We are once again in the exhilarating season of the African Cup of Nation’s (AFCON) football tournament, with teams and players from around the continent turning out in colourful kits and prancing and jostling for supremacy on the field of play.
In the stands at the stadia, the crowds sway in song and dance and excitement, with drums and symbals throbbing and clanging. Some of the fans are adorned in masquerade garb, painted in national colours, in this festival of sports, heroes and stardom.
In the midst of the euphoria, let’s spare a thought for our past sports heroes, their contributions to our national pride and the nature of their lives the morning after, when they are no longer so agile, as age and often illness, come calling.
Many retired athletes suffer and most die in pain, frustration, regret and anger. Ill health is the most troubling aspect of a retired athlete’s life, and the public do not link this to their glory days serving their country.
Segun Odegbami played football for Nigeria upwards of four decades ago, is one of the lucky ones and has kept in touch and been helpful to quite a number of past national sports stars in their hour of need.
Here is what he has to say about his ailing Nation’s Cup winning compatriot, the then towering goalkeeper Emmanuel Okala: “…the Vanguard newspaper reported an incident between its reporters and Emmanuel Okala, MON, one of the heroes of the Gold-medal winning team of the 2nd All-Africa Games in 1973, a member of the winning squad of the 1980 African Cup of Nations, and a member of the 1977 Africa Cup-Winners’ Cup Rangers International FC team.
So, Emmanuel Okala makes news any time he opens his mouth to say something on football to journalists. When he also refuses to talk, something must be very wrong, as it was last weekend when the two reporters wanted a chat with him. His reaction was very unusual for a gentleman that he had always been, and that’s why it was a major item on the back page of the respected Nigerian daily paper.
“Okala lashed out at the journalists, telling them to leave him alone, that he had suffered enough from neglect by society, and now would prefer be left to rest in peace.
“Okala is my friend. We have been compatriots since I met him for the first time in the national camp as a young man in December of 1973. We met again when I fully joined the national team in 1976, and during our several ‘confrontations’ on the football field, thereafter.
“So, I know him very well, and, so, Emmanuel Okala’s reaction to those reporters should not be disregarded. I know that it is the product of accumulated frustration at the pain and suffering that a lot of retired sports persons have been going through without a general solution, particularly their health conditions as they start to advance in age.”
The story has been the same or worse for several others.
Past ace Super Eagles star, Ebiyan Dediare suffered from stroke and did not get the expected level of support. Sunny Oyarekhua and Peter Fregene suffered the same ailment and got scant support.
Former Super Eagles central defender and captain, Christian Chukwu had to be flown abroad to be saved from the throes of death, and now walks with the help of a stick.
It has been suggested that the starting point is to start to look outside of government, and to come up with programmes and institutions that will look at the sector very critically and come up with solutions.
There is a need to be creative and come up with new ideas to resolve the despair of our national sportsmen and women after their glory days.
