For all of President Muhammadu Buhari’s
chagrins and supposed tough stance on frivolous spending, it seems it is all a façade
and business as usual, at least in our sports ministry. Same old swansong of
unneeded officials and lawmakers joining the bandwagon to international
sporting events, going on shopping spree while the team and officials concerned
for the events complain about lack of funds; its shame on a supposed giant of
Africa. What exactly is Solomon
Dalung, the Nigeria sports minister doing in Rio, Brazil alongside the ministry’s
permanent secretary, Christian
Ohaa?
It is a shame that a whole sports ministry has to be grounded due to the
ongoing Olympics, rendering useless the need for a National Olympic Committee. I
wonder what responsibility is left for that committee headed by Abu Gumel.
Anyways, the Buhari
Administration has held on to fulfill its change mantra in an unprecedented
manner. Below are six shameful acts at the on-going Olympics.
Unprecedented
Disgrace
First, our Olympic men
football team were stranded in Atlanta for weeks and had to be airlifted just
hours to their first game against Japan. Due to our lack of organization, the
wrong national anthem was played for us at that game. And Oh! Did I mention our
sports minister referring to the U.S.A as United States of Nigeria when
avoiding the blame over the financial difficulties and inability to transport
the dream team to Rio? See the video below.
No
co-ordination
Team Nigeria had to
wear tracksuit to cover their shame at the opening ceremony after the expensive
wears gotten for them could not get to Rio on time.
Clueless
Dalung
Solomon Dalung sent two
players and three officials back to Lagos because of our seeming inability “as
a country” to foot their bills; 5 days to the end of the Olympics (ironically,
we can foot the bill of unnecessary government officials who had no business
attending the event).
Inability
to fund athletes
Nigeria has become so broke that we cannot airlift
or even fund our athletes to Rio. After much denial, the Sports minister
acknowledged this by stating that athletes will be refunded before leaving the
Olympics venue. “The
moment I heard of the complaints I quickly called the Permanent Secretary because
I had approved the refunds of all such monies before we all left Abuja for Rio.
The explanation he gave to me was that they had started and they were doing it
sport-by-sport and in no time they would have dealt with every athlete owed. I
believe that because he has shown the number already covered and I know that no
player should leave here owed,” said Dalung.
Sugar
Daddy for Dream Team
Then, to rub salt on our collective wound, a Japanese
plastic surgeon, Katsuya Takasu, has
promised to pay our dream team $30,000 for gold, $20,000 for
silver, $10,000 for bronze and scaled down amount for any position they finish
off with at the Olympics in a bid to appreciate their efforts having overcome
unimaginable stress and due to the suddenly “poor” status of Nigeria.
Mikel
comes to the rescue
Time and time again,
Mikel Obi has proven to be our financial savior; saving our blushes in Atlanta
by paying for hotel expenses and footing the bill too in Rio to the tune of
$4,600, when hotel management delayed the team because of unpaid bills. Suffice
to say, Mikel Obi has more liquidity than NIGERIA.
In the face of all
this, it is ironic that the so-called disciplined, prudent and focused
government being portrayed by Aso Rock is nothing but a scam. Yes, a scam and a
sham if by now Solomon Dalung is still holidaying in Brazil. In serious climes,
that man would have been sacked long ago or tendered his resignation. Once again,
the country focuses only on financial misappropriation of past leaders while
grooming those that would be worse off if not curtailed. If this is the change I
voted for, then shame on Buhari! Shame on APC led government! Shame on your
supposed change- It has become nothing but a fraud!
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