That Presidential Handshake...
Fellow Nigerians, as you are all aware we are in the era of Presidential handshakes after every land mark or sporting achievements. This handshake is
so powerful that you might even get healed when contact is established. Yes! the prophets are here again and miracles are happening after all Nigerians
are peculiar people synonymous with signs and wonders. A presidential handshake is all you need as a catalyst or turn-on for future sporting
excellence - a perfect reward in these times.
Some time ago when he assumed office, he promulgated the law that every sports man and woman who does the country proud by winning laurels will be
entitled to only presidential handshakes rather than financial rewards. To him monetary appreciations was a legacy of the reckless and thus does not
see any psychological and empirical reason whatsoever for the cash flow. Unfortunately, he saw the reason for ignorantly approving the award of a N39
billion contract for the stadium construction in Abuja that should be a worthy sporting edifice like the Maracana stadium in Brazil or the Azteca
arena in Mexico. Never mind, the most corrupt country and one of the poorest in the world deserves nothing less...
Well the Sydney Olympics that has just ended provides the platform for our collective and objective assessment of the pragmatism in shaking the
president's hands. Not a single gold medal was won in this festive global games and the shabby treatment of our competing athletes by their own
very officials leaves many bemused. Strong-willed Gloria Alozie gave us our first hope with a silver after the winners fiancés untimely death in a car
accident in Sydney . Not even those Nigerian officials who neglected the corpse would have in no way exhibited such rare patriotism in striving to do
the nation proud like that dead soul. Poor Gloria, after all the mental and emotional agony you went through, you will only have to do with a handshake.
Tell me who would have broken his leg while representing the nation only to be rewarded with just a handshake? How can you relish your dear
fatherland when all they did for you during your sporting years of accomplishments was a mere handshake of just a few seconds? Your excellency,
that decision of yours was an aberration and is doing us more harm than good. There is no way on earth we shall be able to be a sporting force on
this planet when the phrase "Monkey dey work, baboon dey chop" is conspicuously evident in your regime as our commander-in-chief. A lot of
people around you are doing nothing but are getting something in return.
Chioma Ajunwa was in the Sydney games as our sports ambassador not only for the fact that she was so honored but also due to the fact that she was
given N1million for winning a gold medal in the long jump event four years ago. The likes Haruna Ilerika, Christian Chukwu, Adokie Amaesimaka, Segun
Odegbami and late Muda Lawal and their siblings will remember our country for the houses and cars they received for winning the African Nations Cup in
1980. Uncle Sege, this strange philosophy of yours is killing the joy in us.
Please bring back our yesterday...
Uwem Inyang
London
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