The Nigeria International Athletes As-sociation is a conglomeration of Nigerian superstars, not dimming, based in the United States of America, all seemingly suffering from a hallucination of nostalgia.
They had come together for a Stewardship and to celebrate past glories, very intent of remembering the glorious days at the National Stadium tracks where they wowed and dazzled Nigerians in track and field. This night in Phoenix, Arizona gaily dressed men and women, some wearing outlandish and colorful Nigerian outfits, the stars of yesteryears shone brightly at the Marriot Hotel in the downtown city of Mesa.
The name Modupe Oshikoya is etched in the annals of sports in Nigeria, not only for her strides in the hurdles event, also her dashes in the sprints as well as the Long Jump. Oshikoya currently resides in California and is a member of this organization.
Chidi Imoh is a member, so is Mary Onyali Omagbemi both finalists in an Olympic 100 event. Mary actually won herself and Nigeria a bronze medal at the Womens 100 dash at the Atlanta Olympics. Before then, she was in the quartet that won bronze in 4x100 relay at the Barcelona Games and their celebration was so unique that IAAF and IOC still use the clip for their promotion campaigns. The message is that not only gold winners are champions. Their bronze celebration was golden. Onyali flew in from Houston, Texas.
There is Ajayi Agbebaku, Paul Emordi, Hope Ezeigbo, the Ezinwa twins of Osmond and Dave, Omotayo Akinremi, Mercy Nku, Peter Okodogbe, Moses Ugbusien who lives only two hours drive away in Tucson, Christian Okoye who is a story on himself. Christian flung the shot in Nigeria, came to America and imprinted Nigeria in the minds of all by what he did in American football. As the Kansas City Chiefs running back, Christian left many Americans with their mouths open with runs laced with both power and a gazelle.
Charlton Ehizuelen, Harrison Salami, Felix (Beautiful Legs) Imadiyi, Godwin Obasogie are all members and remembered as athletes who would have won Nigeria Olympic medals if the largest black populated country in the world had not boycotted the 1976 Olympic games in Canada.
Bruce Ijirigho is President of the six year old association and a memory of Bruce floods back as he led the Midwest State team(Bendel/Edo/Delta) back to Benin-City from a secondary school championships decades ago. A young soldier named Governor Osaigbovo Ogbemudia was in charge of this State and in regal tow. The Midwest team had not only won the most medals in National School Athletic history, Bruce possessed so much grace, poise and swagger as captain. Looking tall, modest and very dignified as he hoisted the cup from the airplane.
Thirty five years later, in the desert city of Phoenix that is growing and beginning to threaten Philadelphia as the fourth largest nation in the US, Bruce was hosting the nostalgic superstars. Ijirigho stood outside the hotel foyer to welcome guests who had flown in from across the country when I reminded him of the captainship of Midwest athletes. Bruce was wearing a colorful blue Agbada dress as I reminded him of my impression of him years back. "Yes, that was in 1971" he replied, not missing a beat. "Charlton Ehizuelen, Harrison (Salami) and Obasogie (Godwin) were in that team" Ijirigho who acquired a doctorate degree and lectured at the University of Ibadan smiled.
"We are not only celebrating past glories", He told a gathering that also included Kate Iheagwan and her husband Phillip Ahante(Vanguard Newspapers), George Ogbeide, Anthony Ayeni, Augustin Olobia: "we are also concerned and are conserving the present" he told the gathering, mourning the state of decadence at the tracks of the National Stadium today.
"We need to wake up and wake up Nigerian youths to the potential of doing well in sports, particularly in track and field," continued Bruce who announced a scholarship grant to three Nigerian school children.
Yet the Nigerian International Athletes Association humbly acknowledged the grace of America by equally awarding three scholarship grants to the Phoenix neighborhood, and its school district choosing two Latina boys and a 16 year-old Caucasian girl.
Dr Ijirigho continued in a speech, that drew comical eye dabs, sending a message to both the Nigerian youth and leaders : "The situation of the Nigerian youth of today is hopeless while the decadent state of sports in Nigeria has exceeded epidemic proportions in a country so well blessed with incredible raw talents."
"We are now feeling very disenchanted (NIAA) and decided that enough is enough, we decided that it was time to emulate the great American tradition of giving back. Consequently, the NIAA was founded in 2000 to combat the problem of sports demise in Nigeria and to provide the needy and disadvantaged youths in Nigeria and the USA with the resources to support and achieve their God-given potential in Education and Sports."
Thereafter, Nigerian Ibo music boomed with a lot of dancing and merry-making as Moses Ugbusien whispered: "It is great to feel Nigerian".