James Nnaji Anukam had played tennis all his life to become a coach. But now the former coach lost his sight over a decade ago and he is soliciting financial aid to regain his sight and means of livelihood. Reports TUNDE LIADI.
The eyes remain virtually the most important support system for the entire body. It is the light of the body and when it is taken it is like the entire world collapsing on the affected person.
Such has been predicament of a former tennis coach, James Nnaji Anukam who went blind in 2010 as a result of poorly treated glaucoma and cataract eye defects which has made him incapacitated to meet his family’s needs.
The ex-tennis coach recalled his problem started in 2007 while returning from work and noticed that his left eye was closed and that he tried all efforts to have the eye restored despite visiting all notable eye specialists in the country.
Anukam said the situation became more worrisome for him in 2010 when he was unable to open his right eye also and that he had to leave his job as a staff of the Imo Sports Commission and has found taking care of his family, a tough assignment to do.
He noted that he worked closely with Mrs. Elizabeth Ekong who was a former national tennis coach while Kyrian Nwokedi, David Imonitie, and Paul Are, among others, were some of his teammates.
Anukam said he has really suffered from poor vision since 2010 and he is appealing to the Federal Government, the Imo State Government, and Nigerians to come to his aid.
“I have really gone through a lot since 2007 when this issue began. It was the time I lost my left eye and it became compounded in 2010 when the second one got bad too. It has affected everything I do. I have lost my job with the Imo Sports Council since 2020 and with five children and other commitments here and there,” Anukam told NationSport.”I am calling on the Federal Government, Imo Government, and others to come to my aid. Things have gone bad and I will need the support of all.”
He also spoke on his achievements so far as a coach noting that he has won laurels having served excellently during his playing days.
He offered: “I played in national competitions in Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire. I played with Paul Are, Sadiq Abdullahi, David Imonitie, Nnamdi Odizor, and a lot of the national team players that I can’t remember them.
“It is not an easy task since I joined the coaching crew. But the thing that made it easy for me was our chairman Chief Eche who was supporting the coaches. As a coach, I won the National Sports Festival and a lot of other competitions.
“The issue of sight has been a very big task. I went to Ikeja and Calabar and they said that they will do surgery but I don’t have the funds to carry out the surgery. I believed things will get better if the surgery is carried out at some stages in the past but I have been told it is difficult now.
“I am urging the Imo State government and good people of Nigeria to assist me so that I can take care of my family and my sight.”
The former coach has been credited to have discovered current Nigeria’s number one tennis star Uchenna Oparaoji and former Nigeria’s number one women’s player Christie Agubuom among others.