Let me start by thanking the 44 athletes that competed on behalf of Nigeria at the recent 2012 Olympics. For a lot of us, qualifying in the Olympics is at best a dream. I know we didn’t get any of the medals we hoped for, however, we should give them top marks for trying. Thank you for representing us.
The President has directed a re-organization of the sports sector to enable us do better at forthcoming events. This 3-part article hopes to add some value to the discourse, by sharing lessons I have learned from not just the London 2012 Olympics, but the Olympic events as a whole.
Lesson #1: We should never give up on what is good for humanity. The story of Pierre de Frédy, Baron de Coubertin, the second President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) from 1896 to 1925, sends a very clear message – there is virtue in persistence. With a firm belief in the value of sporting events, after unsuccessfully trying at convincing others about the need to revive the ancient Olympic games, which had been abolished 1500 years before, he organized a meeting in 1894 that led to what we now know as the IOC. He could have been discouraged the first time he tried, like others who also attempted a revival, but he persisted.
Lesson #2: The true value of an action or idea lies in its substance and not its form.The Olympic event was previously regarded as a pagan event. In fact, it was abolished in 393 CE by Roman Emperor Theoddosius I, a Christian, “because of pagan influences”. Yet, substance triumphed over form when it was revived 1500 years later. The essence of the event as one that would develop well-rounded persons and simultaneously unite countries across the world was what was promoted and continues to be celebrated centuries after. A lot of times we use the form of an action or idea to determine our course of action rather than the substance. We need to constantly look beyond the “package”, beyond the “noise” and unearth value.
Lesson #3: The elites can play a much more important role in funding societal change than is the case today. At the time Athens, Greece was chosen as the location of the first modern Olympic Games because of its historical significance, the Greek government had no funds to support the event. Yet, the games opened in the first week of April 1896 relying on the support of a wealthy Greek architect, Georgios Averoff.
Lesson #4: Life is about continuous improvement. The Olympic events have improved over time weathering political turmoil. In 776 BCE, it started with 1 event – the Stade. When the games were revived in1896, there were10 events (Pole-vaulting, sprints, shot put, weight lifting, swimming, cycling, target shooting, tennis, marathon and gymnastics) with 245 athletes participating and representing 14 countries. In 2012, 300 events were competed for over the 17-day period from July 27 to August 12 2012. There were about 10,500 athletes representing 204 countries. 4 more athletes from different countries competed as individuals under the Olympic banner. We need to imbibe continuous improvement in everything we do.
Lesson #5: Strategy and Planning is key. Success is a mixture of effective strategy, plans and brilliant execution. The medals won at the Olympics are greatly influenced by actions taken before the games begin. The winning countries do a lot of pre-event planning and strategizing. A quick analysis of the London 2012 events, demonstrate that Aquatic sports (canoeing, diving, rowing, sailing, swimming, water polo, etc.), Athletics and “Hard-hitters” (boxing, weight lifting and wrestling) account for 60% of the events. These are followed closely by “Military fare” (Archery, Fencing and Shooting) and “Martial Arts” (Judo, Taekwondo) which account for 17% of the events. Countries that are good in these events scored high on the medals table. Popular team sports such as football and basketball add only 1 medal to a country’s score but are good in promoting the country’s image. Accordingly, we must first be clear on what we want. If the focus is on the number of medals to win, Nigeria must be able to compete effectively in those events that would give the most medals. In addition, considering that new events and scoring approaches emerge at every Olympic outing, we should strategize and push to influence changes that could give Nigeria some advantage.
Lesson #6: Focus on areas of competitive advantage. A review of the scoring pattern in the Olympics suggest that countries and regions have areas of strength: West Africans for short distance events; East Africans for long distance; Eastern Europe for “heavy hitting” sports; Countries near riverine areas for aquatic sports; Former communist countries for gymnastics, etc. Countries tend to focus on those areas that give them competitive edge. In addition, where they are interested in building capacity in a particular sport, they buy the skills from other countries using citizenship as bait or leveraging on those in their midst with the disposition for particular sports. For example, Mo Farah representing Great Britain is originally from Somalia. He won Gold in both the 5,000 and 10,000 events at the London 2012 Olympics in a sport traditionally won by East African countries. Also, a number of players such as Anthony Oluwafemi Olaseni Joshua (Boxing super heavyweight Gold Medalist), Christine Ohuruogu (400m track Silver Medalist) and Anthony Osezua Ogogo (Boxing 75kg Middle weight Bronze Medalist), whose parents were originally Nigerian, successfully represented Great Britain in those events that align best with the physique of those who come from West Africa.
