President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday announced a cash gift of N3 million on Blessing Okagbare for doing the country proud at the last IAAF World Championship in Moscow where she won silver in long jump and bronze in 200 metres.
The President, who announced the gift at a brief reception in her honour before the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting, also gave her Coach, Daniel Esebinimo, N3.5 million.
They are also to be given national honours at a later date.
In his remarks, President Jonathan congratulated Blessing for doing the country proud in Moscow, saying his government would continue to support sports men and women.
Jonathan said: “Today is a day that we are all celebrating this young lady, Blessing Okagbare.
“We are celebrating success.
“We are celebrating education.
“We are celebrating patriotism.
“This is to formerly congratulate Blessing Okagbare and other young men and women like her who have been working very hard to make this country proud.
“Nigeria has been known as a sporting nation, but for some time we slid back.
“But we are lucky that we are building up today.
“I believe that with young ladies and men like Blessing Okagbare, Nigeria will get back to where we belong and even go further.”
The President reiterated his charge to the Minister of Sports and Chairman of the National sports Commission, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, that they must strive to win medals at the next Olympics, saying: “We have taken a decision that in the next Olympics, we must get medals, gold medals.
“We have challenged the Ministry of Sports and, of course, the Finance Ministry to do all what it can to make sure that we support that sector so that our young men and women will do our country proud.
“So Blessing, we congratulate you.
“We thank you for this uncommon success and the uncommon dedication to our fatherland.
“To show appreciation, I believe the Secretary of the Government of the Federation will note when we give national honours, we will consider Blessing and the coach and by that time we will also decorate you.
“But today, as a show of appreciation, we are going to give you some token.
“Blessing will go home with N3 million and the Coach, Daniel, will get N3.5 million.”
Abdullahi said the achievements being recorded in sports lately were as a result of Jonathan’s focused leadership.
He said: “In the last one year, Mr. President has hosted and rewarded various sports men and women who have proven themselves on the world stage and have become a source of pride for us all.
“There is no doubt that this achievement are as a result of Mr. President’s focused leadership and because of this, Nigeria is again becoming s force to reckon with in sports.
“In athletics, just like in football and weightlifting, we have become the number one nation in Africa.
“Never in the history of African athletics has a nation been a winner of the senior, junior and youth championships at the same time.
“Nigeria has won the whole three in the last two years.
“Firstly, we won the senior athletics championship in Port Novo, followed by the youth championship, which we won in Warri, Delta State and just recently we won the junior championship in Mauritius.”
Speaking with correspondents, Okagbare promised to work hard ahead of the Olympic Games, hoping government would match words with action by making funds available.
She said there is “no magic in sports”.
Okagbare said: “Well, I always try to work very hard with the support of people around me.
“It also depends on the people on what they have to do to actually support sports.
“There is no magic in sports, let me tell you.
“There is no magic.
“As much as they give to us, the athletes are ready to work hard.
“We work with what you give to us and whatever comes out of it, you should expect.”
Okagbare expressed appreciation to Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta state for always coming to her aid.
She said: “Delta State Government has always been there for me ever since I started sports.
“I want to encourage the upcoming athletes.
“It is not an easy job but you have to actually work hard.”
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