Tokyo 2020: You Are Going To The Olympics To Make History, Osinbajo Tells Team Nigeria

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has told team Nigeria to put in their best performance at the Tokyo Olympics so that history will never forget them.

The VP said this on Monday at the send-off ceremony for Team Nigeria and the handover of the Nigerian contingent to the Nigeria Olympic Committee.

The event also featured the official unveiling of the team’s official kit.

Osinbajo said, “I am delighted to welcome here today the very best of the best Nigerian Athletes. the great Nigerian team to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics; 58 outstanding athletes and 18 world-class coaches.

“When the Games begin on July 23, you will, as Team Nigeria, be joining other athletes from over 210 countries and territories of the world in the biggest and the most spectacular sporting event on the planet – the Olympic Games.

“Every one of you participating in the games is opening a page in history for yourself, your families, your community and the nation.

“Your performance at the games will inscribe your names in national and world sporting history; you carry the hopes and aspirations of millions as you compete in Tokyo.

“But you will in this endeavor have the assurance of the prayers and best wishes of all Nigerians.”

Nigeria will participate at different events in Tokyo and hope to produce results.

New entrants like Uche Eke Nigeria’s first gymnast to qualify for Olympics, Dorcas Adesokan who will represent Nigeria in badminton female singles will also participate.

The VP enjoined the athletes to emulate the exploits of past Olympians like Chioma Ajunwa, Clement Chukwu and the Nigerian Olympic football team that won gold at Atlanta 96 among others.

He said, “That was the year we defeated the world’s best footballing nations, Argentina and Brazil and we all held our heads high.

“And for anyone who thinks we are joking, maybe they haven’t seen our exhibition basketball game on Saturday with the USA team, especially that amazing block by Precious Achiuwa against KD (Kevin Durant) who is probably the best player in the NBA right now. So, Precious, you are the real MVP.

“And in the year 2000 in Sydney, again we beat the best in the world.

“We won the gold in 4 × 400 metres relay after the American team was disqualified for using performance-enhancing drugs, that was the team which had Clement Chukwu, the late Sunday Bada, Enefiok Udo-Ubong, Jude Monye, and two other members of the team Fidelis Gadzama and Nduka Awazie.”