Pentathlon may not be a popular sport among Nigerians, but the President of Nigeria Modern Pentathlon Federation (NMPF), Dr. Jonathan Nnaji, is optimistic that athletes from Nigeria have the potentials to rule the world in the sport. In this exclusive interview with, KENNEDY JAMES, the highly travelled and experienced sports administrator speaks on the future of the sport in the country, Nigeria’s preparations for the forthcoming Youth Olympic Qualifiers and the Senior Africa Championship slated for Lagos in December. Excerpts:
Let me commence by congratulating you for introducing Pentathlon to Nigeria. Can you take our readers down memory lane on what the sport is all about?
Thank you! Modern pentathlon is an Olympic sport that comprises of five different events which includes fencing, freestyle swimming, athletics, shooting and horse riding.
The sport has been a core sport of the Olympic Games since 1912. Despite attempts to remove it a world championships for modern pentathlon has been held annually since 1949 till date.
Modern pentathlon, despite its long Olympic history, has had to justify its inclusion in the modern Olympic Games several times.
For example, on February 11, 2013 in Lausanne, the IOC confirmed modern pentathlon once again as one of the 25 core sports of the Olympic program through to 2020.
The governing body, Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM), administers the international sport in more than 90 countries in all the continents of the world.
Back home, it is an interesting sport which Nigerians have the potentials to excel in if the needed support from government and Corporate Nigeria is guaranteed. And we in the Federation are working assiduously to develop the sport in all the states of the federation such that it will be a household sport like football in Nigeria.
Our greatest joy in NMPF is the way and manner sports councils and associations have embraced the sport and with this kind of scenario we are challenged to do the needful at least to generate enough funds to support the development of modern pentathlon.
In our calendar this year, we have a two-in-one international event coming up in December which has to do with Youth Olympic Qualifier and the Senior Africa Championship. By hosting the Youth Olympics Qualifier alone we are have secured qualification for the Youth Olympics holding in Argentina next year alongside the host.
Can you tell us more about your preparations for hosting the Youth Olympic Qualifier and the Senior Africa Championship?
Like I said earlier, we have started our preparations for the events slated for December 4-11 at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.
We are expecting over 15 countries and each of these countries will be arriving with a male and female athlete in order to compete.
We currently do not have equipment for fencing and the Federation has contacted Ivory Coast in this regard and they have assured us that they will release their equipment for us. Therefore we are good to go!
Back home at the Federation, we have inaugurated the Local Organising Committee for the event and have commenced open camping for the athletes.
Later this month, we shall begin the close camping before we zero down to 6 athletes. From the 6 athletes we prune down to 2 athletes who will make the final squad for the event.
However let me inform you that the LOC has met more than thrice and agreed that the LOC should be chaired by Chief Francis Ogboro who is the President of Nigeria Polo Federation. In all, we have 15 members in the LOC.
The LOC has also constituted 7 sub committees namely Technical; Venue and Facilities; Protocol and Logistics; Security; Finance and Marketing; Media and Publicity and Medical.
We have written to Governor Akinwumi Ambode of Lagos State for the use of Teslim Balogun Stadium for the event and discussions are already ongoing in this regard.
What are the major challenges confronting NMPF ahead of hosting the Youth Olympic Qualifier and the Senior Africa Championship?
The major problem we have now is funds to prosecute the events because it is an international competition that needs the support of every Nigerian.
However, let me also use this opportunity to appeal to the Lagos State Government, Corporate Nigeria, Philanthropists, organizations and the general public to come and partner with us and provide the needed financial resources to enable us host a remarkable championship and prepare a medal winning team for our dear country, Nigeria. The total package for the event is
N75million.
Finally, what future holds for Nigeria in Pentathlon?
The future is bright! Let me reiterate that Nigeria has the potentials to muscle out and outwit other countries in pentathlon and that’s why all hands must be on deck to actualize the dream of taking the sport to the Promised Land.
I believe that any project that will impact positively by uplifting the lives of Nigerian youths and the image of the country must be pursued with vigour.
So, from the foregoing you can see that we are in a situation of no retreat, no surrender for the development of pentathlon in our country. I also foresee Nigeria ruling the world in Pentathlon.
