I’ll tell you this, Nicholas is not your typical Nigerian. For one, he practices what he studied. You know? Not like us who read Library Science and are running hair salons. You know? Or Law and are now writing poems. I tell you, Nigeria is the universal condition that bends the crayfish. But not Nicholas. No, Nicholas is what he studied – a Guidance Counsellor. That is One. Two, when he sees Abuja Environmental chasing street hawkers, he does not dwell on the irony of government destroying jobs in a jobless economy. No. He dwells on how fast those kids run to escape. And should he catch up with one such out-of-breath child, he is the type of Nigerian who asks, ‘Come, have you ever considered Athletics?’ Yes. This is Nicholas.
Yes. This is the Nicholas that, one day – 7 years ago – went to Government Secondary School Lugbe for work. And, on his way out, noticed some students chatting. One of them was so tall she towered above the others. This is what he noticed. So, he went to this girl, on account of her striking height, and asked if she was interested in Sports. In typical teenager fashion (she was 15), she shrugged and said, ‘I guess so’. So, he gave her his number. ‘Give this to your parents please. And let them call me.’ That girl was Lizzy. And two days ago, the Chika Chukwumerije Sports Foundation (CCSF) organized a reception to welcome her back from the Tokyo Olympics.
You see? It was at this reception that I met Lizzy’s parents. They are the type of Christians we may respectfully call ‘jim-jim’. You know? Not the type you think would free a teenage girl so easily. But when he was younger, Lizzy’s father was a boxer. But had a coach who, instead of showing him the ropes, told him to submit himself to local science (aka witchcraft) for ultimate success. So, he quit. But, you see, even if you give up on your dreams, your dreams will not give up on you. No. They will haunt you for the rest of your life. So, he thought, maybe Lizzy can make them come true. And made the call.
This is how Lizzy started going to the stadium with her father to meet Nicholas. And there, at the stadium, Yaga spotted her. Yes. The same Yaga I told you about last week. The 3-time Olympian whose quest for Gold ended in heart-breaking disappointment. And had turned that disappointment into a determination to make champions. So, he set up a Foundation, and – like Nicholas – was actively combing through the public school system for prospects. Yes. He was at the stadium that day, training with another brother, Uche, who is himself an African Champion, on account of the fact that our father, many years ago, had invested so passionately in sports that 5 of his 8 children had become National Champions, 2 African Champions, and 1 an Olympic Bronze medallist. Yes. This Yaga was training with this Uche at the National Stadium, when he looked up and noticed Lizzy. Again (apologies to the vertically challenged), it was her height. So, he walked over and said: ‘If you allow me to train you, I guarantee you that you will win gold for Nigeria in Taekwondo’. True. Today, Lizzy is the current national champion in her weight category, and recently won Gold at the Beijing Opens.
And, no, it did not happen by local science. Or jim-jim prayers. It happened by the application of a structured, experience-inspired, evidence-based training program. I tell you, watching Yaga train his team – all discovered in public secondary schools – sprains my ankles. I tell you. Watching them kick gives me back pain. And he tells them too – I want educated champions. You know? That is why – at that reception in her honour – Lizzy spoke with ease. For she is now a 300 level student at FUTO. And, yes, CCSF paid her acceptance fee, and sponsored her through First Year, but she has now made enough money as an athlete to provision for the rest of her time at Uni. Imagine? This was the burden she carried into the ring in Tokyo – this knowledge, of how much had been invested in her, how hard she had trained, how many people were willing her to win. You know? It is one thing to train the body, but only experience can train the mind to handle the pressure of the big moments. So, she lost. And it broke her heart to a million pieces. And, yes, this is why she wept.
But, no matter, we made her smile again. As we gathered to welcome her home. You see? AIT was there. NTA was there. AriseTV was there. Imagine? For a girl who lost her first fight at the Olympics. But we are not typical. No. We do not tune in every four years to watch a fellow Nigerian at the Olympics, and tune out with a hiss the moment they lose. No. Gathered that day were people who understand that, ultimately, to win is to refuse to be defeated by defeat. That is why Yaga organized that reception. For Lizzy was no longer a 15-year-old girl, mentally limited by the fact that she was born in Nigeria to lower-income parents. No. She was now the 28th ranked female Taekwondo player in the whole wide world. And it was important to let her know this, that on days when how far you have to go discourages, how far you have come must encourage. This is all it takes to keep walking…
Now, imagine it. Yes. Imagine it. If instead of chasing hawkers through traffic, Local Government was actively doing what the private citizens in this story are doing. Imagine it. A country so talented a random girl picked from a random school in a random city could, in 7 years, be competing at the Olympics. Just imagine what this country would be.
