Events & Personalities that shaped Nigerian Sports in 2021

Nigerian Sports had a lot of ups and downs in 2021

Events & Personalities that shaped Nigerian Sports in 2021
2021 Year Review Nigerian Sports

For most Nigerians, the year 2021 was full of more downs than ups. Better than Covid-19 ravaged 2020 but predictions by descendants of Nostradamus that 2021 will be a better year for Nigerians never came to pass.

 Instead, insurgency, banditry or terrorism continue to increase. Kidnapping, killings, robbery and other violent crimes were the order of the day. Unemployment, inflation, and other negative vices increased, the world of sports was also not a heaven of peace, it was bittersweet but more of the former than the later 

From Kenya with Gold:

Team Nigeria recorded her best performance in World Athletics U-20 Championships in Kenya winning three gold medals and two bronze.

Edo 2020 at Last:

After a spate of postponements occasioned by Covid-19, the 20th National Sports Festival took place in April 2021. 

Kudos to Godwin Obaseki and Philip Shuaibu, the Governor and Deputy-Governor of Edo State respectively, but for their doggedness, the NSF would have been cancelled.

Sunday Dare: The Sports Minister year was characterized by crises especially in athletics (resolved) basketball (still ongoing) and embarrassing moments at the Olympic Games.

Customs arrest D’Tigers: Nigeria basketball D’Tigers kits for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics Games were seized by the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS). The kits were not released until a few days before the games.

End of the Road for Mr Autonomy: Ibrahim Gusau dream of autonomy for the Athletics Federation of Nigeria ended a few meters to the finish line as the World Athletics failed to recognize his re-election. 

Red Card for Nigeria athletes in Tokyo: Due to the ineptitude of Sports Ministry and AFN officials, 10 athletes from Nigeria, 50% of the world total, were disqualified from participating in Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games because they didn’t do the required number of dope tests. The affected athletes are — Knowledge Omovoh, Ruth Usoro, Favor Ofili, Rosemary Chukwuma, Glory Patrick, Yinka Ajayi, Tima Godbless, Chidi Okezie, Chioma Onyekwere and Annette Echikunwoke.

Another low for Nigeria in Tokyo: Just when you thought the worst was behind us in Tokyo, the disqualified 10 athletes were seen carrying placards all over Tokyo protesting against  Nigeria officials' decision not to give them their Samsung S20+ 5G,  a souvenir the game’s organizer gave all athletes.

Red Card for Rohr: After months of checking VAR, NFF finally implemented the machine decision to sack Genort Rohr, the Franco-German who managed our Super Eagles for five years.

Back in the Centerstage: Augustine Eguavoen, a former Super Eagles coach and NFF Technical Director was appointed  as the Interim coach

Monkey dey work Baboon dey Chop: After winning the Afrobasket championship, D’Tigress posted a video accusing the Nigeria Basketball Federation and Sports ministry of not paying them their allowances and bonuses. 

Phantom $2.7 million Puma kit scandal: Determined to oust Ibrahim Gusau as AFN President, the Sports Ministry came up with a phantom $2.7 million kit scandal and alleged diversion of over $75,000. The DSS cleared Gusau of the allegations.

Still Hustling Sports Ministers: Former World champion Bash Alli since the beginning of this democracy has been in the business of fighting Sports Ministers. Sunday Dare joined the club of the harassed ministers in 2021.

Not even Covid19 can stop it: In the last two years, major marathons in the world like New York, Dubai, Paris, Houston and others have been postponed or cancelled but Africa’ biggest one-day event, the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon was held in 2020 and 2021. Kudos to the organizers.

Perennial Champion:  Delta State retained the NSF title at the Edo 2020 Games with 158 gold, 116 silver and 110 bronze medals, totalling 384 medals.

Lucky Boy: Chukwuebuka Enekwechi, a Nigeria shot put thrower posted a video on Instagram washing his jersey on the eve of the final shot-put event at the Tokyo Olympics. In the short footage, he said. “When you qualify for the Olympic finals, but you have only one jersey,’’. If an American athlete had done what he did he would be on the next flight home.

Not the Blessings we hope for: Only those with the hearts of stone will not feel for Blessing Okagbare. In the twilight of her career and running fast times, many had predicted a podium finish for our Queen of Track in Tokyo. A positive test for human growth hormone (HGH) changed the story. We pray her B sample will be negative.  

Wrestling to Silver: Whenever hope is lost for Team Nigeria, push our girls forward they will rescue us. Blessing Oborududu did at the Tokyo Olympics, she won a silver medal in wrestling.

Jumping to Bronze: Ese Brume was also a blessing to Team Nigeria in Tokyo winning a bronze medal in the long jump event.

A leg in Qatar: Super Eagles successfully put one leg in the 2022 FIFA World Cup by topping their group in the second stage qualifier. They now have to pick one of the five Africa tickets being competed for by 10 countries. 

Promise and Disappointment: The way Akwa United crashed out of CAF competition shows that they are everything but ‘Promise Keepers’. 

Impossible is Nothing:  This is what Banyana Banyana proved when they beat Super Falcons 4-2 victory in Lagos.

Car crush Eagles:  Not just the Super Falcons, Central African Republic (CAR) also beat Nigeria 1-0  loss at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.

Money Palaver: Ahead of the double-headed friendly encounter against Cameroon in June, Super Eagles threaten to boycott the game over unpaid allowances.

Swallowing Bitter Pill:  After many celebrated victories Efe Ajagba, experienced defeat for the first time in October.

Bitter Pill for Jew: Israel Adesanya also experienced his first career loss in his bid to become the fifth fighter in UFC history to hold two titles concurrently. 

The Unexpected: Against all expectations and permutations, Odunayo Adekuoroye fails to win a medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

Rise and Rise: Aruna Quadri shone in 2021. Twice he broke the African record on the ITTF rankings. He also became the first-ever African player to qualify for the quarter-finals of the World Table Tennis (WTT) championship. 

The King in Waiting: All Enoch Adegoke needs to do this season is to double his efforts. His place as the King of Sprints in Nigeria and the World is assured. Finalist in the men’s 100m at the Tokyo Olympics, he is the first Nigerian man to qualify for the final of the 100 meters at the Olympics in 25 years. 

Hat trick of Titles: Nigeria’s D’Tigress were crowned champions of Africa for the third consecutive time after defeating Mali 70-59 in the final of the 2021 Afrobasket championship in Cameroon. 

King of Belgium: Paul Onuachu had an outstanding 2020/21 season where he scored 33 goals in 38 league appearances, Onuachu was named the Belgian league player of the year.

Mixed Fortune for Football: Amaju Pinnick in March 2021 was elected to sit with the highest body of football in the world FIFA Council but the man dining and winning with global football elites does not have football in his country.

SWAN: In 2021 the Emperor of SWAN Honour Sirawo made an attempt to hijack State Excos especially Lagos SWAN the union's most vibrant branch but he failed.

Sinners mingling with Saints: The year 2021 also saw the rise and rise of athletes that have tested positive to performance-enhancing drugs coming out to play roles in sports administration. Hitherto they hid in the closet but the new Sheriff in Sports' open romance with a few of them gave others the confidence to come out in the open.

Compiled by Olukayode Thomas.