By Joe Apu
Two-time Olympic medalist, Enefiok Udo-Obong has declared his interest in running for the office of the president of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN).
The quarter miler who won gold at the Sydney 2000 and bronze at the Athens 2004 Olympics says his declaration is coming on the heels of correcting the anomalies in Nigeria athletics even as he intends to make Nigeria a talent base like is the case with Jamaica.
“We will key into all schools nationally that do sports day and in the process get talented kids for holiday camps. From then we shall see new talents. I have a plan to make Nigeria a talent factory like Jamaica.
He revealed that Nigeria lost her tracks in athletics when the country stopped planning and started believing we can buy success as is the case with the National Sports Festival.
“We looked outwards for success by enticing former Americans to come and win for us thereby spending resources on hotels, tickets and wooing them instead of supporting development back home. Do you know that while these athletes were paid tickets and allowances, some even had their parents flown in all expense paid while many home based athletes are still owed money for winning local competitions three years ago
“Having witnessed the down turn in the results of our athletes in major competitions evidenced by zero medals in the last two Olympics and four world championships and coupled with the threat of new countries in Africa in our traditional strong events; I feel something drastic needs to change.
“We cannot afford to have more of the same anymore. We need new ideas and a more vibrant plan. Having seen the names of the candidates that were coming forth, I didn’t see anything different and felt I will be doing a great disservice to my sport and my nation to remain silent and passive.”
On support he is getting from other athletes and godfathers, Udo-Obong says he is not lacking in support as per his constituency. “As per my constituency I do have support, a lot of it. Sadly they may not be the ones that vote but yet again I put in my candidacy on the platform of competence and not that of politics. A lot of people have encouraged me to come in and I do have a broad support.
Reminded that being an ex athlete does not necessarily make one a good administrator, he said his records speak for themselves insisting that as an athlete that has won the shoes and know where it pinches, he intends to use his contacts to work things out.
I recently got appointed by the IOC to run the Athletes Career Program in West Africa. Not satisfied with education only. I set up the Udo-Obong Academy, a registered Academy where we train athletes in school and career.
“I have organised and sponsored a competition for athletesin which athletes were paid bonuses and prizes in 2012. Over the last three years, I have cris-crossed over 40 schools in Nigeria attending the sports day and training officials to teach the kids from cradle.”
While he admits that one needs to have a plan to be the boss. He says he under no illusions on the enormity of the task but insists he has a blueprint called YES meaning Youth development, Education (of athletes, coaches and technical officials) and Sound Technology.
Udo-Obong, who served as special assistant to the former AFN president, Solomon Ogba whom he said he had advised but the latter got engulfed by a triad of people who acted like a cabal around him for selfish reasons.
Speaking on the immediate task before him if elected president of the AFN, Udo-bong said he would deal with the dichotomy between home based and foreign based athletes. “It has been so pronounced that we need to reconcile the home based and make them feel wanted again because they feel so disenfranchised