Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, hosted Team Nigeria wrestlers at the recently finished Paris Olympic Games, praising them for their patriotism and great representation of the country, which advanced to the semi-finals and quarterfinals.
During a weekend event in Abuja, where he received the athletes and their officials, Adeniyi expressed optimism that with the right support and environment, the wrestlers will soon be back in medal-winning form. He noted that celebrating their achievements, despite the absence of medals, serves as an inspiration for future athletes, indicating that the federation and country recognize the devotion and hard work put into every endeavor, regardless of the outcome.
"We stay together when we are happy and when we are unhappy. We can draw a valuable lesson from our experience at the recently finished Olympics in Paris. As a result, this event provides an opportunity for us to come together and thank our athletes and authorities for their efforts in getting us this far.
"The Olympics take place in one month every four years, yet we know that it might take an athlete up to ten years to prepare effectively for an Olympics. Our athletes and officials qualified for the Olympics, the world's top level of performance, and despite their best efforts, they were unable to earn gold. But it is not the end of the world since we know they have done it before, and we are confident that given the correct support and environment, they will do it again.
"Let me reiterate that this type of celebration should not simply be reserved for winners. We believe it is vital to demonstrate to our athletes and authorities that we, as a federation and country, value what they have accomplished. We want to continue to promote these athletes and serve as a reminder to the younger ones that the federation, and indeed the country, will always value the work they put into any endeavour, regardless of the outcome," CG Adeniyi said.
Senator John Owan Enoh, the sports development minister who attended the reception, thanked the Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, and the President of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF), Daniel Igali, for hosting the wrestling team.
Six wrestlers, one male and five female, represented Nigeria at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The wrestlers are Ogunsanya Christianah (53kg WW), Kolawole Esther (62kg WW), Adekuoroye Odunayo (57kg WW), Reuben Hannah (76kg WW), Oborududu Blessing (68kg WW), and Mutuwa Ashton (125kg FS, based in the United States).
