Medal Blessed
Whither Nigerian Sports?Apart from the importance of sports in humane history, sports develop employment opportunities, amasses a big followership and fetch people from dissimilar backgrounds - as athletes to take part in respective games, with viewers looking at and administrators, directing, together. As sports unify the humans in victories, so the passion is felt for the duration of losses. Many peril their properties, cash and even their spouses or other valuables through bettings, because of their craze for sports. In short, sports are real business and as they disseminate all over the world, the bug caught up with Nigeria in the early 50s. Then, Nigerian sports started as a mere exercise among the colonial masters, but later she registered her presence in world’s sports, when the country had her firstborn aspect in the Helsinki Olympic Games in 1952. It took the most populated African nation only two years before she recorded her basi victory in 1954, when Emmanuel Ifeajuna won a gold medal in the high jump event at the Commonwealth Games in Cardiff. The record of early success achieved by Nigeria in international sports would not be finish without a mention of Hogan ‘Kid’ Bassey, who became the world featherweight boxing king in 1957 and Dick Tiger, who won the middleweight crown and later the world light heavyweight crown. Chioma Ajunwa, Nwankwo Kanu, Mercy Akide, Mary Onyali, the late Muda Lawal, Olusoji Fasuba and Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha, to mention just a few are celebrated sports humans in their own rights. Sports actually started out to take solid root in the country in the 60s, when the National Sports Commission (NSC) begun to function. In 1973, the National Sports Festival was introduced as an boulevard for discovering athletes who will represent the country in continental and international competitions. The introductory National Sports Festival which was held in Lagos attracted over 6,000 athletes. The 70s witnessed immense successes as the Green Eagles won gold medal in the All-Africa Games, while the country’s contingent to the games won an overall second position on the medals table. 1976 and 1977 likewise saw the country recording victories in continental football tournaments, when the IICC of Ibadan and Rangers of Enugu excelled in the Cup Winners Cup Competition. The country’s exploits continued to soar through the 80s and 90s with uncountable achievements, exceptionally in football. The Eagles, led by Christian Chukwu, won the Africa Cup of Nation’s for the initial time in Lagos in 1980. In 1984 and 1988, Nigeria again got to the finals of that championship, only to lose on both occasions to Cameroon. Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets won the Kodak U-17 World Cup, now known as FIFA U-17 World Cup, in China and the Flying Eagles almost did the same at the Saudi ‘89 U-20 World Cup, but lost narrowly in the final to Portugal. Nigeria’s victory “the miracle of Damman,” over Russia after trailing four goals behind and with just 25 minutes left, is still fresh in our minds. Nigeria also won silver and bronze medals in the male and female categories of 4 x100m at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992. Apart from these, a lot of Nigerians had discerned themselves in respective sports. The exploit of Nigeria’s U-23 Dream Team at the Atlanta ‘96 Olympics, where they won gold medal in the football event cum Ajunwa’s glorious feat by winning a gold medal in long jump, put an icing on the cake for Nigerian sport globally. There are other attainments recorded by Nigeria in global sports, such as Eaglets’ triumph in Japan ‘93 and Eagles’ qualification for the World Cup for the firstborn time in USA ‘94. Above all, her original position at the Coja 2003 All Africa Games and recently, the FIFA U-17 World Cup success in Korea 2007 stand the nation out as a land that is blessed with humane endowments and natural resources. The natural abilities and qualities in the country are so a great deal of that many, out of either neglect by those in authorities or due to personal reasons, ditched Nigeria to feature for other countries in respective sports. One of them is Hakeem ‘The Dream’ Olajuwon, who played and won gold medal for the USA basketball