Paris Olympics: Poor leadership will continue to harm Nigeria irretrievably, says Obi

Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has said poor political leadership will continue to harm Nigeria irretrievably until it dismantles the corrupt system.

Obi’s statement comes as Nigeria failed to win any medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, while three Nigerians won medals for other countries due to a lack of opportunities at home.

Obi, in a statement titled: “The Loud Message from the 2024 Olympics” on Monday, said the persistent underperformance in global arenas like the Olympics serves as a powerful reminder of the consequences of poor governance.

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“I would like Nigerians not to ignore the powerful message from the global sports event. While the giant of Africa finished without a single medal, where nine African countries won medals, Nigeria still registered some positives at the global event in a way that brought out glaring challenges,” Obi said.

Obi pointed to the Nigerian-born athletes who competed under different national flags and came out shining at the Olympics.

Obi said these athletes excelled because they operated in better environments where talents are recognized and nations take themselves seriously.

The athletes are: Yemisi Ogunleye, who won gold for Germany; Annette Echikunwoke, who, according to Obi, was “frustrated out of Nigeria” but claimed gold for the United States; and Ebelechukwu Agbapuonwu, who was already an athletic potential at the age of 15 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State before changing nationality and religion, and won silver medals for Bahrain.

Obi also noted the achievement of Rena Wakama, the Nigerian-American coach of the D’Tigress, who was named the best coach at the 2024 Olympics after leading the team to the quarterfinals.

He stated, “At various times, Nigerians continue to showcase their talents and prove that with the right environment and the right leadership, they can surmount all obstacles.”

He, however, urged Nigerians to recognize that until the corrupt political system is dismantled and a new Nigeria is established, the country will continue to struggle on the global stage.