Nigerian stars shine in America, the country of Stars and Stripes. The United States is also the land of the Star Spangled Banner. Oluwatobiloba Ayomide Amusan realised her life long ambition in God’s own country.
Better known as Tobi, the hurdler is the new global 100 metres Hurdles champion. She did it in a big way at the World Championships shattering continental and world records.
In the heats, Tobi set a new African record of 12.40 seconds. In the semi finals she made a new world mark of 12.12 seconds. It got even better in the finals where the Nigerian did better than Olympic champion, Jasmine Camacho – Quin to set a new record of 12.06 seconds. No thanks to the wind, the record is not recognised.
When folks say America, their America, they could be referring to Nigerians. Dick Tiger, Peter Konyegwachie, Innocent Egbunike, Sunday Uti, Oluwarotimi Peters, Moses Ugbisien, Chioma Ajunwa, Green Eagles, Dream Team and now, Tobi Amusan.
Richard Ihetu only became world Middleweight boxing champion when he relocated to America from Britain. Popularly known as Dick Tiger, the pugilist beat home boy, Gene Fulmer, at Candlestick Park, San Fransisco in 1962 to wear the belt.
Dick Tiger improved on that record in 1966 when he moved up to the Light heavyweight division to become the first African to be champion in two different weight categories.
His challenger, Jose Torres of Puerto Rico had a bad day at New York’s Madison Square Garden. For that feat, Tiger was the only fighter voted Boxer of the Year twice in the 1960s by Ring Magazine.
Nigeria’s first Olympic gold medal was won by Long Jumper, Chioma Ajunwa at Atlanta ’96. The country’s first Olympic bronze medal came earlier at Los Angeles ’84 through Featherweight boxer, Peter Konyegwachie who lost controversially to Meldrick Taylor of the United States.
It was also at Los Angeles ’84, that we earned our first Athletics medal, a bronze in the men’s 4×400 metres relay through the quartet of Egbunike, Uti, Peters and Ugbisien.
The Dream Team won Africa’s first Olympic soccer gold at Atlanta ’96. Two years earlier, the Super Eagles had made their Mundial debut at USA ’94, as the fifth best in the world and came out as the Most Entertaining Team.
Tobi was not lucky, the first time she competed in America. Infact, it was a disaster. And Eugene, Oregon was the ground. Yes, the same Eugene, Oregon where she was crowned World Champion.
At the 2014 World Junior Athletics Championships, she was set but did not even start. This was after the lass had won silver at the African Under 15 Championships in Gaborone, Botswana.
And from that sad experience in Eugene, Tobi did not win gold in any global Championships until the sweet dream in the same Eugene. We may have to change her name to Eugenia.
READ ALSO: Presidential Guard Attack: Yahaya Bello Grieves Over Army Officers’ Death
At the World Juniors, Budgoszcz 2016, she got to the finals but finished in the fifth position. At the Rio 2016 Olympics, Tobi could not go beyond the semi finals. That was also the story at the London 2017 World Championships.
Things did not get better at the Doha 2019 World championships. Tobi qualified for the finals but missed a medal by a whisker after placing fourth. History repeated itself at the Tokyo 2020 (2021) Olympics.
The same Tobi had kissed Commonwealth gold at the Gold Coast 2018 Games. She was All Africa Games champion at Brazzaville 2015 and again, at Rabat 2019.
Tobi was African Junior champion at Addis Ababa 2015. She took that to the Seniors, winning at Asaba 2018 and Mauritius 2022, respectively.
Prior to her Oregon gold, the new world champion, joined the Diamond League of Winners. She did in 2021 and proudly repeated it this year in Paris.
Tobi has wiped Nigeria’s tears of 39 years. The first IAAF World Championships took place in Helsinki, Finland, 1983. Expectations were high that gold would be achieved.
The Nigerian team comprised five great athletes who excelled at the Edmonton 1983 World Universities Games, Universiade.
Chidi Imo was 100 metres gold winner. Innocent Egbunike did the same in the 200, Sunday Uti in the 400, Yusuf Ali in the Long Jump and Ajayi Agbebaku in the Triple Jump.
Against all expectations, only Agbebaku earned a medal and it turned out to be bronze.
More tears flowed in 1987. Egbunike had run most sub 45 seconds in the 400 metres and was good enough for gold at Roma ’87. Two weeks before the competition, the quarter miler set a new Commonwealth and African record, 44.77 secs, in Zurich.
Gold turned to grief when East German dark horse, Thomas Schonlebe snatched it from Egbunike with a European record of 44.33 secs.
Until Tobi’s gold, the top spot continued to elude Nigeria. Glory Alozie, a world class 100m Hurdler did all she could but her best was silver at Sevilla ’99.
