“Many great heroes have passed away due to helplessness as a result of poverty or curable health saga without a single show of love and support from the nation that benefitted from their success stories. I now realized that the story differs based on society.

Africans, especially Nigerians, don’t care about the status of their great heroes until they are close to the grave; the emergency and elaborated support will begin when things have been damaged beyond control.

Hmm! Remembering the likes of these heroes triggers tears from my eyes, the likes of Mike Onyemachara, Peter Fregene, Sebastian Brodericks, Emmanuel Ebiede, Thompson Oliha, and Jerry Okorodudu, among others who served Nigeria but died as a result of avoidable situations.

Other Nigerian sports heroes who died uncared for is a tragic tale of neglect and disappointment. Let’s take a look at some of these champions who deserve better.

Rashidi Yekini: A legendary Nigerian footballer who scored 37 goals in 58 games for the Super Eagles. Yekini died in 2012 at the age of 48 due to mental health issues and neglect.

Samuel Okwaraji: A midfielder who played for the Super Eagles, Okwaraji died in 1989 during a World Cup qualifying match against Angola. His family was neglected, and his mother died in poverty.

Mudashiru Lawal: A member of the 1980 African Cup of Nations-winning team, Lawal died in 1991 at the age of 37 due to a heart condition. His family struggled financially after his death.

Stephen Keshi: A Nigerian football legend and former coach of the Super Eagles, Keshi died in 2016 at the age of 54 due to a heart attack. His family faced financial challenges after his death.

These stories highlight the neglect and lack of support for Nigerian sports heroes after their retirement or passing.

A very poignant question! The reasons why Nigeria’s struggles in caring for their heroes are rooted in a complex mix of factors ranging from lack of robust pension and welfare systems, poor governance and corruption, insufficient funding for sports development, cultural and societal factors, lack of awareness and advocacy, inadequate healthcare and medical support, and poor transition support.

To address these challenges, Nigeria needs a multi-faceted approach that involves:

Robust pension and welfare systems: Establishing comprehensive pension and welfare systems for athletes.

Improved governance and transparency: Ensuring transparent and accountable governance in sports administration.

Increased funding for sports development: Allocating sufficient funds for sports development programs.

Cultural shift and awareness: Promoting a cultural shift that values and supports athletes and raising awareness about the challenges they face.

Advocacy and support: Encouraging advocacy and support for athletes’ welfare, including healthcare and transition support.

By addressing these challenges, Nigeria can better care for their sports heroes and ensure they receive the support and recognition they deserve.

Bash Ali has been struggling to host the world boxing championship game in Nigeria for the past 18 years, and US Mike Tyson. Dissecting the societal influence for President Tinubu’s attention.

These are great world boxing champion icons from different countries and continents with the same challenge with different societal responses.

Bash Ali has been in the struggle to rewrite the boxing history on the African soil in Nigeria for about 18 years now and is still waiting for implementation, but Mike Tyson, who rose 8 months ago, and his legacy fight became the talk of the time as he smiles in plenty again.

A fascinating comparison! Bash Ali’s 18-year struggle to host a World Boxing Championship game in Nigeria versus Mike Tyson’s successful hosting of a similar event in just 8 months reveals significant societal influences.

Societal Influences in Nigeria

Bureaucratic Red Tape: Nigeria’s bureaucratic system is notoriously slow and inefficient, hindering Bash Ali’s efforts to host the championship.

Lack of Government Support: Insufficient government support and funding for sports development programs in Nigeria made it difficult for Bash Ali to secure resources and infrastructure for the event.

Corruption: Corruption is a pervasive issue in Nigeria, and Bash Ali may have faced challenges in navigating the complex web of corrupt practices and interests.

Limited Private Sector Investment: Nigeria’s private sector has been hesitant to invest in sports development programs, leaving a significant funding gap for events like the World Boxing Championship.

Societal Influences in the United States

Efficient Bureaucracy: The United States has a more efficient bureaucratic system, enabling Mike Tyson to navigate the process quickly and host the event within 8 months.

Strong Government Support: The US government provides significant support for sports development programs, including funding and resources for events like the World Boxing Championship.

Robust Private Sector Investment: The US private sector is more willing to invest in sports development programs, providing a significant source of funding for events like the World Boxing Championship.

Established Sports Infrastructure: The United States has a well-established sports infrastructure, including world-class venues, training facilities, and medical support services.

