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In a stinging critique of Nigeria's leadership, Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, has condemned the country's disastrous performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where Nigeria failed to win a single medal despite a significant financial investment.
Obi expressed his frustration on social media, accusing the nation's sports authorities of "rascality and recklessness" in managing the Olympics project.
Obi, in a post on his X (formerly Twitter) handle, stated, "Now that the Paris Olympics 2024 has officially ended, and our dear Team Nigeria, despite the huge financial investment made into the project, is returning without a single medal, may I sincerely register my displeasure with the rascality and recklessness that has continued to characterise leadership in our nation, which often portrays our country as a joke, even on the international stage."
Obi decries waste resources, poor talent management
Nigeria's Olympic contingent, which consisted of 88 athletes, cost the country about ₦12 billion, and it has no medals to show for the expense.
Obi highlighted that this expenditure was nearly double the budget allocated to the entire Ministry of Science and Technology for the year.
He drew comparisons with Jamaica, a country that spent significantly less—approximately $2300 per athlete—yet managed to win six medals, including one gold.
"How can one explain that a country like Jamaica spent less than 5% of what we spent on our contingents for the Paris Olympics 2024 and won as many as 6 medals, and with our huge financial investments, we could not win even a singular medal?" Obi asked.
He further criticised the sports leadership for favouring personal interests over competence, leading to Nigeria's poor performance.
Obi also pointed out the mismanagement and administrative recklessness that affected individual athletes.
He cited the case of Nigerian sprinter Favour Ofili, whose name was inexplicably removed from the list of athletes for the 100m race, and Annette Echikunwoke, a former Nigerian hammer thrower who switched allegiance to the United States after being frustrated by Nigerian sports authorities.
Echikunwoke went on to win a medal for the U.S. at the Olympics, a loss that Obi attributed to the "rascality of some Nigerian leaders."
Obi further lamented that some injured and unfit athletes were still present in Paris, receiving allowances from the national budget.
He also highlighted the case of Ese Ukpeseraye, a Nigerian cyclist who had to borrow a bicycle to compete in her event, describing the situation as "a national embarrassment."
"What a country! What a shame!" Obi exclaimed, calling on the government to investigate these issues and hold those responsible accountable.
He stressed the need for Nigeria to embrace discipline and competence in leadership to avoid such failures in the future.
Obi hails Nigerian-born athletes who represented other nations
Despite Nigeria's disappointing performance, Obi acknowledged the success of Nigerian-born athletes who competed under other flags.
Yemisi Ogunleye won gold for Germany, Annette Echikunwoke won gold for the United States, and Ebelechukwu Agbapuonwu, who left Nigeria at a young age, won silver medals for Bahrain.
Obi also praised Rena Wakama, the Nigerian-American head coach of Nigeria's female basketball team, who was named the best coach at the Olympics.
Obi urged Nigerians to recognise the message from the 2024 Olympics—that poor leadership continues to harm the country.
He called for urgent reforms to dismantle the corrupt system and build a "New Nigeria" where competence and capacity reign supreme.