President Muhammadu Buhari must treat Tobi Amusan like the queen she is. Green Eagles got national honours, houses and cars for lifting the African Nations Cup in 1980, thanks to President Shehu Shagari.
Golden Eaglets were given houses and national Award for winning the FIFA Under 17 Championships, Nigeria’s third time, in 2007 by President Umaru Yar’adua.
Tobi is a world champion and should be commended for not dumping Nigeria. Alozie did after losing her friend, Hyginus Anugwom at Sydney 2000.
Ebelechukwu Agbapuonwu won gold in the 400 meters at the Doha 2019 World Championships. She represented Bahrain and changed name to Salwa Eid Naser after Nigeria treated her shabbily.
Agbapuonwu’s coach, John Obeya was jobless many years after taking Nigerian athletes to the Sydney and Beijing Olympics.
Tobi deserves more from the Federal Government for remaining a Nigerian. The Ijebu Girl must get more than a bungalow from Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun. She is more than Big Brother Naija. This one is Big Sister Worldwide.
Many former female Hurdlers, national and African champions, will be all smiles now. Modupe Oshikoya,Maria Usifo, Obayemi, Belca and Julio Belgam, Felicia Ochonogor, Emilia Edet, Hilda Oseni, Hope Obika and Mosun Adesina, all began this journey.
Keni Harrison whose 12.20 secs. World record was eclipsed by Tobi is also happy. Aso Villa must give the new world champion bundles of fresh naira notes from the Central Bank and it must not be less than 100 million because Toby has dollars in her pocket and knows the exchange rate.
![Fwd: SPORTS FLAKES. THE NEXT EDITION. FRIDAY V victoria ibanga to me, chinwe 6 hours agoDetails Pls publish. > > SPORTS FLAKES : OKALA : CONQUEROR AND EMPEROR OF CAMEROUN Byline: Emeka Obasi Category: SPORTS Picture: Emeka Obasi > > Camerounians will live to remember Emmanuel Anthony Oguejiofo Okala as one goalkeeper that made them cry severally and remained shoulders above their soccer teams. Only once did the legend lose to Cameroun and it was after full and extra time. Before that stain, he tormented the Indomitable Lions in Yaoundé, stopped Canon Sportif in Lagos and dismissed Tonnerre Kalara in Calabar. > > Okala's first encounter with the Indomitable Lions was in a 1974 Yaoundé friendly. The Green Eagles defeated their hosts 1-0. Other members of the Nigerian squad included Harrison Mecha, Nathaniel Adewale, Christian Chukwu, Idowu Otubusin, Musa, Philip Boamah, Kenneth Olayombo and Mohammed Lawal. The rest were John Nwadioha, Haruna Ilerika and substitutes, Mike Okotie, Jossy Dombraye and Yakubu Mambo. > > The Camerounian strike force of Roger Milla, Eugene Ekoule, Djombi, and Ama found it most difficult to put the ball past Okala. Even when Doumbe Leah, Bahoken and Machongo joined the attack from the rear, the Nigerian keeper was unbeatable. The introduction of Gregoire Arantes Mbida made no difference. The only goal conceded was by Keeper Mballa. > > At the Algiers '78 All Africa Games, the Lions were in the same Group B with Eagles. Okala was in goal again and the Camerounians needed a win to qualify for the semi-finals. They remembered that Nigeria were defending champions and Okala was in the team that won gold at the Lagos '73 All Africa Games. The game ended goalless. Nigeria later advanced to the grand finale losing narrowly to hosts Algeria. > > The 1978 encounter came a year after Okala had turned Camerounians into day dreamers. On April 16, 1977, the first international match at the new Calabar Stadium was between Tonnerre Kalara of Yaoundé and Enugu Rangers. Tonnerre had won the first Africa Winners Cup in 1975 but lost it to Shooting Stars, Ibadan in 1976. They came with Roger Milla. The Flying Antelopes gave them a 5-1 drubbing as Okala's face seemed to put Milla in a deep blue funk. > > Later in the year, another Yaoundé side, Canon Sportif, confronted Rangers in the finals of the third Africa Winners Cup. That was the top club in Cameroun at the time and had won the Africa Cup for Champion Clubs [today's CAF Champions' League] in 1971. > > The first leg was decided in Lagos. Rangers were merciless, trouncing the visitors 4-1. Their goalkeeper was Thomas Nkono. He was forced to visit the net so often as his defence succumbed to the fire power of the Flying Antelopes. With Sam Onyeaka, Nwachukwu Onyekwelu, Chimezie Ngadi, Aloy Atuegbu and Emma Merenini in top shape, Okala had little to worry about. > > The return leg at the Stade Omnisport, Yaoundé was billed for December 4, 1977. Canon were so sure the first leg advantage would be erased. After all, they were not Tonnerre who could not cancel the same margin when they fell to Shooting Stars in 1976. Canon meant firepower, yes, it