July 10, (THEWILL) – The Nigeria Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) is set to unveil the Sports Diplomacy Wall of Fame, a prestigious recognition initiative supported by Dr. Allen Onyema, the founder of Air Peace Airlines.
The programme aims to honour Nigerian sports heroes, who represented the country at the boycotted Montreal 1976 Olympic Games and the 1980 African Cup of Nations. These athletes, who sacrificed their personal ambitions for the country, have long awaited recognition for their exceptional service without luck until now.
As part of the recognition, each member of the Montreal Olympics team and the 1980 Green Eagles will be granted significant rewards. Onyema announced that they will receive 12 annual return tickets for domestic travel within Nigeria for the rest of their lives, along with one international return ticket each year on Air Peace-operated routes. These rewards are in addition to monetary awards, which will be revealed during the unveiling of the Wall of Fame on July 28. The names of the honoured athletes will be inscribed in gold on the Wall of Fame, symbolising their enduring contribution to Nigerian sports.
Expressing his motivation behind the initiative, Onyema highlighted the importance of showing Nigerian youths that diligent service to the country will eventually be rewarded, even if it takes time
He said, “The athletes to be honoured are Nigerians, who made the country proud in the past. These are athletes, who sacrificed the opportunity to be great in Canada and heeded Nigeria’s call to boycott the Olympics on the eve of the Games. The same country that ordered them to give up their ambitions has not honoured these athletes. We are also honouring those that won the African Cup of Nations in 1980 because that feat united the country in a way that had never happened before.”
In addition to honouring the living athletes, posthumous rewards will be awarded to deceased team members, and their families will also receive financial rewards, the details of which will be determined before the event. Segun Odegbami, ex-football captain and spokesperson for the awardees, thanked Onyema for his enduring generosity. He acknowledged the significance of the recognition and concluded with a prayer for Onyema’s continued blessings.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
