Against all expectations, Team Nigeria went to the 2024 Olympics in Paris, France, they saw, they returned. They returned with no podium mentioned. They returned empty handed.

Just like they returned from Seoul 1988, and London 2012. They squandered over 12 billion naira that government invested in the debacle, and there is nothing to show for it.

This was despite taking part in 12 Sports with several events, Nigerians watched  in disbelief as  the most populous nation in Africa had no medal to show after 14 days event.

 Nigerians had hoped on world record holder Tobi Amusan to win a medal in the 100m hurdles, but when the chips were down, the World Record holder could not go beyond the semi finals.  

Other athletes fell like a pack of cards, even the wrestlers that went with high hopes. None of them could get to the medal ranges.

The 4x400m quartet of Emmanuel Ojeli, Ezekiel Nathanial, Dubem Amene, and Chidi Okezie  failed to qualify for the final of men’s 4x400m despite finishing second in the semi-final. They were initially meant to make it to the final scheduled  but Athletics officials later announced that one of the quartets failed to run in accordance to line or lane rules. They were disqualified on technical grounds.

The scandals that were associated with Nigeria's participation in major events like these, were not left out. As Favor Ofili's exclusion from the 100 meters which she qualified  for, almost pulled down the team. The Minister of Sports did promised to get to the root of the scandal, we still keep our fingers crossed. The issue of borrowed bike in the cycling event was also prominent.

The Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh who had boasted of the athletes surpassing the 1996 records, saw at the games, that the sound of bitter kola in the mouth, differs from its taste.

The disappointed Minister was force to state that he will take a closer look at the constitutions governing Nigeria’s sporting federations in advance of their elections.

Senator Enoh, stated, “We did everything as a Ministry to prepare the athletes adequately and provide them with every financial support but unfortunately the performance did not produced any podium finish.”

He said to avoid such debacle in future, they will have to review how people are elected to lead the sporting Federations.

Quoting his words, Senator Enoh said, “I know that elections into the Federations are coming and it will be the perfect platform to get only those who have something to offer to lead the various sports.I am aware that the Sports Federations Elections in Nigeria are even tougher than our National Elections and you will begin to ask yourself why is it so.”

The Minister concluded by saying “So for me as a Minister, it is important I supervise an Elections where only the best hands will lead the various Federations and I also understand that in some of the Federations their constitutions will need to be reviewed for better inclusion.”

It Is a basic truth to say that Olympic champions are not made in four years. It will be mere shadow chasing if we feel that next Olympics  slated for Los Angeles in 2028, will be better. Unless, there are upcoming athletes that are been built elsewhere, which I doubt there are.

There are several reasons that may have been contributing to Nigeria's poor performance in the major sporting events like Olympics, among which are:

1. _Lack of investment in sports infrastructure_: Nigeria's sports facilities and equipment are not be up to international standards, hindering athletes' ability to train and prepare effectively. Little wondered why athletes that abandoned the country and represented other countries, won various medals for their adopted countries.

2. _Inadequate funding_: Insufficient funding can limit athletes' access to quality coaching, training camps, and competitions, putting them at a disadvantage.

3. _Poor sports administration_: Ineffective management, corruption, and political interference have its effects, thereby leading to disorganization, misallocation of resources, and demotivation of athletes.

4. _Limited talent development programs_: Nigeria have no robust programs to identify, develop, and nurture young talents, leading to a shallow talent pool.

5. _Inadequate preparation and training_: Athletes don't receive sufficient training, coaching, and exposure to international competitions, making them underprepared.

6. _Injuries and fitness issues_: Athletes may have been hampered by injuries or fitness problems, reducing their competitiveness.

7. _Competition from other nations_: The Olympics feature the world's best athletes, and Nigeria may have faced stiff competition from better-prepared and more experienced teams.

8. _Lack of teamwork and unity_: Disunity, poor communication, and inadequate teamwork among athletes, coaches, and officials can hinder performance.

9. _Overemphasis on individual sports_: Nigeria focused more on individual sports, neglecting team sports where medals are often won.

10. _Cultural and societal factors_: Cultural and societal attitudes toward sports, education, and career choices may not prioritize athletic development.
Agreed that the time to prepare for the 2028 edition of the Olympics is now, do we have all it takes to start preparing now, or we wait till then?