Diack Charges Nigerians -IAAF Boss Says: Make Full Use Of Center

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) President, Lamine Diack is optimistic Nigeria athletics will produce great stars when the High Performance Center situated at the University of Port Harcourt is completed and also hopes that Nigeria athletics will be in full bloom again and thereby repeating the glory days that put Nigerian athletes in the bright spot of international athletics.

The former Africa Athletics president stated this when he came on a visit to Nigeria to receive a Doctorate Degree from the University of Port Harcourt recently. Diack, who says he use to come to Nigeria at least two to three times in a year, advised Nigerians to make full use of the HPC as according to him, he is keen in seeing Nigeria and Africans occupying and winning the relays and shot sprints in future.

“Nigeria is one country that is very strong when it comes to athletics in Africa and I believe with the setting up of the High Performance center here in Nigeria, I hope the center will be fully utilized when operational so that the past heroic of Nigerian athletes will come back to the fore.

“I love Nigeria, I come here two to three times in a year when I was an athlete for Senegal, I played professional football and later I started track and field.

“With the caliber of athletes Nigeria had then, their names are always a treat to others so I hope the center will be use to re-ignite that spirit in the country.”

On the activities of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria and its President, Evangelist Solomon Ogba, Diack said kudos should be give to the AFN president for is resolve to develop the sport in Nigeria, he said Ogba is among the few in Africa that really has the sport in heart.

“There is no doubt Nigeria athletics will not progress because with the man heading the Nigeria Athletics Federation, Solomon Ogba, I see changers in Nigeria athletics in the last 5 years and kudos should be give to Ogba and his board members for lifting Nigeria athletics to where it is today.
“The young man is one very few in Africa that has really turn around his country’s athletics,” he concluded.

Diack Charges Nigerians -IAAF Boss Says: Make Full Use Of Center

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) President, Lamine Diack is optimistic Nigeria athletics will produce great stars when the High Performance Center situated at the University of Port Harcourt is completed and also hopes that Nigeria athletics will be in full bloom again and thereby repeating the glory days that put Nigerian athletes in the bright spot of international athletics.

The former Africa Athletics president stated this when he came on a visit to Nigeria to receive a Doctorate Degree from the University of Port Harcourt recently. Diack, who says he use to come to Nigeria at least two to three times in a year, advised Nigerians to make full use of the HPC as according to him, he is keen in seeing Nigeria and Africans occupying and winning the relays and shot sprints in future.

“Nigeria is one country that is very strong when it comes to athletics in Africa and I believe with the setting up of the High Performance center here in Nigeria, I hope the center will be fully utilized when operational so that the past heroic of Nigerian athletes will come back to the fore.

“I love Nigeria, I come here two to three times in a year when I was an athlete for Senegal, I played professional football and later I started track and field.

“With the caliber of athletes Nigeria had then, their names are always a treat to others so I hope the center will be use to re-ignite that spirit in the country.”

On the activities of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria and its President, Evangelist Solomon Ogba, Diack said kudos should be give to the AFN president for is resolve to develop the sport in Nigeria, he said Ogba is among the few in Africa that really has the sport in heart.

“There is no doubt Nigeria athletics will not progress because with the man heading the Nigeria Athletics Federation, Solomon Ogba, I see changers in Nigeria athletics in the last 5 years and kudos should be give to Ogba and his board members for lifting Nigeria athletics to where it is today.
“The young man is one very few in Africa that has really turn around his country’s athletics,” he concluded.

Give Africa Great Athletes – Kalkaba Tasks Nigeria

President of the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA), retired Colonel Hamad Kalkaba has charged Nigeria to bring back the glory days of its athletes by using the center to provide for Africa athletes that will challenge the World.

Kalkaba who was in Nigeria recently said he opted for Nigeria for the High performance Center due to Nigeria’s high rate of talents and great athletes. He said he believes Nigeria should be able to provide for Africa the great athletes she needs from the Center. The former Cameroon athlete said Africa athletes can win huge numbers of gold if they get good support from government the way they pump funds into football.

“I am challenging Nigerians to use the center to bring back the glory days of the country’s track and field.
“There are other countries that I recommend for the center but I decided to choose Nigeria because of its talents. The country has talented track and field stars.
“Africa heads of States should try and put funds into track and field just like they do in football.
“If that is done, I don’t see why Africans will not excel in international championships.” Kalkaba also said; “The Nigeria Athletics President, Solomon Ogba should really be commended for his development of Nigeria athletics.

