Here come the pioneers : Seun Adigun, Ngozi Onwumere and Akuoma Omega.
These well read and beautiful gals make up the first Nigerian team to ever drive a Bobsleigh and Akuoma who doubles as one of the team’s brakemen, gives a rare insight into the making of the team as well as its bright prospect of flying the Nigerian colours at the forthcoming 2018 Winter Olympic Games in PyeongChang, South Korea in an interview with MORAKINYO ABODUNRIN.`
DO you want the simplified version or the extended Nollywood version of the story of Nigeria’s Bobsled team?” Akuoma begins understatedly, before dwelling on the vivacity of the beautiful gals who are the first Nigerian team to ever drive a Bobsled.
Indeed, the story of the Nigeria Bobsled team is an inspiration and something akin to the thought of Carlos Ghosn, the Brazilian businessman who remarked ‘when you’re a pioneer and you are at the forefront of an offensive, you are going to be the most optimistic person.’
“Right now, there are three women total on the team; there is Seun Adigun, Ngozi Onwumere and myself,” explained St. Paul Minnesota-born Akuoma to parents from Abia State and the youngest ‘Oma’ of four girls. “Our team comprises women who are fearless, creative, and compassionate.
“I have to say our personalities complement one another so well; we know exactly when to play and we know when to take care business and we understand the importance of our mission and plan to deliver. I could not be any happier with our team dynamic.”
The world of Bobsled or bobsleigh is a mind-boggling journey but Akuoma shows no signs of being boggled as her infectious enthusiasm is there to see while dwelling on the team’s pioneering spirit.
She continued: “Nigeria Bobsled begins with Seun Adigun, who will go down in history as the first Nigerian to ever drive a Bobsled. Seun is a former track and field athlete and Nigerian Olympian who competed in the 2012 Olympic Games in London. After the Olympic Games, Seun decided to retire from track and field. I think the term “retire” does not apply to Seun Adigun.
“She is truly a busy body and workaholic in every sense of the word. Anyway, my restless Seun didn’t find herself out of a sport for long. She decided to embark on a new journey and found herself trying out for the USA Bobsled Team. Needless to say, she made the team.
“Naturally, Seun’s enthusiasm for the sport grew and she found herself gathering information about the sport; she soon learned that the sport of Bobsled was looking to expand, particularly in women’s teams. After some strategic thinking, Seun had reached out to the Nigerian Olympic Committee who later expressed interest in being represented in the Winter sports.
“It was then that Seun was released from the USA team to start the Bobsled and Skeleton Federation of Nigeria and as at November 2016, Nigeria is officially the first African country to participate in the sport of Bobsled,” she volunteered.
Of course, birds of a feather flock together and Seun would soon find spirited duo of Ngozi Onwumere and Akuoma who reckoned the meeting of her ‘mastermind’ group was fortuitous and by what others may call divine arrangement.
“Though graduation was an exciting time,” noted 25-year-old Akuoma, who studied Human Resource Development with a minor in Communication Studies at the University of Minnesota. “I had to think about what my next move was; it was the first time I was no longer a student, a kid or an athlete and the thought of “not being” made me anxious.
“I had longed to move out of state and experience something different after spending my whole life in Minnesota and I decided to take a leap of faith and set out for Houston, Texas, in June of 2016; no job, no friends or family.
“But shortly after my move, I met Seun through a mutual friend. We met up at a BBQ restaurant where we spent hours talking about life. Seun had mentioned a project she had been working on, but being that we were just getting acquainted I did not want to ask what it was.
“It wasn’t until September that she told me she was working on creating a Bobsled Federation and asked me to serve on the team as her Brakeman alongside Ngozi Onwumere,
“Though Bobsled is a male-dominated sport that originated in Germany in the late 1800s, believe it or not, women were not able to compete in the Olympic games until year 2002 and so the positions centred around masculine titles, Ngozi and I refer to ourselves as brakewomen rather than brakemen,” explained Akuoma, whose name literarily means ‘good wealth’ in her native Umuahia even as she shares her wealth of experience on other sundry issues. Enjoy…
What is a Bobsled or bobsleigh?
