I AM TIRED OF BEING SECOND BEST

The games in Rio are going on better than anyone expected. The facilities are amazing and the spectacles, breath-taking. Old records are being shattered and new records set. While Michael Phelps is minting gold in Rio, Simon Biles, the under five feet 19 year old African American gymnast from Texas, is doing what no one else has done in a sport which before now was considered the exclusive preserve of those with European and Asian genes. Simone Biles is a miracle, pure and simple.

Another African American girl named Simone has set a new Olympic record in the swimming pool, another area that was hitherto the exclusive preserve of those with European and Asian genes. Her name is Simone Manuel. Incredible!

Nigeria which accounts for a quarter of all black people in the world has not won even a copper medal with all our Ijaw swimmers, our Boko Haram marksmen and all our young and angry boys boxing and wrestling themselves silly in every motor park in Oshodi, Ojota, Mile 2 and across our country

The Track & Field events will commence today. The Jamaican, Usen Bolt, will be there doing his thing as if he comes from a different planet with special genes. The Kenyans will be all over the tracks with their national anthem played over and over again. Some Nigerians will make up the number and if we get a silver medal, there will be celebrations in Lagos and Abuja!

To tell you the truth, I am tired of being second best. What is wrong with a Nigerian gold in swimming, boxing, wrestling, archery, basketball, judo, etc.? What is wrong with having “Arise O Compatriots” blare from the loud speakers in Rio?

It worries me that we have accepted that we cannot be the best in anything anymore. I do not see us making the efforts to be world beaters in any discipline whether in sports or any other area of human endeavour. If I am wrong, please tell me where. The tragedy is that this lack of self-belief is affecting our children badly. Nearly every Nigerian child now believes that except he immigrates to Europe or America, he or she is condemned to being second best in the world.

Have you noticed that many in our nation now prefer to send their children to school in Ghana or Republic of Benin? Ghana! Benin! That is how low we have sunk.

Wake up Nigerians! I am tired of being second best!

See you next week.