Lesson #7: Focus, Focus and Focus. Jamaica is an excellent example of focus. A country with a population of about 2.7million people has clearly made a name for itself in the field of athletics. In London 2012, of the 50 persons that represented Jamaica, 47 were in the field of athletics whilst the other three participated in Equestrian, Taekwondo and Swimming events. All of the 12 medals (4 Gold, 4 Silver and 4 Bronze) won were in the field of athletics. Jamaica holds the World Record in the Men’s 4x100m relay and a Jamaican, Usain Bolt, holds the World Record in the Men’s 100m and 200m
Lesson #8: Appearances are deceptive. The athletes’ age, physique, facial expression and overall appearance does little to say what they are capable of. Little would you realize the sheer power of energy that lies within! We pass such people every day and in so doing, the opportunities for a new World Record (WR), or Olympic Record (OR) just because we may not have taken that extra time to discover and nurture talent. A multitude of talents lie within our space in the area of football, handball, diving, swimming marathon, 200m, 100m, 1500m, hammer, boxing, etc. We need to find them.
Lesson #9: Start young. One common attribute across all successful Olympians is the fact that they start young and early. They start either through full parental support or as in a number of cases, personal coaching by their father, as you have with the tennis duo - Venus and Serena Williams of the United States or as in the case of China, a clear governmental program. In other cases, inherent talent manifest very early. We have a number of such raw talents in Nigeria. The last time I was at the Abuja Stadium, there was a little boy of no more than 10 years that everyone acclaimed as brilliant on the tennis court. His father, of blessed memory, was a security guard at the stadium. The kid lives with other members of his family in the stadium premises. The tennis court is arguably his first home. Hopefully, such talent will be groomed for a professional career in tennis. At a young age, he demonstrates passion, skill and commitment. There are many others like him waiting to be discovered - marathon runners amongst our herds men; swimmers amongst our fishing communities; weight lifters and boxers in communities that have diets rich in carbohydrate; etc.
Lesson #10: Leverage on the diversity of people. Many persons of Nigerian origin represented different countries at the Olympics including Australia, Canada, Congo, Fiji Islands, France, Great Britain, Norway, Suriname, Switzerland and the USA. Not just are these athletes of Nigerian origin, they represent different ethnic groups in Nigeria. The United States is a clear example of a country that optimizes on the diversity of its people. With an encouraging immigration policy, they take the best and get the best. Brazil’s economic success is also attributable to its deliberate immigration policy. The message is that when the medals are counted, it is the country that gets the utmost glory. Nobody cares about the ethnic origin of the medalist. When Jesse Owens won a gold for the United States in the 1936 Olympics, it created a storm but the Gold remained that of the United States. When events are won, it is the country’s flag that is wrapped round the athlete as an indication of the fact that it is the country that won not just the athlete. When medals are awarded, it is the country's national anthem of the person or team that won the Gold medal that gets played
Lesson #11: It is about passion. The story of Marlen Esparza is one of the reasons the Olympics attracts so much attention. It is not just about winning gold (she got a bronze medal in the flyweight boxing category 51kg) but about the commitment to participate and to do all you can to win. She surmounted ridicule to get to where she is today. She loved the sport even when women boxing events were not allowed. She became the first American female boxer to qualify and participate in the London Olympics 2012 when women boxing events were allowed for the very first time. We have such persons with guts and grit. We should encourage them. As a woman, she didn’t allow the system to dictate what she did. She was ready for the system when the rules changed.
Lesson # 12: It is about teamwork and personal touch. Stories abound as to how active and lively the camps of some countries were. In such camps, athletes were celebrated even after they lost. We also heard how in most camps, especially for those countries on the medals table, the welfare of athletes were taken as priority; how athletes felt they were needed and cared for. I overheard one of the Nigerian athletes crying after the match, how the only reason she went on inspite of not being able to feed and not having her allowances to take care of her needs, was because of the encouraging text messages she received from her boss – the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) – Dr. Ade Abolurin. Our athletes are just like everyone else. They need to be encouraged.
Lesson #13: Discipline is key. Michael Phelps who after the London Olympics has the highest medal count (22) in the history of the Olympics is retiring at the age of 27. His reason? He can no longer see himself going through the grueling schedule of training every day for four hours at a stretch looking only at the black line at the bottom of the pool. Success comes with sacrifice AND knowing when to quit
Lesson #14: Need for continuous investment. After the Beijing Olympics, reports have it that to stay ahead of the medals table, China invested heavily in gymnastics (18 Events or 6% of total), weightlifting (15 events or 5% of total) and shooting (15 events or 5%). At London 2012 in these events when aggregated, China was either top of the medals table or carted away a significant number of the medals available. Also noteworthy, is that these investments are not focused only on the immediate next Olympics. As at 2008, preparations had started for Rio 2016. We should invest resources (funds, time, facilities etc.) in what we plan to achieve. We should do so in good time and ensure investments align with our area of strength.