Comparative Analysis

Institutional Strength: The United States has stronger institutions, including a more efficient bureaucracy and a robust private sector, which facilitated Mike Tyson’s ability to host the event quickly.

Cultural Values: American culture places a strong emphasis on individualism, entrepreneurship, and competition, which supports the development of sports and events like the World Boxing Championship.

Economic Factors: The United States has a more developed economy, providing greater resources and funding opportunities for sports development programs and events.

The contrasting experiences of Bash Ali and Mike Tyson outlined the significant impact of societal influences on the development of sports and events. Nigeria’s challenges in hosting the World Boxing Championship game underscore the need for institutional reforms, increased government support, and private sector investment in sports development programs.

Mike Tyson’s bounce-back story

Mike Tyson quit boxing 19 years ago and was very broke. His country, which cares about their heroes, rallies around to give him another lift for survival.

 

The Holy Bible says in Haggai 2:10 that “the glory of the latter shall be greater than the former.” Yes, it’s happening, but it’s quite unfortunate that the stories of Nigerian heroes are the irony of the statement as they always recount a ‘better yesterday than today.’. 

Today, Tyson’s story has changed with the help and support of his compatriots, who decided to be agents of positive change. He admitted to his youthful reckless lifestyles and errors leading to the mismanagement of his resources, which landed him in the web of penury. A genuine repentance and forgiveness attract blessings.

However, his country, the sporting fraternity, and stakeholders of boxing, who felt he had given so much to the sport and glory brought to America via his talent, rallied round him to bail out.

These groups fixed a bout with Paul Jake, a former blogger, to create an avenue for the legendary Iron Mike to smile home with a whopping $20m. It was an inconsequential fight that brought a lot of positive consequences in the life of Tyson.

A nation that cares for its heroes! Hmm!

It was deliberately done to help him rebuild his life or, better still, help him bounce back as a “retirement benefit” even as he ages.

No one cared about his race or colour of his skin. No one bothered to ask which religion he practices. No one asked whose son he was. No one queried him on what he did with the millions he made in boxing while he was champ. No one reminded him of how reckless and lavish he was with money during his youthful age but cared about humanity and how to make America great again through him. It was about giving someone a shoulder to lean on. It was about being one’s brother’s keeper.

He was a gambler, yes! Went in and out of nightclubs, frolicked with women, and lived a larger lifestyle, of course, yes!. These people, careless of his past, all aim for Tyson to age gracefully. All they wanted was to leave a legacy of ensuring the champ remains a champ.

That’s what life is all about. Don’t condemn others. Don’t pass blame. Don’t judge. Don’t mock… Just help if you can and when necessary.

The Bash Ali Story

A more recent example is the Nigerian icon, the undefeated World Cruiserweight champion, Bash Ali. At over sixty and still sparring in the gym, he has for many years been asking the nation to sponsor a fight to enable him to prove that Nigeria has some of the best athletes in the world despite his age. Successive governments since Obasanjo have ignored his call. As usual, he was invited to the US, but he declined the invitation by sports-loving enthusiasts on the grounds that Nigeria can earn over a billion dollars if it’s done here at home, a push that has seen Bash Ali in media bouts with sports ministers.

Now that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is in the saddle, the world and indeed sports lovers in Nigeria are waiting to see how this government will handle what has become a jinx with past sports ministers, as Nigerians are asking if our Bash Ali will be favored like Mike Tyson of America by opening the door of appreciation for our aging sportsmen and women.

The federal government of Nigeria has always shown interest in hosting this historic event in Nigeria, and on three occasions—November 9, 2006; January 7, 2014; and May 21, 2019—it inaugurated the Bash Ali Boxing Project Local Organizing Committee with the office of the chief of staff of the president representing the presidency, the office of the senate president, and the office of the speaker, both representing the legislative, while the private sector will fund the historic event and the FGN through the ministry of sports will provide an enabling environment for a successful show.

The FGN is not putting up a KOBO. Despite three inaugurations and the representatives of the FGN in the local organizing committee, the historic event is yet to see the light of day because of CORRUPTION. 

Now that President Tinubu has come on board with the renewed hope agenda, Nigeria and the world are looking forward to Bash Ali to rewrite boxing history in Nigeria and earn a place in the Guinness World Record Book as the oldest boxer to ever defend and fight for a world boxing championship fight.

The world is watching.

Let’s build a legacy of making our champion remain champion.