team at the Barcelona ‘92 Olympics Francis Obikwelu, Gloria Alozie, Gabriel Agbonlahor, Rasak Omotoyosi and Emmanuel Adebayor are Nigerians, but these great sports personalities opted to compete for other countries. The list is endless. While the defection of athletes to other nations, including even the neighbouring Togo and Benin Republic is taking it is toll on the nation as a result of poor sports administration in recent times, the a lot of accomplishments recorded over the years have not been sustained by the country. The country’s respective teams in all sports struggle, not only to qualify for championships, and when they manage to, the teams carry out woefully and inflict untold sorrows on sports loving Nigerians. It has been a line up of disappointments and tragedies as the nation’s sports carry on to nosedive. The downward slide of the economy is not helping sports either. At the not so long ago held FIBA-Africa Basketball Championship in Libya, D’Tigers, Nigeria’s male team crashed out in the quarter finals to Cameroon. The team are now ‘looking’ for the goodwill of a wild card to earn them qualification for the FIBA World Cup in 2010. In athletics, the country’s representatives did not only fail to reach the finals in the events they entered for, (except the 4×400m relays male and female), they came back with three cases of female athletes who failed dope tests, thence dragging the country’s name into disrepute. Other sports like swimming, handball, volleyball, hockey and boxing have not performed any better, the country’s representatives only feature in championships to make up the number. Football, ‘the number one sport’ in Nigeria, is not left out, it has been a tale of woes and disaster from one tourney to the other. FIFA, the world soccer governing body, once banned Nigeria from featuring her junior team in age-grade competitions, due to discrepancies in ages of players. Sadly, not much has been learnt from this. The Eaglets are competing in Nigeria 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup, because Nigeria is hosting, since the team failed to qualify for the event coming up this weekend. The Flying Eagles’ second round exit from the not so long ago concluded U-20 World Cup in Egypt was another sad tale for the nation’s football. The Super Eagles are faltering in the 2010 senior World Cup qualifying series, as Coach Shuaibu Ahmodu’s squad now rely on a slip by group rivals, Tunisia, to make the finals in South Africa. The female team, Super Falcons , who have been African champions since 1991, placed third at the 2008 African Women Championship, losing to ‘minnows’ like Guinea in the semi finals. “A proper planning prevents poor performance,” so says an adage. Sadly, that is not Nigeria’s style of doing things. The nation’s fire brigade approach to preparations has failed on some occasions, yet the administrators prefer to wait till the last minute before inviting athletes for camping in front of competitions. This can not work. Developed nations like USA, Germany, Russia, Great Britain and others plan well in front of time before competitions. Also, politics, favouritism and bias subsist in Nigerian sports from the administration of the games down to the selection of coaches and athletes. Until these drawbacks are eliminated, Nigerian sports will proceed to record poor results. Sports in general ought to get equivalent attention from the government, who sponsors a huge portion of Nigerian sports. Sadly, only football enjoys that privilege, leaving other sports, other than as supposed or expected known as ‘lesser sports’ to suffer. There must be massive scouting for quality young talents, who would replace the ageing athletes and ought to be given quality training to see to it they compete favourably with the best in the world. The target here ought to be to get an prompt result. Lastly, there is the need to upgrade the dilapidated facilities all over the nation, while a sports policy must emphasise the maintenance of the facilities. The potential and instrumentation at the country’s disposition are sufficient to modify the fortunes of sports in Nigeria if those in authority are sincere regarding tax payers’ money.