Lesson #15: Development is an all-inclusive affair. The opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics was instructive in the message that all citizens add value and are important: young and old; dead and alive; able and disabled; artistes and scientists; men and women
Lesson #16: Mentor the young. As in typical league football matches, the line up at football matches showcase the importance of mentorship. Each player comes out with a younger one, the young with the old. A message to the young – understand what it takes to be in front of a cheering or booing crowd. Ultimately it is about learning skills to succeed in life and competitively playing your heart out.
Lesson #17: Reward motivates. During the equestrian events, ever so often, the horse got a pat on the back. Humans are like horses; a pat on the back in the course of work helps to motivate.
Lesson #18: Recognize the veterans. It was a pleasant surprise to see Namibia’s Frank Fredericks as a member of the International Olympic Committee during the award ceremony for Usain Bolt after winning the gold medal in the 100m race during London 2012. Frank Fredericks ran in the 100m and 200m events and won four silver medals at the Olympic Games (two in 1992 and two in 1996). This sends a signal to current players that even when past their prime time, they will be remembered.
Lesson #19: Its not just the number of medals per se but the impact in the sports you choose to be in that gains world recognition. Jamaica’s Usain Bolt (100, 200m), Mohamed Farrah of Great Britain (5,000, 10,000) and David Lekuta Rudisha (800m) of Kenya all stood out in various ways. Even though the United States led the medals table, followed by China, these athletes ensured that their respective countries shared the limelight.
Lesson #20: Take Action. Luck and prayers can make a huge difference in the outcome of chosen events but should not be relied on as the main criteria. Usain Bolt does the sign of the cross before every competition but does not depend on prayers alone to win the race. It takes hunger, grit, courage, discipline, talent and ambition.
Summary of the Twenty Lessons from the Olympics
Ifueko Omoigui Okauru.MFR
August 17, 2012
The President has directed a re-organization of the sports sector to enable us do better at forthcoming events. This 3-part article hopes to add some value to the discourse, by sharing lessons I have learned from not just the London 2012 Olympics, but the Olympic events as a whole.
Lesson #1: We should never give up on what is good for humanity. The story of Pierre de Frédy, Baron de Coubertin, the second President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) from 1896 to 1925, sends a very clear message – there is virtue in persistence. With a firm belief in the value of sporting events, after unsuccessfully trying at convincing others about the need to revive the ancient Olympic games, which had been abolished 1500 years before, he organized a meeting in 1894 that led to what we now know as the IOC. He could have been discouraged the first time he tried, like others who also attempted a revival, but he persisted.
Lesson #2: The true value of an action or idea lies in its substance and not its form.The Olympic event was previously regarded as a pagan event. In fact, it was abolished in 393 CE by Roman Emperor Theoddosius I, a Christian, “because of pagan influences”. Yet, substance triumphed over form when it was revived 1500 years later. The essence of the event as one that would develop well-rounded persons and simultaneously unite countries across the world was what was promoted and continues to be celebrated centuries after. A lot of times we use the form of an action or idea to determine our course of action rather than the substance. We need to constantly look beyond the “package”, beyond the “noise” and unearth value.
Lesson #3: The elites can play a much more important role in funding societal change than is the case today. At the time Athens, Greece was chosen as the location of the first modern Olympic Games because of its historical significance, the Greek government had no funds to support the event. Yet, the games opened in the first week of April 1896 relying on the support of a wealthy Greek architect, Georgios Averoff.
Lesson #4: Life is about continuous improvement. The Olympic events have improved over time weathering political turmoil. In 776 BCE, it started with 1 event – the Stade. When the games were revived in1896, there were10 events (Pole-vaulting, sprints, shot put, weight lifting, swimming, cycling, target shooting, tennis, marathon and gymnastics) with 245 athletes participating and representing 14 countries. In 2012, 300 events were competed for over the 17-day period from July 27 to August 12 2012. There were about 10,500 athletes representing 204 countries. 4 more athletes from different countries competed as individuals under the Olympic banner. We need to imbibe continuous improvement in everything we do.