was 'Canon Kpakum'.They apparently did not know that Rangers had many ex -Biafran soldiers. Coach Godwin Achebe, the 'Ide' himself was even an Instructor at the Biafran School of Infantry. > > Canon started well and were leading with a goal when the referee called off the match. There was down pour, the field was turning into a swimming pool. The fans were not happy that the rain gave the visitors a breather. The match officials knew that if they allowed the game to continue, it could only pass for a water polo match. Both teams were asked to come back in 24 hours. > > The hosts still bubbled with confidence. Canon had scored 18 goals in six matches on the way to the finals. They gained a walk over against Red Star of Congo in the first round. Rangers had played eight games and could boast of nine goals. Canon did not score less than two goals in Yaoundé. They defeated SC Bissau 7-1, silenced Kadiogo 4-1 and hit El Itihad 2-0. > > Achebe stuck to his formation of Okala in goal with Charles Adimora, Nnamdi Anyafo, Vincent Chika, Christian Chukwu and Ignatius Ilechukwu as defenders. In the mid field, he opted for Aloy Atuegbu, Christian Madu and Ogidi Ibeabuchi. Sam Onyeaka and Nwachukwu Onyekwelu were attacking. Francis Nwosu later came in for Chika while Emma Merenini replaced Onyeaka. > > Canon , founded, in 1930 were 40 years older than Rangers. The opposition could not escape defeat, so the Camerounians thought. Onyekwelu had scored in the Lagos first leg. Known as 'Igariga' he was huge and powerful. While the hosts were settling down, the bulky attacker fired a shot from close to the center circle. Nkono did not see it. He heard his net shake. Canon got one goal too. > > Then it became tough. Okala refused to be beaten. Mbida tried his best. Jeane Manga Onguene put in everything. The goals were denied by the giant between the Flying Antelopes' post. Theophile Abega, the 'Doctor' could not sedate Okala. They found him a hard nut to crack. Yaoundé fans thought there must be something about the Nigerian keeper. The match ended 1-1, Rangers lifted the Cup. > > Canon could not bear that loss. They claimed that Rangers would not have won if there was no Okala. It became a big issue. Cameounians swore that Okala was a Camerounian who chose to play in Nigeria and they were ready to bring him back to their country to man the posts.. > > Blaming them was not the best way out. There are Okalas in Cameroun. The first Foreign Minister of Independent Cameroun was Charles Rene-Guy Okala. He was Ahmadu Ahidjo's man and best remembered as the man who stood up at the United Nations in 1961 to speak against British Northern Cameroun [Adamawa Province] joining Nigeria. Like Emma Okala, Charles Okala was a Roman Catholic. > > His daughter, Nicole Okala Bilai, is the first Camerounian woman to lead a political party and she is today, a Senator. The lady has gone round jobs, from acting to modeling. Like Emma Okala , she was born in May. > > Okala is also the name of a town in Cameroun. It is in the Centre Region. One of their famous footballers, Elie Onana Eloundou was born there. There was also President of that country's Table Tennis Federation, a man known as D. Okala. Many were convinced that the man who punished Canon was indeed one of them, the defeat was that painful. > > Okala returned to Yaoundé with Rangers in 1978. It was the semi finals of the prestige Africa Cup of Champion Clubs and foes were Canon. It ended goalless in the Lagos first leg. In Yaoundé there was heavy rain again but the referee refused to stop the match, another barren draw. Both teams went into penalty kicks. Canon won 6-5. That was the only time the Camerounians enjoyed a better hand. > > With Okala out of the way, Canon were unstoppable. They won the CAF Champions League in 1978, lifted the Africa Winners Cup in 1979 and grabbed the CAF Champions League again in 1980. > > Okala must have had a good laugh. One of his younger brothers is Charles, but did not last long in soccer as a goalie. Patrick was going to step into his brother's shoes. He played in the grand finale of the Cote D'Ivoire '84 Africa Nations Cup. Nigeria lost 3-1 to Cameroun. At last Milla and Abega had beaten Okala but not Emmanuel. In 1988 and again in 2000, the Indomitable Lions defeated Eagles to win the Nations Cup. > > Emma Okala put Cameroun in his gloves all through his playing career. He was voted African Footballer of the Year by African Sports Journalists Union in 1978. Okala conquered Cameroun. When he quit, Nkono heaved a whiff of fresh air and attended three World Cups.](https://www.nextedition.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/download-1-200x150.jpeg "SPORTSFLAKES: EZIDINMA’S DIRE DAWA DEBUT")
