Nigeria did not win a single medal in the last Olympics in Paris, which was disappointing. Sports Minister John Owan Enoh called this an unexpected and unfortunate reality.
Enoh acknowledged the general outcry and grief in a Channels TV interview, highlighting how very personal this defeat is for him considering his drive for achievement and competitive spirit—especially since he is well-known for winning in his hometown of Cross River. He worked very hard, but the result was not what he or the nation had expected.
Here’s what he said in the interview:
Even though I worked hard and had a tremendous desire to win, I could not do it this time. It was unexpected, and it wasn’t the result of insufficient effort.
Though some analysts could contend that the indicators were present—indicating the difficulties encountered by our elite athletes, such as Ofili, Amusan, and our wrestlers and weightlifters who previously astounded the world—they did not emerge from the greatest athletic event as the colossi that they once were, but rather as smaller figures.
What did you anticipate? In your estimation, how many medals were we going to receive?
In my capacity as Minister of Sports Development, my job is to supervise the larger structure of sports administration in our nation rather than to directly instruct or oversee athletes.
In contrast to other ministers who oversee agencies directly, I collaborate with about 40 elected sporting federations, each of which is in charge of its own sport. These federations are autonomously governing their own affairs, having been elected by their congresses.
Because of this arrangement, I can shape the direction of the sector but still depend on these federations to manage and carry out their activities efficiently. This strategy guarantees particular attention to every sport, but it also restricts my ability to implement changes directly.
There is nothing I say here that would seem to justify Nigeria’s lack of a medal. I do, however, owe Nigerians an explanation. I acknowledge my accountability. I wrote a message. I didn’t wait for an excuse to lay blame on myself. I apologized in public with a statement.