So many Nigerians who were following the Olympics in Paris were hoping that the nation will grab at least a medal and Renowned singer, Seun Kuti was one of them.
His disappointment could be seen in his recent comment about Nigeria’s participation in games that lasted for over two weeks. No medal was won.
The singer has criticised the Nigerian government for its lack of investment in sports.
In a viral video on social media, Seun addressed Nigeria’s disappointing performance at the recently concluded 2024 Olympics in Paris.
Also, he pointed out that Nigeria’s participation was limited to events that don’t require substantial financial backing.
He highlighted the broader issue of inadequate investment in the country’s sports programmes.
He stated:
“I watched the Olympic games. look at how poorly we performed. How many sports are we competing in?
I saw that it was only sports that did not need investment that Nigerians participated in. We only did sports that needed minimum investment”.
The remarks made by Seun Kuti bring to light a major problem with the growth of sports in Nigeria.
Also, it highlights the underfunding of activities that have the potential to make the nation more successful internationally.
Furthermore, Seun Kuti claims that Nigeria appears to be more interested in low-budget sports than in more resource-intensive ones.
Also, he expressed the belief that resource-intensive sports had the potential to produce greater rewards in the form of medals and worldwide recognition.
Kuti’s remarks highlight a larger issue with Nigeria’s sporting facilities.
Many experts concur that a nation must focus and invest in a variety of sports disciplines, from grassroots levels to elite training programmes.
Indeed, there is poor funding for sports like swimming and athletics that have higher budgetary needs.
For Seun, this calls for changes in Nigeria’s strategy for Olympic participation and sports development.
A lot of professionals and sports fans think that funding a wide variety of sports and providing athletes with the tools they need are essential to success in the global arena.
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Seun Kuti’s remarks serve as a helpful reminder of the necessity of thorough preparation and financial support in order to provide Nigerian athletes the best opportunity for success.