By KATE OBODO
Having been around sports administration since the pre independence to the post-independence eras, former Nigeria Cycling Federation President Rev. Moses Iloh has seen Nigerian sports come full circle.

As Nigeria celebrates her 51st birthday today, the outspoken sports administrator x-rays Nigerian sports at 51. He passes a controversial but damming verdict. Excerpts:

I will say that the ailment that has affected Nigeria as a country has also afflicted sports.It is an ailment that makes Nigeria grow like a burning candle; it diminishes as the light is burning.  And the vehicle called Nigeria has its gear in the reverse mode and that has affected our sports growth because instead of going forward, we are moving backwards.

Chioma Ajunwa

Today, our sports should be right at the  top but sadly, we are down in the mud.There is confusion everywhere. There are so many uncertainties surrounding the state of our sports federations, in terms of who is the rightful president, and such ambiguities only compound the problems the more. This is very sad indeed.

I attribute the failure of sports in Nigeria to the hypocrisy of the Federal Government. They have never  given attention to the youths in this country. If they had done so, they could have understood that sports is a vehicle  for developing the Nigeria youth. I do hope that they will repent at age 51. Right now, it is very sad indeed.

That is why our youths are becoming so violent because they have accumulated so much energy, no work, no employment and they have to expend some of these , which is why they have become so violent. I think the government, for the interest of humanity, should give special attention  to the  development of  the Nigerian Youth, through sports.

Beatrice Utondu, Faith Idehen, Mary Onyali and Christy Opara Thompson celebrating after winning bronze in the Women's 4x100m Relay at Barcelona ’92 O

The Nigeria youth is talented. We have the talents in this country but we are wasting their time because we do not have any developmental plan for them. I hope somebody will repent at 51 and stop this hypocrisy and approach development of the youth through sports as a very urgent work that must be done without wasting time.

It is very unfortunate that we hear so much talk of sports development but no action seems to be done. It is true, but don’t worry, very soon our youths will dictate the terms, and  it will be unfortunate for those running our sports aground. Very soon our youths will tell them what they want to be done, because it is coming very fast and the best thing to do, is to get the youths busy through sports.

Kanu

If they can not give them industry, sports is an  industry and nothing stops it from developing. We have the money in this country, the millions of naira which are misappropriated by our public officials can  give the country super structures of sporting facilities. So I think the government should do something quickly otherwise the youths will take their destinies in their hands.

Talking about sports,  I mean all sports. For instance, you don’t hear about Swimming, Cycling, Boxing, Wrestling, Tennis and other sports that we have in the country. The only thing  we hear is only one tiny sport called football.

When  we get to the Olympic  football is so tiny that it attracts only one medal. Other sports are neglected. Normally, in a reasonable country the amount that is being allocated for sports has got to be declared in newspapers. So, that at the end of the year, you account to the public, then you have more sponsors to augment what the government has not been able to  do. That is the way to run a transparent system.

It is really a shame that we came third at the 2011 All Africa Games and everybody is saying it was ‘wonderful’. For Nigeria to have come 3rd, is really a shame! In Africa and in the world, we are the largest Black Nation in the World and when we came third in Maputo,  we were celebrating.

We are not even ashamed of ourselves. Instead of thinking on the way forward we celebrated the more. So what will happen when we get to the 2012 Olympic Games in London, when the world’s best will gather to compete for honours? At 51, we are no loner babies. We should know what we want and know how to get those things.

If those running our sports continue with their usual approach when they are going for competitions, then we would continue praying for them and wish them what they wish themselves, by not preparing adequately and well ahead of time, like other serious nations like USA, Britain, China, Kenya, Jamaica and Ethiopia do.