Obasanjo charges athletes to win medals
By Ben Memuletiwon, Athens
Friday, August 27, 2004

President Olusegun Obasanjo is worried and sad that Nigeria has not won any medal in the ongoing Olympic Games as he has charged the athletes who are still in the Games to put in extra efforts to ensure that the country is not disgraced.

Nigeria's Ambassador to Greece, Professor Agbi, told the Nigerian contingent that Obasanjo was solidly behind them and also commended their efforts so far even though the medal has not come.

He disclosed that several phone calls had come from the presidency, expressing concern over the country's inability to win a medal thus far in spite of the huge fund the government has spent on the Games.

"I'm proud of you and the president is also proud of you because you have displayed high level of discipline here in Athens," Agbi told the athletes. "Every Nigerian, just like the president, is worried that Nigeria has not won a medal yet, but I keep telling them that the Games are not over yet.
Moreover, as a student of Literature, I learnt that an Olympic gold medallist is not produced in three months. For instance, the Mexicans start to train their athletes from three, five and seven years old and it takes over 16 years to really get a true champion."

Agbi pleaded with the government and the sports ministry to shun the usual fire brigade approach to major championship and start preparations for Beijing 2008 even now.
"If Nigeria can't win gold in an event like this while a tiny country like Eritrea is on the medal table, then we should stop calling ourselves the giants of Africa," he said. "That's rubbish. I will put this in my report to the president."

Professor Agbi also consoled the athletes not to be Despondent and promised to impress it on Mr President to release money for Beijing preparations immediately. He appealed to the relay team to give a superhuman effort in their event.