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| PATRIOTISM VERSUS PERSONAL AGRANDIZEMENT |
7/14/2008 |
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by: Melvin A. V. Brown :
The two recent victories of the Nigerian born Spanish athlete, Josephine Onyia, in the IAAF Golden League 100m hurdles, has ignited once again the age old debate on patriotism and personal agrandisement among African sports men and women. The 21 year old girl who was given Spanish citizenship in May 2007, beat the World Indoor record holder Susanna Kallur (Sweden) and the World Indoor champion Lolo Jones (USA) to register her first ever victory in the league in the Berlin race. While everyone was thinking that her winning was a one-off, she won a second race of the league in Oslo, Norway. She is on course to share in the $1m Golden League, if she could win the remaining races.
This is an issue that is very difficult to tackle because, which ever way you want to look at it or position you take, it is an issue that is riddled with high emotion. Both sides of the topic are full of passions. It is an issue that has divided friends and even family members into two different camps. Athelets should not be tagged unpatriotics for doing what is in their own best interests. Each of them that made the decision to change their nationality did so based on their individual situations.
As afore-mentioned, many athlethes have been changing their nationalities to represent other countries in sports for so long. There are many that have done that, which includes among others, Gloria Alozie, the former Nigerian, 100m hurdles silver medalist in Sydney
2000 Olympics, who changed her nationality in 2001 to Spain. She is currently wearing the Spanish colours in her sport. Wilson Kipketer (800m), formerly of Kenya, changed his nationality to Denmark, and has been representing his new country since then. Saif Saaeed Shaheen formerly known in his native country Kenya as Stephen Cherono and Albert Chepkirui changed their nationalities to Qatar. Saif Shaheen (25), went on and won the 3,000 steeple chase final to give Qatar their first ever World Athletics championship.
In 2004 Olympics in Athens, the Nigerian born Portuguese, Francis Obiukwu, won the silver medal in 100m for his new country. The Moroccan born Bahrainian, Rashid Ramzi won the gold medals in 800m and 1500m at the 2005 World Atheletics Championship in Helsinki, Finland. Also notable among the atheletes that has changed their nationality to represent another country is the silver winning hepthatlon Sierra Leonian born French woman, Eunice Barber, who is now sporting French colours in international meetings.
There are a couple of reasons which makes people in general pack their bags and relocate to another country and eventually acquire their host countries citizenship. It is not only athletes that changed their nationalities, most Africans in the western world are having the citizenships of the country where they live, but athletes are being singled out for criticism because they are famous and are representatives of their countries in the World of sports. I have to focus on sports since that is the area in question right now. But the big question is why are many talented African athletes turning their backs on their countries?
Among other reasons given for this trend is the number one on the list - economic reasons. Athelets like every other African that has relocated to the western world do so to better their lives and living conditions. They do so to have a brighter future for themselves and their families. Another reason is lack of sensitivity and real governmental support of the athletes. There are virtually no financial incentives, to help them with the hash prevailing situations in their lands. There are no adequate programmes to help promote and develope the young talents that are bound in almost all the countries. The lack of appreciation from the governments of these athletes is also another contributor to this situation.
One could not sincerely call these athletes unpatriotic after seeing what the people are going through in Africa, living in abject poverty in the mixed of enormous recources, while the so called leaders and their families wallow in the ocean of wealth belonging to the masses. The magnitude of greed and corruption of officials in Africa is the main reason why the people are living in penury. If the canker worm which is eating deep and milking the economics of Africa is not stopped, poverty will continue and many people including athelets will continue to look for greener pastures overseas. It is as simple as that.
Everyone knows what has to be done to halt the migration of African talents to Europe and North America. To arrest the situation, a kind of independent watch dog should be established in all the countries to monitor and deal ruthlessly with bribery and corruption at all levels including the three arms of the government. Any government official, caught stashing away money in a foreign bank should be court marshalled if the judiciary is also corrupt. The staff of the watch dog establishment, should be highly paid, so as to be above being tempted to soil their hands. Governments should also not only provide modern training facilities but also train their coaches to the highest level of the game. The athletes should be well taken care of, including providing them with good financial incentives, to discourage them from leaving for a greener pasture. Private sectors should be brought in to sponsor sports in general. When government show serious interest in their athletes, the lure of greener pasture will be greatly reduced at least. When the athletes retires they should be provided with financial assistance especially if they need it. cheers.
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