History is indeed in the making for Nigeria at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games in Brazil as table tennis will put the country on the world and continent maps when Segun Toriola takes part in his seventh Olympic Games as the first African to achieve such feat.
In the history of Nigerian sports, Toriola remains one of the most successful athletes that had won series of laurels for Nigeria at continental and Commonwealth levels. His records as the most decorated athlete in Africa is unequaled while his commitment to the business of Nigeria cannot be over-emphasized.
The 41 year-old was a very sad man on Wednesday when he said that despite all his efforts to put Nigeria on global map, there has not been any national recognition for his efforts but the erstwhile African king believes his achievement is sports should serve as inspiration for upcoming athletes.
When Segun Toriola joined the league on athletes listed among the seventh heaven in table tennis, it was celebrated across the globe by current and ex-table tennis stars. But despite several accolades that greeted his qualification for a seventh consecutive Olympic Game, there has not been any national recognition for the African legend.
A nation that has conferred national honours on football players that won a cadet competition is yet to deem it fit to recognise the efforts of an athlete that has given more than three decades to serve his fatherland with a lot of international medals to show for it.
In the midst of this, a saddened Toriola said: “It is sad that my country has not deemed it fit to recognise my efforts. I know that if I had been a Briton, I should have been conferred with a national honour by the Queen of England. I think this is not too good for the country as this might discourage upcoming athletes. But I most times take solace in the fact that the country gave me the platform to enter into the annals of history,” he lamented.
In Africa, Toriola remains a role model for athletes as his comportment as well as commitment to the Nigeria project cannot be questioned. His unassuming disposition towards wearing the colours of Nigeria has endeared him to the hearts of many across the globe.
Recalling how his journey to stardom at the Olympic Games, Toriola said: “I could still recollect my first appearance at the Olympic games in Barcelona 1992 where I was the youngest member of Nigeria table tennis team that has greats like Atanda Musa and Yomi Bankole. I qualified for the doubles event while Musa and Bankole played in the singles. In those days, the qualification system for the Olympics was a bit harder and I managed to make the cut for Africa. It was a moment I will never forget particularly playing at the biggest stage alongside some of my idols in the sport.”
For Toriola, qualifying for the Olympics is the peak in the career of every athlete and he emphasized that the Olympics is the biggest platform for athletes to showcase their talents to the whole world.
“I am so surprised when I hear people asking about what have I won at the Olympics? But they must realise that going to the Olympics never comes on a platter of gold as one has to qualify to be at the Olympics. Some of the world’s successful athletes never compete at the Olympics. So for me playing at the seventh Olympics was not something I envisaged when I went to my first Olympics. But what kept the dream ignited in me was the fact that I wanted to emulate some of my idols in the sport.
“I used to look up to Atanda and Yomi because they were the legends of the game. Apart from playing along them in major competitions, they were great players that most of us wanted to emulate as I used to sleep with their pictures while I follow across the world. So for me I wanted to be like these great stars, and this was what spurred me on in the sport.”
In Rio, the former African champion believes nothing is possible as every participant has an equal chance to make it to the podium based on the new playing format been applied by ITTF.
“I believe that we have a chance to do something better in Rio because every country has the chance to make it to the podium. If countries like England can claimed bronze at the World Championship, nothing stops us to doing more in Brazil. In Rio I want to make my country proud and we can do well with the present form of Aruna Quadri, who has established himself as one of the world’s most respected table tennis players,” he added.
For him, playing at the Olympic Games is reserved for the best. “People should also realise that Olympics is for the best in the world. Nigeria should realise that any athlete that makes it to the Olympics should be commended, as not many great athletes feature at the Olympics.”
For his three decades service to Nigeria, Toriola has never been involved in controversy or scandal as his patriotism overrides any other thing. On countless occasions, he has spent his hard-earned resources to represent Nigeria in major competitions when he plied his trade in Italy, Belgium while making France has his second home.
For Toriola, all his achievements in table tennis should be able to inspire the upcoming players to aim high in life. “I must confess that I want young players to see my achievements in sports as an inspiration for them to aim for the top in their sports. I still want to be around table tennis so that I can help the younger players but Rio will surely be my last Olympic Games.”
