that have for many years presented FIFA with clear evidences of the maladministration of football in Nigeria .

An outside court settlement would necessarily revisit the elections. The NFA statutes have been skewed to foster parochial interests, the statutes too need to be brought in line with the administration of the game, in ways that would keep it healthy and away from the embarrassing interests of some, who think  football is their fiefdom.

We are still a long way from a settlement, but it is the duty of all who care for the game, and who know the burdens other sports bear because of football shackles, to speak up and bring peace to the game.

It can be done without compromising the principles of openness that we are advocating for sports and all areas of our national life.

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