You won’t regret competing for Nigeria, Buhari tells Bobsled team

• Ogba praises Uduaghan, Ochie for financial backing
President Mohammadu Buhari has assured the four athletes flying Nigeria’s flag in the Bobsled and Skeleton events in this year’s Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea that they will not regret turning down offers from big countries to compete for Nigeria at the Games.

The Winter Olympics will hold from February 9 to 25 in the Asian country, and the Nigerian team, made up of Seun Adigun, Simidele Adeagbo, Akuoma Omeoga and Ngozi Onwumere, has promised not to fail the nation.

Before their departure at the weekend, the Nigerian Bobsled and Skeleton Federation, led by Chief Solomon Ogba, organised a sendforth for the team at the Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja.

At the occasion, President Buhari, who was represented his Senior Special Assistant on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, said his administration would give the team all it deserved. “I have just been told that some of you were approached by USA and other big countries to compete for them but you turned it down. You chose to compete for Nigeria and we are very proud of you. I want to assure you that you will never regret such decision. Win or lose, President Buhari has promised to host you at the Villa when you return. You are all winners already,” Dabiri-Erewa told the girls.

President of Bobsled and Skeleton Federation, Chief Solomon Ogba praised the Nigerian quartet for their resilience and determination, just as he acknowledged the efforts of former Delta State Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan and former Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly, Victor Ochie as well as various institutions that provided financial support for the team.

Ogba said: “This is a product of Nigerian determination to break new grounds and achieve what has never been done.”

Captain of the team, Seun Adigun said they were overwhelmed by the level of acceptance and support from Nigerians and the corporate community. “We are going to Korea with the weight of the country and the continent on our backs. We have resolved not to fail,” she said.