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It is hard not to
be impressed by the man known as Rafa Nadal. Barely in his mid-20s, he
has achieved a lot more than what most tennis players dream about. To
date, he has won eight Grand Slam titles, 18 Master titles, and an
Olympic Gold medal, amongst others. To put it in better perspective,
over the last decade, he has accomplished more in the world of tennis
than what 200 million Nigerians have achieved in the last century in
the same field.

How does he do it?
How does he manage to keep up his speed, his agility, and still find
time to shampoo and style that glorious hair of his? The answer to that
question can be found in those characteristics that have become the
bedrock of most success stories — hard work, dedication, and a lot of
good healthy advice; factors that are unfortunately in short supply
within the shores of Nigeria.

Football is
undoubtedly the leading sport in the nation today. It is played in the
fields and on the streets. It is even rumoured that a few people
actually once considered playing it on the Third Mainland Bridge.
Sometimes, the game of football appears to be the only sport that
people are willing to consider. Most Nigerians are yet to come to terms
with the idea of a Nigerian basketball league and even more Nigerians
would probably choose to work all weekend in their offices instead of
having to watch a match of cricket. Unfortunately, it is this blind
stubbornness of ours that has resulted in the dwindling fortunes of our
sports sector.

When all is said
and done, there really is no reason why Nigeria as a nation is unable
to challenge at the highest of sport levels. Outside the world of
football, in the listing of many world sporting events, Nigeria appears
to be regularly absent. What prevents a sponsored team of national
cyclers from challenging at the next Tour de France event? Why can’t
Nigerians finally break out of the mould and make an appearance at the
next Wimbledon tournament? Outside the rules, the requirements of most
sporting events are the same. People must possess the right amount of
body appendage. The last time I checked, most Nigerians have their arms
and legs in place.

Many might blame
the government for its failure to provide the structural facilities
needed for the advancement in sports but this reason is not completely
true. Today, there are hundreds of Nigerian footballers plying their
trade in foreign countries. Their successes in this field are not the
direct results of governmental intervention but simply the outcome of
their dedication and desire to succeed. To stress the point further,
sporting stars such as Rafa Nadal, the Williams sisters, and Didier
Drogba are not the direct outcomes of government programmes. They are,
instead, superstars who were raised and supported by family members
during their early years.

Unfortunately, the
desire for most Nigerians to groom children who end up working with
multinational companies has led to most parents nipping the sporting
dreams of their children before they even begin. Nigerian parents do
not want their children talking about sports. If a 10-year-old boy by
the name of ‘HC’ was to announce to his father that he wished to become
a lawn tennis player, he probably would get knocked on the head and
then enrolled in after school lessons so that his mind could be
“sharpened” on more important things. Outside the world of academics,
nothing else is ever supported. Children who would aspire to be
artists, musicians, and athletes are turned into the newest recruits
for the banking and oil-servicing companies. Instead of raising the
next Rafa ‘Onyekachi HC’ Nadal, parents are happy to settle for bank
tellers who earn less than $1000 a month.

In a couple of days, the screens of millions of televisions will be
graced with the antics of the US Open. For people like me, who happen
to be fans of tennis, our days will likely be spent watching players as
they slog it out on one of the hardest courts in the tour. I already
know exactly where my allegiance will lie. This year, as has been my
practice for the last three years, I will be rooting for a certain Rafa
Nadal. Next year, however, with any bit of luck, my attention just
might be taken by a new introduction to the world of grand slam tennis.
That of a Nigerian challenger.