“When I brought the idea of the center with Ekeji and Ndanusa in 2011, they promised to look into it, but last year in Porto Novo during the Africa Senior Athletics Championships, I discussed it with Solomon Ogba and what he promised (quick action) is what we are seeing today.”

Meanwhile, speaking on the potentials of Africa track and field athletes, the retired Cameroonian Army Colonel said, “Africa has great potentials that the continent is utilizing just 25% of that.

“Africa is targeting 20 gold medals in the next Olympics and in achieving that we need to prepare very well by utilizing the High performance Center in Nigeria and other places.
“We lost our pride to European country because most of the athletes winning medals for them are Africans.” He thanked Diack for supporting Africa.

Center Will Be Regional – Ogba -Wants Nigerian Athletes To Key In

The High Performance Center approved for Nigeria by the IAAF will be a regional one when operational, said the President of the AFN, Evangelist Solomon Ogba.

The elated Ogba, who said athletes from Cameroon, Benin Republic and Niger among others will be using the center, advised Nigeria athletes to also take the opportunity the center will bring as the University of Port Harcourt will be running a scholarship program for athletes when the center becomes operational. He stated that most of Nigeria professional athletes are under scholarships in schools in the USA and enjoined athletes at home to key into the Scholarship the UNIPORT will be giving out to its athletes when the center becomes operational later this year.

“I am very happy we got the approval of the center from the IAAF. The center will be functioning very soon and when it does, it will be a regional one. “Athletes from Cameroon, Benin Republic, Niger and others will be using the center also so I will advise Nigerians to make good use of it.

“Most of our athletes are in the USA and other European countries under scholarships and I will advise the ones back to key into the UNIPORT scholarship when the center starts because there is life after sports,” said Ogba, while also thanking the Director General of National Sports Commission for his support.

Performance Center Gets NSC Nod -Ekeji Throws Weight Behind IAAF Project

Director General of the National Sports Commission, Dr. Patrick Ekeji has thrown his weight and that of the NSC on the High Performance Center that was approved by the President of the IAAF in Nigeria.

According to Dr. Ekeji, the NSC is fully in support of the center because one cannot remove high performance from sports science; noting that nothing will work if all these are not brought together. He therefore challenged other institution in Nigeria to create a department for medicine in sports so as to improve Nigeria sportsmen and women in the school.

“Things are beginning to fall in place for Nigeria as the High Performance Center in UNIPORT, when operational will help our athletes develop in sports medicine and other areas to enhance there performances.
“When I was told about the center coming to Nigeria, I supported it immediately because I know it will help our athletes greatly.

“One thing we lack today in Nigeria is sports science and you cannot remove high performance from sports science as it will not work so it is very good we are now having the center.” While speaking on Olympic qualifications for Africa athletes, Ekeji challenge the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) to make the All Africa Games as an Olympic qualifier which he said will raise the standard of the Games as professional athletes in Africa who wishes to attend the Olympics will turn up.

“The All Africa Games is Africa’s own Olympics and to make it have a standard, ANOCA should make it an Olympic qualifying Games as it will see Africa professional athletes coming back to participate because no athlete will want to miss the Olympics.
“Most of the professional athletes don’t turn up for major African events and I think this decision, if taken will see the pros coming to partake in big events in Africa.”

Nesiama Expects Bright Future

Athletics Federation of Nigeria technical director, Navy Commodore Omatsheye Nesiama is optimistic the center will turn around Nigeria athletics when it becomes operational.

Nesiama said the next two years will be crucial for development and hopefully at the next Olympics there will be no sad tales to tell of the country’s athletics.

“With the High Performance centre starting soon, we are looking forward to rapid development of athletics in Nigeria. It has been approved by the IAAF and we are only putting things together to have it take off as soon as possible.

“As you know, the centre encompasses all aspects of athletics development. Local and international coaches will be on hand to train our athletes,” said Nesiama.

He submitted that the AFN is putting every machinery in place to start the developmental programme. This include performance based training meant for athletes who are already matured and grassroots development, which will see coaches scout for young talents that will be groomed to international standards.

“Within the next two years, we hope to see a remarkable improvement in Nigerian athletics. Some of the athletes we took to the Olympics are under 26 and we hope to give them all the necessary support and training to get them up to world standards performers,” Nesiama added.