The policexcellent!

Sport Correspondent GBOLAHAN DADA takes a cursory look at policemen and women that have performed excellently in the past for Nigeria.

NIGERIA Police are still searching for great talents that could win gold medals for the country at the Olympic Games, after the remarkable showing of Chioma Ajunwa-Opara  at the 1996 Atlanta Games and late Sunday Bada’s feat of Sydney 2000 Olympic Games in Australia.

Ajunwa-Opara won Nigeria’s first individual gold in the long jump event at her very first attempt – with a leap 7.12 metres which remains an Africa and Nigeria record.

Similarly, Bada, the late police officer in company of Clement Chukwu, Jude Monye and Enefiok Udo-Obong completed the undoubtedly outstanding feat in the 4x400m relay in Sydney where the Nigerian team won silver medals but has since been upgraded to gold after the disqualification of the USA.

Although many other police officers had recorded great feat for Nigeria in the past, none has come close to winning Olympic gold medal.

Another policeman with the Midas touch is Samuel Peter ‘The Nigeria Nightmare’ who won World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight title in 2008, when he stopped Oleg Maskaev in six rounds.

For decades, Nigeria Police Force had become a breeding ground for talents who had written their names in gold in various sports, especially in athletics and football.

Julius Aghahowa popularly called Agha-wonder for his proficiency and ability to score crucial goals for the Super Eagles in his heyday was also from Nigeria Police.

It was well documented that from the 35 Nigeria athletes that represented the country at the Nigeria Ghana athletics competition in 1958, 15 were policemen.

A certain Adeleye Emmanuel was also a police officer and he captained the Nigeria contingent to the First All Africa Games held in Dakar, Senegal in 1963 and he later rose to sporting eminence to become the chairman of the Nigeria Boxing Board of Control (NBBC).

There was also Sunday Oyarekhua, now a retired police officer, a member of the Green Eagles and the famous All Africa Games gold medal-winning team in 1973 at the National Stadium Lagos.

At Kaduna’77 and the First ECOWAS Games in ’77 held in Lagos, Sergeant Ogwana, Nnema Udo and Nwabude won medals. At the ’79 National Sports Festival, Azuh won a gold medal each in the 800 and 1,500 meters, while Inspector C. Okonkwo grabbed the gold medal in the weightlifting event and was invited for the pre-Olympic trials.

Nigeria police sportsmen and women have followed these excellent performances. David Izonritei (now based in the USA) won a silver medal winner at the Barcelona 1992 Olympics boxing tournament.

Late Bada who was at one time, the head of technical department of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), once dominated the 400 meters race in Africa. He was a world indoor champion in the same event.

According to Police Athletics coach, Solomon Aliyu, the Nigeria Police has long been a talent factory after producing the likes of  Grace Umelo ( a long jumper), Fidelia Victor a long-distance runner (800 metres and 1,500m), late Mosun Adesina (100metres hurdles), Late Ayuba Macham (400m), Martins Ogierakhi (110 metres hurdles), Samson Nathaniel (400 metres), Abasiono Akpan (400 metres hurdles), Abasiono Akpan (400 metres hurdles), Yinka Ajayi (400 metres) , Friday Osayande among  others.

“All these athletes tried their best for the Police and Nigeria. They were determined to raise the country’s flag in many international events. Without training grant and support, they put up their best and put their names in the record books that is why we cannot forget them, “Aliyu,  an ex-international athlete in the 110m hurdles event  and Vice Chairman of  Nigeria Police Athletics Association, told The Nation.

Aliyu who served as a member of the planning committee for the 2013 and 2015 editions of the Games held in Abuja and Port Harcourt respectively as well as a member for Anambra 2020, said Nigeria Police is committed to raising the standard set in sports hence the forthcoming event in Awka where some 3,000 Police men and women will compete between February 29 and March 7 would serve as launch pad to greater heights.