Lesson #5: Strategy and Planning is key. Success is a mixture of effective strategy, plans and brilliant execution. The medals won at the Olympics are greatly influenced by actions taken before the games begin. The winning countries do a lot of pre-event planning and strategizing. A quick analysis of the London 2012 events, demonstrate that Aquatic sports (canoeing, diving, rowing, sailing, swimming, water polo, etc.), Athletics and “Hard-hitters” (boxing, weight lifting and wrestling) account for 60% of the events. These are followed closely by “Military fare” (Archery, Fencing and Shooting) and “Martial Arts” (Judo, Taekwondo) which account for 17% of the events. Countries that are good in these events scored high on the medals table. Popular team sports such as football and basketball add only 1 medal to a country’s score but are good in promoting the country’s image. Accordingly, we must first be clear on what we want. If the focus is on the number of medals to win, Nigeria must be able to compete effectively in those events that would give the most medals. In addition, considering that new events and scoring approaches emerge at every Olympic outing, we should strategize and push to influence changes that could give Nigeria some advantage.
Lesson #6: Focus on areas of competitive advantage. A review of the scoring pattern in the Olympics suggest that countries and regions have areas of strength: West Africans for short distance events; East Africans for long distance; Eastern Europe for “heavy hitting” sports; Countries near riverine areas for aquatic sports; Former communist countries for gymnastics, etc. Countries tend to focus on those areas that give them competitive edge. In addition, where they are interested in building capacity in a particular sport, they buy the skills from other countries using citizenship as bait or leveraging on those in their midst with the disposition for particular sports. For example, Mo Farah representing Great Britain is originally from Somalia. He won Gold in both the 5,000 and 10,000 events at the London 2012 Olympics in a sport traditionally won by East African countries. Also, a number of players such as Anthony Oluwafemi Olaseni Joshua (Boxing super heavyweight Gold Medalist), Christine Ohuruogu (400m track Silver Medalist) and Anthony Osezua Ogogo (Boxing 75kg Middle weight Bronze Medalist), whose parents were originally Nigerian, successfully represented Great Britain in those events that align best with the physique of those who come from West Africa.
Lesson #7: Focus, Focus and Focus. Jamaica is an excellent example of focus. A country with a population of about 2.7million people has clearly made a name for itself in the field of athletics. In London 2012, of the 50 persons that represented Jamaica, 47 were in the field of athletics whilst the other three participated in Equestrian, Taekwondo and Swimming events. All of the 12 medals (4 Gold, 4 Silver and 4 Bronze) won were in the field of athletics. Jamaica holds the World Record in the Men’s 4x100m relay and a Jamaican, Usain Bolt, holds the World Record in the Men’s 100m and 200m
Lesson #8: Appearances are deceptive. The athletes’ age, physique, facial expression and overall appearance does little to say what they are capable of. Little would you realize the sheer power of energy that lies within! We pass such people every day and in so doing, the opportunities for a new World Record (WR), or Olympic Record (OR) just because we may not have taken that extra time to discover and nurture talent. A multitude of talents lie within our space in the area of football, handball, diving, swimming marathon, 200m, 100m, 1500m, hammer, boxing, etc. We need to find them.
Lesson #9: Start young. One common attribute across all successful Olympians is the fact that they start young and early. They start either through full parental support or as in a number of cases, personal coaching by their father, as you have with the tennis duo - Venus and Serena Williams of the United States or as in the case of China, a clear governmental program. In other cases, inherent talent manifest very early. We have a number of such raw talents in Nigeria. The last time I was at the Abuja Stadium, there was a little boy of no more than 10 years that everyone acclaimed as brilliant on the tennis court. His father, of blessed memory, was a security guard at the stadium. The kid lives with other members of his family in the stadium premises. The tennis court is arguably his first home. Hopefully, such talent will be groomed for a professional career in tennis. At a young age, he demonstrates passion, skill and commitment. There are many others like him waiting to be discovered - marathon runners amongst our herds men; swimmers amongst our fishing communities; weight lifters and boxers in communities that have diets rich in carbohydrate; etc.
Lesson #10: Leverage on the diversity of people. Many persons of Nigerian origin represented different countries at the Olympics including Australia, Canada, Congo, Fiji Islands, France, Great Britain, Norway, Suriname, Switzerland and the USA. Not just are these athletes of Nigerian origin, they represent different ethnic groups in Nigeria. The United States is a clear example of a country that optimizes on the diversity of its people. With an encouraging immigration policy, they take the best and get the best. Brazil’s economic success is also attributable to its deliberate immigration policy. The message is that when the medals are counted, it is the country that gets the utmost glory. Nobody cares about the ethnic origin of the medalist. When Jesse Owens won a gold for the United States in the 1936 Olympics, it created a storm but the Gold remained that of the United States. When events are won, it is the country’s flag that is wrapped round the athlete as an indication of the fact that it is the country that won not just the athlete. When medals are awarded, it is the country's national anthem of the person or team that won the Gold medal that gets played
Lesson #11: It is about passion. The story of Marlen Esparza is one of the reasons the Olympics attracts so much attention. It is not just about winning gold (she got a bronze medal in the flyweight boxing category 51kg) but about the commitment to participate and to do all you can to win. She surmounted ridicule to get to where she is today. She loved the sport even when women boxing events were not allowed. She became the first American female boxer to qualify and participate in the London Olympics 2012 when women boxing events were allowed for the very first time. We have such persons with guts and grit. We should encourage them. As a woman, she didn’t allow the system to dictate what she did. She was ready for the system when the rules changed.
