I’m in London, hopefully on my means, within the subsequent few days, to Paris, the host metropolis of the 2024 Olympiad. I’m very enthusiastic about visiting Paris once more after two earlier experiences which are vital chapters in my life.
48 years in the past, my flight to my first Olympic Video games expertise began in a metropolis folks used to say, in these days, was so stunning and romantic that after seeing Paris, you possibly can die fortunately!
It occurred within the month of June. I used to be only some weeks away from graduating from The Polytechnic, Ibadan. By means of the Oyo State Sports activities Council, the Nationwide Sports activities Fee contacted the workplace of the Rector of The Polytechnic, searching for my launch to come back to Lagos and proceed instantly to affix the nationwide soccer crew, the Inexperienced Eagles, that had been on tour of Europe getting ready for the 1976 Olympic Video games.
Coming fully from the Blue, it could be essentially the most nice shock of my life. It was a quantum leap into uncharted frontiers of destiny and fame. The Olympics had been for gods, but right here was I, from nowhere, about to develop into one!
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I needed to submit an incomplete remaining venture to my supervisor within the Mechanical Engineering division with the supply to return and defend the venture after the nationwide task. It was a most uncommon scenario for everybody.
In the meantime, the record of Nigeria’s contingent was with the Worldwide Olympic Committee, IOC, and had been launched to the general public. A scintillating efficiency by me within the quarter-final of that yr’s Africa Cup Winners Cup for Taking pictures Stars FC on the Nationwide Stadium, Lagos, made Dr. Isaac Akioye, Director of the Nationwide Sports activities Fee, NSC, in control of Nigerian sports activities, to ship an pressing request to the IOC to exchange the identify of an already registered participant with mine.
That’s how, as in a dramatic scene straight out of Hollywood, I discovered myself on a flight to Europe for the primary time, to affix the Inexperienced Eagles, already touring, coaching and enjoying worldwide pleasant matches in Greece, Germany, Bulgaria and Yugoslavia in remaining preparation for the Olympic Video games.
On the finish of the tour, some 10 days to the opening ceremony of Montreal ’76, all the Nigerian contingent of athletes in varied sports activities had been assembled in Lodge Ibis, in Paris.
That was my first ‘style’ of Paris. That’s the place my 1976 Olympic story took off.
In fact, the remainder of that story is now unforgettable historical past highlighted by the boycott of the Video games by 28 African nations led by Nigeria and Tanzania, and several other different equally historic penalties birthed by the many years until now.
I by no means received to go to Paris once more till the France ’98 FIFA World Cup.
I used to be current when the Tremendous Eagles put up their greatest efficiency on the championship, trouncing Spain by 3-2. Some pals and I spent all the night time strolling the streets of Paris on a consuming binge.
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Just a few days later, on the streets of Paris, I additionally endured the agony that adopted Nigeria’s painful loss to Denmark that ended my short-lived second romance with Paris.
That was 26 years in the past. I’ve not been again there since then.
It’s now Thursday July 26, 2024. I’m heading again to Paris to witness a brand new ‘episode’ of the most important multi-sports occasion on the planet. I’m excited concerning the prospects of Nigerian athletes on the Video games. The nation’s 88-athlete contingent is brimming with expertise, confidence, dedication and a constructive spirit.
I’m desirous to embed with them, notably these in athletics the place I feel extra of Nigeria’s haul of medals will probably come from.
I look ahead to enjoying an unofficial function as an official Sports activities Ambassador of Nigeria, and sports activities diplomat of the Nigerian Institute of Worldwide Affairs, NIIA. I intend so as to add my humble voice to encourage, encourage and encourage the athletes to run quicker, soar greater, throw farther and struggle more durable than they’ve ever accomplished for his or her Fatherland.
Past that, I shall feed my journalistic impulses, and share private experiences with audiences on my completely different platforms (print, radio, and social media) with distinctive sights and sounds of Paris
As soon as once more, I’ve arrived London. I like the Metropolis. It’s, in my humble opinion, among the finest locations for social and cultural interplay on the earth, a melting pot of the whole lot. The town accommodates somewhat bit of each group on earth.
Curiously, I’ve not visited London in nearly 5 years, not for the reason that Covid 19 pandemic struck and disturbed the equilibrium of the world. I turned certainly one of its victims. I not solely contracted it mildly but additionally misplaced my UK residential standing after I selected to hibernate within the ‘secure’ atmosphere of the secluded hills of Wasimi, relatively than be concerned within the lengthy, unsure, costly and complex protocols that touring to the UK throughout that interval required.
It has been a nightmare for the reason that finish of ‘Covid’ attempting to get any type of respite to re-enter the UK. Even the current go to is feasible solely by the intervention of the highest echelon of the British Excessive Fee.
So, I’m right here now, on the banks of River Thames, understanding the logistics of getting into Paris presently. The town is crammed to the brim with guests – the just about 20,000-strong military of athletes, technical officers, and the media. Plus, in fact, the hundreds of thousands of summer-time vacationers and sports activities followers which are descending proper now on town.
By the following time you’re studying or listening to from me, I’d have crossed the English Channel in a ‘bullet practice’, the Eurostar, that travels at speeds of over 300 km/h deep by the well-known underwater tunnels of the Channel.
I can’t wait to meet up with Tobi Amusan, Ese Brume, Odunayo Adekuoroye, Aruna Quadri, Esther Onyema, Funke Oshinaike, Opeyori Anuoluwapo, and so forth, to share ‘communion’ of the 2024 Paris Olympic Video games.
