A Nigerian twitter user, Ayanfe Beloved Adeyemi, has featured an interview with Nigerian hold medallist female athlete, Tobi Amusan, who broke world record at the World Athletics Championship Women’s 100m Hurdles in Oregon.Adeyemi berated the Nigerian government for “suddenly celebrating” Amusan, when she won the first ever Gold medal at the event.Like many young Nigerians whose morale was killed while trying to build their talents within the Nigerian shores, Adeyemi said that the Nigerian government almost killed Amusan’s morale and talent while she was in Nigeria.The 25-year-old woman from Ijebu Ode in Ogun State has been receiving applause from Nigerians and the Nigerian government since her victory. Reacting to the Nigerian government identifying with Amusan’s success, Adeyemi via @ayfbeloved recounted the athlete’s ugly experience while in Nigeria.He said, “Everyone suddenly cares of her (Tobi Amusan) success but I’m more interested in her story. They tried to kill her morale but now they (Nigeria government) are associating with her, including Eleyi the audio adopter. Indeed they turn it own elsewhere.”Everyone suddenly care of her (Tobi Amusan) success but I’m more interested in her story….They tried to killed her moral but now they (Nigeria government) are associating with her , including Eleyi the audio adopter… Indeed they turn it own else where.. pic.twitter.com/BuzkNP27qn— Ayanfe Beloved Adeyemi (@ayfbeloved) July 25, 2022
Amusan also in the 2 minutes 20 seconds video shared on Twitter by Adeyemi lamented how the Nigerian government neglected her in her most critical time, especially when she sustained an injury.“When I was injured, they didn’t care about me. That is how my career ended. They only use you when you are good, they will dump you. If it’s kudos, I don’t even want to hear it,” Amusan said in the video.Explaining further in the video, the narrator said that “But as her passion grew, she found an unlikely ally in her mother.”“My mom would cover for me and I was going for inter-school debates in Shagamu and then she would drive down there to give me my outfit,” the athlete said.According to the narrator, “At the 2015 African Junior Championships in Brazzaville, Congo, she set a new games record and earned her way to a full scholarship to the University of Texas. Once Tobi got accustomed to her new home, she was off to the races, winning Gold in one international competition following another, and an NCAA international title in 2017.“At the Nigerian Olympic Trials, her parents’ earliest fear came true. Tobi felt the pain and disappointment that many athletes face competing in Nigeria. Tobi ran a blistering race in the 100ms Hurdles Final but the officials did not turn on the electronic timer.”Recalling the experience, Amusan said “I called my coach, she told me that they know what I’m capable of. They saw it, even though they assumed that they did not time me, I know that you have that time in you. I want you to out to another track meter and prove to them that if they can’t record it at home, they will record it elsewhere.”According to the narrator, “Tobi will have a chance to put the world on notice at the Olympic games,” following her recent win.