Blessed Virgin Mary W/Miraculous Medal on Reverse Vintage Silver w Chain , ☆ Pope John Paul II - Blessed by Pope Benedict XVI - Silver oxidized medal ☆, ISRAEL 2007 BLESSED BE THE HEALER PURE SILVER MEDAL, VHTF now Blessed JOHN PAUL II 1998 Year of Holy Spirit MEDAL token UNUSED , ECCE HOMO Jesus Christ Antique French MEDAL ~Blessed Mother Mater Dolorosa, VINTAGE RELIGIOUS CHRISTIAN CATHOLIC MEDAL LOT CROSSES BLESSED MOTHER PICTURES, Five- Miraculas Blessed Virgin Mary Medals, Children's (Blessed) Miraculous Medal Earrings 14kgp (Virgin Mary) Lourdes , ~vintage RELIGIOUS Blessed Mother MARY Medals Pendant STERLING Marcasite MOP, 2 Vtg Sodality of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Medal Pin Lot, VINTAGE BLESSED RELIC WITH MOTHER OF PEARL & MARCISITE IN STERLING SILVER MEDAL, LDS Church Blessed Mother Prayer Gold Tone 1" X 1/2" Medal on 18 inch Chain NEW, A very antique Annunciation of Blessed Virgin - Jesus thorncrown medal charm, Vintage Sacred Heart of Jesus Medal Blessed by Fr. Frank, SCJ, Vintage Blessed Mother Medal With Pearls & Flowers, 25p Catholic Blessed Medugorje Medals Pendant 12kgf Jewelry Lot, BLESSED VIRGIN MARY FRANCISCO JACINTA MARTO RELIGIOUS NUN MEDALS PENDANT, BLESSED VIRGIN MARY JESUS FRANCISCO JACINTA MARTO RELIGIOUS MEDALS PENDANT, BLESSED VIRGIN MARY FRANCISCO JACINTA MARTO RELIGIOUS MEDALS CROSS PENDANT, Vintage Rosary Our Lady of The Miraculous Medal Blessed Made in Italy, 3rd class Relic medal,Blessed Frederic Janssoone, Vintage POPE PAUL PAULUS VI PONT MAX BLESSED MOTHER MARY MEDAL Charm, 14K SOLID YELLOW GOLD MEDAL BLESSED MOTHER AND JESUS, Creed Crib Medal "God Bless Our Baby" Engravable w/ Angel & Solid Metal MIB, Saint Maximillian Kolbe Medal Pope Blessed 4/6/11 Drug Abuse, Addictions, WHITE BABY ANGEL CRIB BLESSING BRONZE MEDAL GIFT BOXED GOD BLESS OUR BABY , Vintage cut out gold tone medal,Blessed Virgin Mary, Vintage gold tone medal,Blessed Virgin Mary, God Bless My Dog Pet Medal Pendant Charm Saint St. Francis Catholic Pewter 1", BLESSED MOTHER JOSEPHINA VANNINI OLD ENAMEL MEDAL, Children's (Blessed) Miraculous Medal Necklace & Earrings 14kgp (Virgin Mary) , (Blessed) Miraculous Medal Necklace & Earrings Silver Plate (Virgin Mary) , (Blessed) Miraculous Medal Necklace & Earrings 14kgp (Virgin Mary) , Our Lady of Mercy Virgen de las Mercedes Holy Medal & Chain Blessed Virgin Mary , "VATICANO" HOLY MEDAL OF BLESSED MOTHER WITH BABY JESUS, OLD Catholic CHURCH of the HOLY CHILD PHILA - Christ Child Bless Me MEDAL, VINTAGE MEDALS ST. BENEDICT ST. CHRISTOPHER BLESSED JOHN PAUL ST. JOSEPH, L@@K POPE /PAUL VI / BLESSED CHILDREN DREAM BRONZE MEDAL, Catholic Medal large Silhouette of Blessed Virgin Mary, Catholic Medal CHALICE Ornate design Blessed Sacrament Communion Eucharist, Vintage Catholic Medal Blessed Virgin and Baby Jesus gold finish, Vintage Catholic Medal Blessed Virgin and Baby Jesus gold finish Art deco style, BLESSED VIRGIN MARY MIRACULOUS MEDAL SUN VISOR CLIP BOOK MARK DRAWER HANGAR NEW, Antique religious silver medal pendant Blessed Peter Julian Eymard , Old 1830 MIRACULOUS Medal Cross Jesus Mount Carmel Medal Blessed Mary Ornate, OLDER VINTAGE STERLING SILVER BLESSED MOTHER SACRED HEART PENDANT MEDAL, God Bless My Dog Pet Medal Pendant Charm St Saint Francis Pewter 1" Catholic, ☆ St.Anthony & St.Francis- Blessed by Pope Benedict XVI- Silver oxidized medal ☆, ☆ Beautiful Pope Benedict XVI ☆ Blessed by Pope medal ☆ Silver Oxidized medal ☆, THAI BLESSED SOMDEJ TOH / LORD GANESH AMULET MEDAL, BLESSED POPE JOHN PAUL 11 ROSARY and HOLY MEDAL QUOTE POPE JOHN PAUL HOLY CARD, Blessed Caroline Sterling Silver Medal (JC-1020), St. Francis GOD BLESS MY DOG Pet Medal & Prayer Card, GOD BLESS MY DOG, Saint Francis Medal, Tag, Charm, BIG VINTAGE SILVER MEDAL ST SACRAMENT - JESUS BLESS 1899 HEART OF LOVE, L@@k Religious / Blessed Pope John Paul II / Fátima Sanctuary Big Bronze Medal!, Religious Blessed Pope John Paul II with Arms Wide Open Fantastic Bronze Medal!, L@@k Religious / Blessed Pope John Paul II / Amazing Bronze Medal!, Vachette Nuns Medal Blessed VM.~ c1850 ARGENT Rev. Sacred Heart of Jesus WAAG, Lot of 10 Blessed KATERI TEKAKWITHA Medals + To Be a Saint + Native Americans,
Would a soldier still earn a Medal of Honor for capturing an enemy flag? And God Bless those who serve! our current enemy has NO flag...and they have no honor! god I miss the Cold War! |
