By Ikeddy Isiguzo
UCHE Okafor is one of those fellows you never knew when you met him.  Could it be during his days at ACB Football Club. He was quiet, self-effacing and good at his game, yet he appeared at a point stars filled the Nigerian firmament. I have nudged myself a couple of times since the news of her demise, particularly the circumstances of it.

A little over a year ago, we met at the unveiling of the Sam Okwaraji bust that the Lagos State Government decided to maintain at the National Stadium to immortalise the fallen Nigerian player, who fell while in action for Nigeria against Angola . It was the 20th anniversary of Okwaraji’s transition.

Uche and Sam were teammates at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul and the national team as it aspired for a place in the 1990 World Cup, at which Nigeria had hoped to book a place. Okwaraji’s death, in that effort, played a key role in its being unaccomplished.

So, Uche died on January 6. Reports said he was found hanging in his house at Little Elm in the Plano neighbourhood of Dallas , Texas .
Why will a young man, just 43,  take his own life at a time many thought things were going well for him? What could have been his frustrations? Why resort to the last option, as I see it?

Stephen Keshi (his former captain), Slyvanus Okpalla (his former captain in Seoul), Dahiru Saidi, Sunday Oliseh, Ben Iroha, Mike Emenalo, Chidi Nwanu (all team mates) have expressed shocks at his death. There are no answers yet as the news sweeps across the land.

The answers may be found in the career path of our sports people, though this cannot justify such a drastic action. Our athletes get to the top, enjoy the fame, fortune of stardom – as if they are condemned to it.

With the rapidity of changes at the peak, many of them are still young by the time they are out of sports. What is left for them? It is easy to think the players should take care of their future. There are times they do not enjoy our sympathy because we consider them wealthy enough to cater for their every need.

Some of these needs are psychological. A level of loneliness attends that side of life. Many of us do not see these things in these contexts. I am only speculating. I still do not have a clue about what could have led Uche to this end.

Whatever it is, I hope our athletes have not entered a new phase of fame, where they will think anything – yes, anything – is worth them taking their lives. I cannot condemn Uche because I do not know what made him to act the way he did.

The manner of his death makes it more painful for the family. Here was a young man, who all around him thought was doing well, dying in this way. It hurts, it pains, it shocks and it makes one wonder about life.

My condolences go to all who mourn this loss. May we all draw strength from the knowledge that only God understands everything.

Did You Hear?

I READ somewhere that President Goodluck Jonathan loves sports. The spurious evidences are Nigeria ’s performance at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in India and the women’s victory at the African Football Championship. I find the links intriguing because I know that sports results are not indications of a President’s love, or lack of it, for sports.

When funding for sports arrives late enough that teams receive the money as they are boarding their flights for competitions, is that a proof of love? This practice existed before the President got there, he has not change it, nor has he made any fundamental change to sports development in Nigeria .

As the elections draw near and politicians clutch to all types of straw for support, it is remarkable that none of them has articulated any plans for sports, not one.

I am interested in seeing their sports programmes this time. None of them has thought much about sports and it reflects in their actions in office. It is scandalous for anyone to ascribe results to those who have no place in them or at best made minimal (mandatory) contributions to the efforts.

The only thing worse is that those on whose behalf these claims are made, do not attempt to refute them. They rather accept them gleefully.

Countdown To London 2012
THIS is the pre-Olympic year. Many competitions this year, in  most sports, will have some ties to the qualifications for the Games. Remarkably, Nigerian athletes will have few opportunities at the Games because they will be shut out by lack of funds to make those pre-Games events. When London 2012 comes, we will mourn competing in few sports and ponder the possibilities of wider participation for Nigerian athletes. Such illusions go on yearly.

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