By Tony Ubani reporting form London
Feeding is a very important ritual for me. I don’t trust people who don’t like to eat.

Gina Gershon

Gina Gershon is not a Nigerian but many Nigerians will agree with her easily on her famous quote on feeding. Time was when the beauty of women was synonymous with their expertise in the kitchen. That’s when women taste the love of their husbands with the volume of food they consume.

Team Nigeria 2003 Photo; african-sport

Men who eat voraciously are easily loved by their wives. It’s a sign of the wizardry of a good cook for the hubby to lick the plate.

That’s old school. The hand of the clock has been turned. The table, too, has been turned.  Most men sweat it out in the kitchen more than men. And awards over-time have shown that men are better cooks. They have grabbed more awards in cooking competitions than women. It is debatable.

This piece is not about the best cook. It is about too much food on offer at the imposing Olympic Village housing well over 16,000 athletes, coaches and officials. The dining runs 24 hours. That means that there is food every second, minute and hour. Eagle-eyed volunteers are positioned to ensure that it is not food for all who do not have the fork and knife sign on their accreditation and ofcourse with the big R which means they are residents of the Olympic Village.

But how can they cook for people from over 299 countries, each with their peculiar cultures and food needs?

Inside the massive dining hall with tables stretching everywhere are big signs leading athletes on where they can make their choices. There are places for Europe, Americas and Mediterranean, Best of Britain, Africa and Caribbeans, India and Asia. McDonald’s, the fast food giants are inside with their might.  Soft drink giants, Coca-Cola are well positioned with their assorted drinks. The food and drinks are at the beck and call of the athletes and officials with the servers smiling and urging you on to eat and eat. The danger for athletes is that all of these beautiful food with sumptuous aroma will be a temptation for them. Luckily, the athletes are used to seeing the varieties and dwell more on fluids than food. But there are still athletes who need to consume more to do their sports. Think about the Weightlifters, Wrestlers etc.  For athletes and officials coming from war-torn countries with limited choices back home, it is eat and eat and forget your mission.

Those who win or lose early may comfort themselves with delicious food. It is bad not to win medals. It is worse to starve in the midst of plenty.

Missing my dear friend

There are people so close to you that you think they are your relatives. Sylva Eleanya is one of them. His massive size notwithstanding, dwarfing me in all fronts, people still make the mistake of thinking we are related. We are not but he is close enough to allow people make mistakes on our identity.  A jolly good fellow who is good with his works. A photographer of repute who made name taking pictures in his village in Owerri before clicking his way to fame(not notorious). Sylva(his village people prefer to call him Prof) has won several awards, and has travelled many parts of the world covering sports. We are still awaiting his arrival in London and that is where the problem starts. If and when Sylva comes, where and who is he going to stay with? Ordinarily, I would have had the misfortune of pairing with him if not for my national duty as Press Attache to Team Nigeria. I had endured covering the World Cup, the African Cup of Nations, Commonwealth Games sharing room with him. When we spoke on phone and he said he was coming over, I laughed and heaved a sigh of relief. Not again!. Atleast, I can sleep soundly the little time I get to sleep. All the times I stayed with Sylva, people complained that I lost weight and I blamed it on too much work. Half truth!. I stayed awake once Sylva slept before me. As much as it’s irritating, it helped me work more. He is quick to ask me how one who snores knows when another person is snoring? Funny.  If Snoring comes in sizes. Mine, no doubt, will be small size. If you know Sylva, you know his size. Blood-curdling snoring, with its gargling and squawking and terrifying noise will hit London soon.

I volunteer to help!

Volunteers are streaming from all corners. With beautiful uniforms. Black and white. And with good manners. They are ever-ready to help. Always with a smile.

Both young and old. Men and women. Boys and girls. They are all here making London 2012 a Games to remember.  Interestingly, the volunteers come from different professions. Team Nigeria has its own fair of volunteers, with most of them Nigerians in diaspora who find it difficult to speak the language. They answer typical Nigerian names, proudly identifying themselves as Nigerians but with little knowledge of their origin.

I met one at the imposing Olympic Village dining. He lifted my accreditation and exclaimed – You are a Nigerian!.  Indeed, I’m a Nigerian”, I responded pepping at his tag to reveal his name as Agwu. An old man who has lost track with his origin and happy to be re-united with his people through the Olympics. ‘’I’m from East Central State of Nigeria. It’s a long time”, he said apparently reading my face in awe. He did not stay to finish his story as duty beckoned on him. He was no doubt referring to the 1960s after the civil war.

He is not alone. Michael Ibo Ohajuru is another volunteer who works at Team Nigeria’s secretariat at the Olympic Village. ‘’I’ve been home in Owerri but cant speak the language”, Ohajuru said in accent that makes it difficult to know he is a Nigerian.  ‘’I love Nigeria and I love people who are focused to win. I love to be with young people and as a Nigerian, I want to be with Nigerians. I am in love with the Taekwondo lads. They have the energy and they are disciplined. that is why I am here to meet with Nigerians and to help them do well at the Olympics”. Ohajuru himself burstling with energy said.

A Ghanaian, Miss Catherine Owiredo-Oppong is also a volunteer with Team Nigeria. ‘’I put Nigeria first and any other African country. Nigeria is more serious in sports than Ghana. Don’t know or hear Ghana making impacts in sports”, pretty Catherine who is a graduate of Bio-medical with her Masters in International Health is currently teaching Mathematics. ‘’I wanted to be a Doctor but cannot wait that long. I decided to teach but I’m on the move reading Finance”, Catherine said complaining of soaring temperature. A Ghanaian! Asked if she would settle down to marry a Ghanaian or Nigerian; she laughed. ‘’I don’t know for now. I am not thinking about that now. My parents live in Ghana are into property. I might one day go back to give them a helping hand”, the Ghanaian beauty said.

Alexander Shoderu is from Ogun State and a Youth worker in London. ‘’Because I love sports and I love Nigeria. And also, Olympics is not going to be in London again. It is a life-time thing and I have to grab it with both hands”. Alex is different from others because he also speaks Yoruba fluently.  There is Adedapo Ogunjimi from Osun state and Helen Manufor who is in charge of Administration. Helen played Netball for Britain and is desirous to see  it back to Nigerian sports. She is a workaholic. She has got the energy. She moves people.  She loves Nigeria.