This thought has been raging in my head since yesterday about Tobi Amusan who has just become the World Championship in Track Event.
Indeed, she has become a global sensation! A starlight and some of sort of beacon of hope for all Nigerian youth, home and abroad.
However, have we all thought about something that the young lady did that saved her dreams from being shattered as a Nigerian?
She didn’t wait for Nigeria to happen to her!
Do we think if she had stayed back in Nigeria for her tertiary education, do we think she would be celebrated today?? Don’t get me wrong here, cos I know what you are thinking right now ?.
Of course not all dreams are being choked in Nigeria. But as far as I know only young people, that are pursuing career in music are making Mega bucks being Nigerians as of today, except if you have connection to the seat of power. For many others who aren’t in this category, story isn’t the same. Infact, It has been very unpalatable!
Quote me anywhere, many dreams are currently being wasted due to what has become of the supposed Giant of Africa!
Back to Tobi, imagine, that she wasn’t schooling in United States of America as at the time the World Athletic Championship kicked off, do we think she would have been lucky enough to get her passport renewed on time let alone grqanted US visa? The last time I checked, she’s a student of University of Texas, that really saved her skin!
You see, these questions popped up in this article, because you and I know too well how Nigerian Athletes have suffered rejection and visa denial at most European and American Embassies in the past and nothing has changed till date.
And even when these Embassies were quite informed about their purpose of visit to host country, they still do their worst! That’s the extent to which Nigeria could have happened to Tobi’s dreams of becoming World Champion that she is today.
All these hopelessness of perennial ASUU strike as well as in education sector in the country could have hampered her efforts of pushing for her childhood dream of becoming the winner of World Championship some day. All would have been impossible.
And that’s how so many dreams of young talented, brilliant, vibrant, productive Nigerians are being wasted every single day due to countless unfavorable happenings around them and within environment they find themselves such as insecurity, lack of social security, corruption within the education sector and absolute disregard for human right amongst others. I pray that this country changes for the better.