First it is important to note that Bobsled is indeed a winter sport. We can get into logistics on how it is even possible that a warm nation like Nigeria can participate in a Winter sport. It really entails thinking outside the box. The sport consists of a sled that I like to say resembles a bullet and a tube all in one. A sled can carry up to four athletes at any given time. However, competitions for women can only have two athletes in the sled. With that being said, there are two positions; a Driver and a Brakeman. The Driver is responsible for navigating the sled that can reach speeds up to 95 MPH going down an ice mountain through the finish line. The only way a team can qualify to the Olympic Games is through the Driver; the Driver must remain constant throughout the season. On the other end, there is a Brakeman. The Brakemen is essentially the motor of the sled and is responsible for pushing the sled off the top the hill and running behind it before jumping in for the ride. At the end of the race, the Brakemen will pull the brake at the Driver’s command. The goal is to cross the finish line as quickly as possible. Without skill from both the Driver and Brakeman, the sled is less likely to move at the speeds necessary to complete the race in a reasonable time. In order to qualify for the Olympics, our driver must complete what is known as the 5:3:2 rule. That is; complete five races, on three different tracks, within two separate seasons. So far, we have completed two races, in one season and on one track. We have three more races to go, on two different tracks, in order to make our way to the Olympic Games in February. Aside from the 5:3:2 rule, the top 30 fastest teams are able to compete at the Olympics. But being that there are only 11 teams for women, we just need to make sure we get all of our races in by January.
My short and long-term targets with the team The short-term goal for the team is to make it to the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in PyeongChang, South Korea, in February. The long-term goal is to build a long lasting Bobsled and Skeleton Federation for Nigeria that will continue to support Nigerian athletes as they set out to represent the country in Winter sports. The goal is to ultimately have both male and female teams participate in the Olympic Games from this point forward.
From being a novice to basking in Bobsled
The interesting thing about me is that I am not a huge fan of participating in contact sports. I don’t like the idea of other people being in my space while I am trying to do what I need to do. In my mind, you’re just in my way rather than being an opponent; which, some could argue that is the purpose of competition. However, I enjoy a playing a game of volleyball once in a while and watching soccer.
I became interested in Bobsled because it was so unique. It was unfamiliar to me, which challenged me to learn something I never thought I would do. I’ve also adopted taking risks as a regular pastime. My teammates will tell you that I am the one who says “Yea. We are going to do this” while they question my decision or try to come up with “safer” options. I think it’s fair to say that anyone who does this sport has to be just a little bit in over his or her head.
My first sport encounter
I can take you back to when I was five years old in kindergarten gym class. The teacher always made the class do a warm up lap around the gym. One day I was caught leading the class by a stretch. He seemed impressed. He has asked me what my favourite animal was and if I would rather be a cheetah or some other animal (I can’t remember what it’s). But I answered and told him I’d rather be a cheetah. He then tells me that a cheetah is the fastest animal on land. I don’t know what it was, but my five-year-old brain was smart enough to process that he was giving me a huge compliment. That was most significant moment for me, as I believe it to be the first time of feeling confident; like an athlete. I quickly fell in love with track and field and the rest is history.
Outpouring of support from Nigerians
The team has received tremendous moral support from the Nigerian Sporting Authority. They are beyond excited to have a team represent Nigeria in the next Winter Olympics. However, there has been talk about financial support or lack thereof. Realistically speaking, it can take sports federations years to add a new sport to their budget. We were simply on a time crunch and had to get the ball rolling if we wanted to be participating in the upcoming Olympic Games. As a team, we have been raising money to get us where we need to be by next season. Finances can be just as difficult to disburse, as much as they are to attain. We just appreciate the outpouring support we have received from Nigeria and other countries.
My sporting heroes
I grew up watching the Summer Olympic Games and have watched many different sports with many different athletes. Aside from cheering and hoping that the person wearing my favourite jersey won, the look of determination on the athlete’s face had always filled me up. It’s very admirable to see people in a very vulnerable state and see them conquer the obstacles that are set out in front of them. I have great respect for any type of athlete, so it has always been difficult for me to just choose one or a few. I even have friends and old teammates who put themselves to work through athletics every day, and I am in awe of them. Athletics is not just about competing and winning. Intensity, joy and hardship are all gifts sports bring to individuals; and that is also worth celebrating.
Being a happy-go-lucky gal
I am a firm believer in anything that can make you happy can also make you sad. The first thing that comes to my mind is memories. Of course they make me extremely happy because I am extremely grateful those events happened and that those people were in my life. On hindsight, it is also bitter sweet and can trigger a tear when I think about how some of those people or events are no longer. However, I don’t let sad things linger for long and the happy thoughts usually combat ill feelings.