Lesson # 12: It is about teamwork and personal touch. Stories abound as to how active and lively the camps of some countries were. In such camps, athletes were celebrated even after they lost. We also heard how in most camps, especially for those countries on the medals table, the welfare of athletes were taken as priority; how athletes felt they were needed and cared for. I overheard one of the Nigerian athletes crying after the match, how the only reason she went on inspite of not being able to feed and not having her allowances to take care of her needs, was because of the encouraging text messages she received from her boss – the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) – Dr. Ade Abolurin. Our athletes are just like everyone else. They need to be encouraged.
Lesson #13: Discipline is key. Michael Phelps who after the London Olympics has the highest medal count (22) in the history of the Olympics is retiring at the age of 27. His reason? He can no longer see himself going through the grueling schedule of training every day for four hours at a stretch looking only at the black line at the bottom of the pool. Success comes with sacrifice AND knowing when to quit
Lesson #14: Need for continuous investment. After the Beijing Olympics, reports have it that to stay ahead of the medals table, China invested heavily in gymnastics (18 Events or 6% of total), weightlifting (15 events or 5% of total) and shooting (15 events or 5%). At London 2012 in these events when aggregated, China was either top of the medals table or carted away a significant number of the medals available. Also noteworthy, is that these investments are not focused only on the immediate next Olympics. As at 2008, preparations had started for Rio 2016. We should invest resources (funds, time, facilities etc.) in what we plan to achieve. We should do so in good time and ensure investments align with our area of strength.
Lesson #15: Development is an all-inclusive affair. The opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics was instructive in the message that all citizens add value and are important: young and old; dead and alive; able and disabled; artistes and scientists; men and women
Lesson #16: Mentor the young. As in typical league football matches, the line up at football matches showcase the importance of mentorship. Each player comes out with a younger one, the young with the old. A message to the young – understand what it takes to be in front of a cheering or booing crowd. Ultimately it is about learning skills to succeed in life and competitively playing your heart out.
Lesson #17: Reward motivates. During the equestrian events, ever so often, the horse got a pat on the back. Humans are like horses; a pat on the back in the course of work helps to motivate.
Lesson #18: Recognize the veterans. It was a pleasant surprise to see Namibia’s Frank Fredericks as a member of the International Olympic Committee during the award ceremony for Usain Bolt after winning the gold medal in the 100m race during London 2012. Frank Fredericks ran in the 100m and 200m events and won four silver medals at the Olympic Games (two in 1992 and two in 1996). This sends a signal to current players that even when past their prime time, they will be remembered.
Lesson #19: Its not just the number of medals per se but the impact in the sports you choose to be in that gains world recognition. Jamaica’s Usain Bolt (100, 200m), Mohamed Farrah of Great Britain (5,000, 10,000) and David Lekuta Rudisha (800m) of Kenya all stood out in various ways. Even though the United States led the medals table, followed by China, these athletes ensured that their respective countries shared the limelight.
Lesson #20: Take Action. Luck and prayers can make a huge difference in the outcome of chosen events but should not be relied on as the main criteria. Usain Bolt does the sign of the cross before every competition but does not depend on prayers alone to win the race. It takes hunger, grit, courage, discipline, talent and ambition.
Summary of the Twenty Lessons from the Olympics
- We should never give up on what is good for humanity
- The true value of an action or idea lies in its substance and not its form
- The elites can play a much more important role in funding societal change than is the case today
- Life is about continuous improvement
- Strategy and Planning is key
- Focus on areas of competitive advantage
- Focus, Focus and Focus
- Appearances are deceptive
- Start young
- Leverage on the diversity of people
- It is about passion
- It is about teamwork and personal touch
- Discipline is key
- Need for continuous investment.
- Development is an all-inclusive affair
- Mentor the young
- Reward motivates
- Recognize the veterans
- It is not just the number of medals per se but the impact in the sports you choose to be in that gains world recognition
- Take Action
Ifueko Omoigui Okauru.MFR
August 17, 2012
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