Many probably know Nigeria’s first Olympic gold winner, Chioma Ajunwa, as the ‘Flying Police woman’. Some do not remember that there was a ‘Flying Policeman,’ Joseph Adeola, before her. Give it to the police, they are shoulders above other forces in sports.
Ajunwa stunned the world on August 2, 1996 at the Atlanta Olympic Games with gold in the Long Jump. Her 7.12 metres effort in the final was just enough to sing ‘Arise O compatriots’ for the first time. She was the shortest of the bunch, at 1.60m[5 feet, 6 inches].
Her triumph was unexpected so much so that it was difficult to get the national flag to celebrate the feat. Team mate, Beatrice Utondu, ran around in tears looking for the Green –white-green until someone in the crowd threw a small one.
Ajunwa’s road to the top was tough. She was set free barely two months to Atlanta following a drug ban on July 10, 1992. Her performance at the Mobil Open , Lagos in April, 1992 attracted attention. She not only beat super star, Mary Onyali, she erased the Commonwealth record in the 100metres. Subjected to test, she failed and missed the Barcelona ’92 Games.
Abandoned by the Smart Akraka led Athletics Federation of Nigeria[AFN], Ajunwa was warmly welcomed by her constituency, the police, thanks to Inspector General Aliyu Atta. When the athlete was left off the hook, she was taken to the United Kingdom by Chief Segun ‘Mathematical’ Odegbami.
Eight weeks was not enough. So it seemed. Ajunwa trained in London, thinking of the 100 metres. When she arrived Atlanta, she was registered for the Long Jump event. Her focus, the 100 metres, did not take her beyond the semi-finals. All eyes were on Mary Onyali and Falilat Ogunkoya who had won individual medals, bronze and silver respectively, in the 200m and 400m.
Twenty four hours to the Long Jump final, Sports minister, Jim Nwobodo, visited the Nigerian contingent and chatted freely with Onyali and Ogunkoya. This surprised Ajunwa who felt Jim should also have encouraged her. He could only say:’Ok, Long Jumper, well done’.
Ajunwa did so well and grabbed the gold beating world great, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, of the United States and Italy’s Fiona May, who settled for bronze and silver. She thus became the first African to win gold in an Olympic Field event. Twenty four hours later another gold came, courtesy of the Dream Team, in soccer.
Thanks to the much ridiculed Nigerian Police. This young woman, born on Christmas day, like Emmanuel Amuneke, flew high. She hails from Umuihiokwu, Ogbe Ahiara, Mbaise in Imo State. From a humble beginning at Ogwo Stenographic Institute, she is today, a Chief Superintendent of Police[CSP].
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Many would not know she played for Super Falcons at the inaugural FIFA Women’s Championships, China ’91.Ajunwa was in central defence with Florence Omagbemi and Omo Love Branch. She captained Larry Angels of Port Harcourt and was also a god boxer.
Adeola, born in 1920, was the star attraction during the early years of national championships at the Police Ground, Obalende-Lagos. In 1947, he was champion in 100, 220 and 440 yards respectively. The feat was repeated in 1948 and he was almost doing it a third time in 1949 but could not get the 440yards gold.
Adeola, left St. Patrick’s Owo, began as a teacher before joining the Police in 1941. He trained in the United Kingdom at Coventry and Branshill Police Colleges and by 1966 was a Commissioner of Police. Soon after, crisis engulfed Nigeria.
Kidnapped in the Mid-West by the Biafrans, it was like a miracle when he emerged at the end of the war breathing. Adeola later became the Lagos State Commissioner of Police during the Mobolaji Johnson years.
There are more firsts from the police. Sunday Bada became the first Nigerian to win a World Indoor athletics gold medal. He also captained Nigeria to a Sydney 2000 Olympics 4x100m Relay gold. Bada served the Border patrol squad in his last years on earth.
Josiah Majekodunmi won the country’s first Commonwealth Games medal, a silver in the High Jump at Auckland ’50. That was four years before Emma Ifeajuna got the first gold in Vancouver. The first African to win a world heavyweight boxing title, Samuel Peter, was a Traffic Warden.
Samuel Igun, a Kingston’66 Commonwealth Games High Jump gold medalist and Brazzaville’65 All Africa Games champion, set an All Comers record in Ghana with a leap of 6feet, 10 inches in 1966. Amen Oyakhire was the first African javelin champion, 1965.
The highest scorer, Second All Africa Games, Lagos ’73, with five goals, was Sunny Oyarekhua. The Green Eagles won gold. The first national team goalie was Benjamin ’Ceremonial’ Williams. Other policemen who manned the posts for Nigeria were Alex Pedro and Emmanuel Omiunu, who also captained the Eagles. The Police Machine won the Challenge Cup in 1962.
Other athletes who shone in police colours were: Chris Okonkwo, Eseme Ikpoto, E. Erizia, C. Anujue, J.S. Olotu, S. Oguama, K. Agbabokha, I. Nwajei, L. Nwabude and C. Chai. Agric Football Club, Ibadan was founded by Ezekiel Omitola.
