By Emeka Obasi

While we all celebrate Blessing Oborududu and her idol, Daniel Baraladei Igali for giving Nigeria a first Olympic Games medal in wrestling, it is apt to describe what the latter went through before he finally made it to the top and the good thing is that he remains committed.

As a student of the University of Jos, consideration was not given to Igali whose singular sin was choosing to represent his country instead of concentrating on studies as an English language major. “I was in the department of English at the University of Jos. I was getting to my third year in 1994 when I left for Canada.

At that time, I had about 12 carry overs,” the former Olympic champion told Silver Bird Television (STV) in an interview. He said: “ It was not because I was dumb, not because I failed the exams. It was because each time we were writing exams and the job required me to go and represent Nigeria outside, they would not allow me write exams when I came back”.

Igali captained the Nigerian wrestling team to the Victoria 1994 Commonwealth Games and chose to stay behind. He obtained refugee status because June 12 was enough reason to flee as General Sani Abacha and NADECO engaged in battle. “When I stayed back in Canada, I didn’t compete for Nigeria anymore but I wanted to.

For the 1996 Olympics, I wanted to come back and I have kept all the letters because people have accused me of dumping Nigeria. “So I wanted to come back but the coach of the national team would not allow me to come back. I just wanted to come back for trials, I was even ready to pay my way but I wasn’t invited so I stayed back. In 1997 I did the same, I wasn’t allowed,” Igali explained.

Canada granted him citizenship in 1998. The wrestler completed his studies at Simon Fraser University in 1999 and became world champion in the 69kg category in Ankara Turkey, same year. I was at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games where Nigeria failed to win a gold medal. Our hope was dashed when Glory Alozie lost her friend Hyginus Anugom, a few days to the Opening Ceremony.

ALSO READ: Talking Point: Nigeria’s Tokyo Olympics experience

God made a way for her in the finals of the 100 metres Hurdles. Top contender, Gail Devers hit misfortune leaving the race for Alozie who won the heart of the crowd. Ukrainian, Olga Shishigina stole the show and won the gold. Igali grabbed gold for Canada in wrestling. Our own but not our gold. Gold came much later through the 4×400 metres men’s quartet after winners, USA were stripped over drugs. At that time, Igali had gone far.

A Norton Crowell Award winner in 2000 as Canada’s top male amateur athlete was followed by the Louis Marsh trophy as Canada’s top male athlete. In 2002, the wrestler was Commonwealth Games Champion in the 74 kg class. In 2007, he was inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame. A year earlier, what Nigeria offered him was armed robbery attack in Port Harcourt during a visit. Yet this man did not abandon his country of birth. Igali returned and gave back to the sport.

He helped with coaching, joined politics, became President of the Wrestling Federation and emerged as Bayelsa State Commissioner for Sports. Former Eagles full back, Patrick Ekeji also went through similar ordeal in his years at the University of Nigeria Nsukka where he studied Health and Physical Education. That was why he pulled out of the Eagles teams to the Ethiopia ’76 and Ghana ’78 African Nations Cup respectively.

Ekeji said : “ Some of my lecturers made things tough for me at UNN. Infact my Head of Department, refused to admit my departmental registration for the final year. He insisted I was late for it despite his awareness of my engagements in national service. “ Luckily for me, he was however overruled by the Dean, Faculty of Education, Prof. G.B.I. Onuoha. Meanwhile my lecturer in Statistics would not waive class attendance for me.” Ekeji graduated with a Second Class Upper and left for Germany where he earned a post graduate degree. He also returned to coach the National team in 1986 and retired as the top bureaucrat at the Sports ministry. Igali’s rise in Canada was remarkable.

It was in the same country that Nigeria’s first Commonwealth gold came through Emmanuel Ifeajuna at Vancouver ’54. It was also in that country that our best World Universities Games happened. At Edmonton ’83, Chidi Imo won gold in the 100 metres. Innocent Egbunike did in the 200m.

Sunday Uti was 400m champion. Yusuf Ali won the Long Jump while Triple Jump gold went to Ajayi Agbebaku. The first Nigerian to represent Canada at the Olympics was Cyprian Enweani at Seoul ’88. Rose Edeh followed at Barcelona ’92. In other Championships we have had Oluseyi Smith, Nicholas Ugoalah, Gabriel Gala, Alice Falaiye, Nayo Ekunwe, Natalie Achonwa and Toyin Olupona.

Vanguard News Nigeria