Passion for fashion
My definition of fashion is throwing a bunch of pieces together and making it look like it was done on purpose. But really, I am someone who takes 10 minutes at most to get dressed, which means that 95% of the time I do not plan my outfits. Most items in my closet are pretty simple and modest. My style can range from simple V-neck T shirts, jeans and Converse shoes to wearing a sleek dress and heels. I think I like to lay low when it comes to my attire but I will admit the thing that makes me stand out is my choice in hair colour. I’ve always been one to add colours such as burgundy, blonde, purple and teal to my hair. I think it’s all about being confident and accessorising. Anything that you want to wear belongs on you. Period.
My beauty regimen
If you can’t tell by now, I like to keep things simple. I am big on skin care. Being that I work out six times a week, I think it is imperative to cleanse my skin. When I am in dryer climates I like to cleanse my face with avocado and almond oil twice a week. The days I don’t do the oil cleansing, I use my Clarisonic brush with my choice of face wash. I wear makeup maybe twice a week but I enjoy having a fresh face, especially during the hot summer months. My hair on the other hand takes up my time the days I decide to cater to it. Because my natural hair is colour treated, I wash and deep condition my hair with natural products only. Those products include black soap, Shea butter, almond, castor, coconut and avocado oils. Then I will conclude my wash with using styling agents that are composed of natural products as well. I also love to wear braids in my hair; if they could fit under my helmet I would wear them all year round.
My USP-Unique Selling Point
I think the thing that makes me unique is my versatility and ability to communicate with people from all different backgrounds. I give credit to my upbringing, though being the only person of colour in all of my classes was not easy, it brought me out of my shell and I learned how to interact with people who were different from me. It even helped me see the different interactions of people within my race. I was able to carry my experience as a Nigerian- American in spaces where being different or African was not always welcomed but yet, I have been successful in changing hearts and opening minds to a place where I can build friendships with others. I am also a person who has hidden talents that blossomed in my childhood that I don’t publically claim as an adult. Those talents do tend to come out every once in a while. You’ll just have to wait and see.
My wonderful family
Finally, give me a section where I can brag about my family. The first thing I will say is that my family bond is very tight. I have three sisters who not only love one another, but we actually like each other. We have days we strictly designate as sister bonding time and hang out when we can. Now that I am in Houston and the rest are in the Twin Cities, it makes it difficult for us to hang out as much as we would like, however with the technology of Facetime and Whatsapp, there is no time lost. We also have a healthy relationship with our parents. My parents are almost opposite from each other. Their common ground is that they are both hard working and respectable individuals, which are traits my sisters and I were lucky to attain from them. We are no-nonsense type of people; we will give it to you straight. With that being said, we are at times each other’s toughest critics. But still, we thoroughly enjoy each other’s company and often seek advice from one another. With that being said, the support I receive goes above and beyond anything I could ever ask for.
THE THREE MUSKETEERS
SEUN ADIGUN (30)
Born to parents from Surulere, Lagos, Nigeria, holds the position as the “Driver” of the current team. She is working towards completing a dual degree, a Doctorate of Chiropractic and a Masters of Science in Sports Science. Needless to say, the woman has a brain and utilises it any chance she gets. You can also note that she is the “brains” behind the Nigeria Bobsled operation. Not only did she spearhead an entire federation, she used her intuitive and keen senses to recruit her teammates; Ngozi and myself.
NGOZI ONWUMERE (25)
Born to parents from Umu Chima, Imo State, Nigeria, is also a former track and field athlete who competed for Nigeria in 2015. Ngozi holds the position as a “Brakemen” on Nigeria’s team, as do I. Aside from Bobsled, you can often find Ngozi trying new restaurants, exploring the arts, or making me laugh hysterically. Ngozi is an all action and less talk type of person. She really has an entrepreneurial spirit and has the ability to get others onboard. Another thing that cannot go unnoticed about Ngozi is her athleticism; the combination of her strength and speed makes for the ideal elite athlete. These are things that Seun saw about Ngozi too, as this was not the first time Seun had recruited Ngozi to be a member of a team she coached. Seun recruited Ngozi to the University of Houston Track and Field programme as a sprinter and jumper back in 2009. From then, the two of them have built a relationship that has surpassed collegiate athletics.
AKUOMA OMEOGA (25)
I was born in St. Paul Minnesota (arguably the coldest state in the US) to parents from Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria. I am the youngest “Oma” of four girls. I joke and say that because all of my sisters’ names end with “Oma” which translates to “good” in the Igbo language. Lucky for me I had five people to look up to. My parents encouraged extracurricular activities such as playing instruments, sports and art while maintaining an emphasis on education and Igbo culture. Track and field was kind of the family sport. After watching my sisters compete and taking a strong liking for the sport myself, I was recruited to the University of Minnesota’s track and field programme where I competed for four years.
