On my way back from 'hibernation' I am excited. I stand to be corrected, but I do not think there has ever been a time like this in the history of Nigerian sports. On the surface everything may look bleak but deeper examination reveals great prospects for the future!

In three weeks I have been re-united with the glorious past of Nigerian sports, shown glimpses of the future, and, so, I am very excited.

I met and interacted with a large number of ex-international Nigerian athletes, and the common thread in our discussions is that they all are eager and willing to return home and apply all that they were sent or sponsored originally to America to acquire in advancing sports development in the country.

They sense also that the present administration of sports in Nigeria has demonstrated positive traits. They tell me there is a feeling that Nigeria needs them now to come and contribute their different skills and experiences to lift Nigerian sport from the abyss where it has been for many years to new heights of Olympic proportions.

At no time in Nigeria's history do we have such a rich pool of learned, experienced, and authentic retired sportsmen and women, trained in different fields of sports that are prepared to commit themselves to produce the next generation of world class athletes!

From the All-Africa games in 1972 to the Olympic Games of 1992 Nigeria has churned them out and showcased them to the world. They were products of a fairly articulate and well-executed sports development programme that saw many of them proceed to the United States of America to hone their sports talents, acquire good education in the process and to prepare themselves as trainers to produce the next generation of athletes.

Many of them succeeded in doing all those things only for them to be left 'stranded' and neglected in the USA by the establishment that sponsored many of them.

For years, forgotten by their country they became America's gain, helping that country to train their young athletes in various colleges, universities and clubs.

Today many of them have gained respect and recognition by their host country. The good news is that all these athletes have remained in the sports sector and are all doing remarkably well.

Re-uniting with many of them these past three weeks has inspired me and fired my hope in the future of Nigerian sports. I have written about Dr. Bruce Ijirigho and Dr. Sadiq Abdullahi several times in the past months. Both are part of associations set up in the United States that are currently working with the National Sports Commission to bring positive change to Nigerian sports.

They are part of a new army of athletes many of whom I met, called, held meetings with, or that called me up to discuss Nigerian sports and the way forward.

From football I discussed with Tony Igwe (World Two), now a university coach who also runs a successful football academy in the United States (His daughter has just been invited to join the powerful US national female football team), Thompson Usiyen, whose record in American collegiate football is unmatched and played professional football in the MSL before training as a coach and is now well respected in the industry with strong links to the MSL and the US Soccer Federation, Sam Okpodu is an executive member of the National Collegiate Coaches Association, Chairman of the Black Coaches Committee of America and a respected coaches' instructor.

Others are Ben Popoola, Damian Obasuyi, Chris Ogu (who is down with stroke but is recovering well), Paul Okoku, Sam Owoh, Francis Monidafe, Humphrey Edobor, and so on.

The tennis fraternity is also very active. I held a conference meeting with some of the most successful tennis players in our history, except Tony Mmoh (who is in Qatar, I hear). They have set up a foundation to drive the development of tennis in the country - David Imonitie, Nduka Odizor, Sadiq Abdullahi, Amina, Rolake Olateru-Olagbegi, and a few others.

Former Nigerian international track and field athletes are also busy. Through the intervention of their American association some of the athletes were invited by Dr. Patrick Ekeji to the last National Sports Festival in Kaduna as part of a technical group set up by the NSC to design a new path for Nigerian athletics.

Meanwhile, America has been the beneficiary of Nigeria's athletics past. All the Nigerian greats are there working in colleges and clubs, training American sprint and jump athletes.

I discussed with Charlton Ehizuelen who is revered as a legend in Alabama and actively involved in producing jumpers for the US.

There are also Innocent Egbunike, Godwin Obasogie, Modupe Oshikoya, all involved in coaching in colleges in America.

One thing that I take away from my interactions in the US is that Nigerian athletes in the Diaspora expect much from new Sports Minister, Engr. Sani Ndanusa.

They all want to join him to bring Nigerian sports back on track. Such support and goodwill are unprecedented in our history. Many athletes are ready to make the ultimate sacrifice by leaving behind the comfort and security of life in America for the almost thankless job of bringing back the past glory of Nigerian sports and taking it to new levels.

After all that's what the country expected of them by sending them to America in the first place.

Sani Ndanusa must seize the moment, exploit the present positive spirit and opportunity, start to harvest from this bounty of America-cultivated human resource and build a new Nigeria in sports!

[url]http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/sports/article16//indexn3_html?pdate=280309&ptitle=Possibility%20Of%20A%20New%20Nigeria%20-%20Expectations%20Are%20Real!&cpdate=280309[/url]

.