The Olympics at Rio

Never did I imagine I will be writing on this but then some things just happen because they are bound to happen. I started getting interested in Nigeria’s house ambassadors when my curious friend called my attention to the Nigerian ambassador to the Olympics at Rio. She wanted to know what the ambassador’s role was in Rio, why he was needed if he won’t be directly involved in arranging for venues or making sure the athletes get to the venue in good conditions, what benefits he gets, if this was just a compensation to him for running for president and losing under the ruling party? why he was even associated with sports in the first place, if there are no others who could fit the bill, how much it was costing the government to sponsor him and the athletes, why the Olympics ambassador was not too persistent about athletes’ welfare…..

It was in the bid to find answers to these questions that I realized that Nigeria had financial problems sponsoring the athletes and encouraging the athletes to Rio, yet ambassadors were sponsored to Rio. Perhaps the fate of the Rio team could have been different if a designated fund for an African games held in Congo last year hadn’t been declared missing or embezzled one way or the other.

Sending over 70 athletes to another country with little preparation, the president gave a speech on dwindling revenue and global economic challenges being a factor to the inadequate funding of the trip. But an ambassador who has no link whatsoever to games or sports was sponsored to Rio. Which brings me back to how House Ambassadors in Nigeria came to be. Was it based on influence in the society? Popularity? Did some people bribe their way into the ambassadorial seat just because they needed power and affluence one way or the other? How is it that some set of people get paid and recognized as ambassadors and their impact isn’t felt in and on Nigeria?

Some even have this seat as titles and strength to their political prowess.
When I was younger , I learnt that an ambassador is a trustworthy, deserving and accredited individual who is well learned and vast in knowledge sent by a country as its representative in a foreign country. Ambassadors used to be people who represent the interests of the country to foreign government, people who are extraordinary, passionate and selfless. People who bring solutions, ideas and innovations from other countries. Wouldn’t it be such a relief if our house ambassadors are like this?