…For The 65 Heroes Of The 1976 MONTREAL Olympics Games
+1980 African Cup Of Nations Heroes
History will be made on Friday 28th July, 2023 in Lagos, when the Management of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) and Airpeace Airline hosts the 1976 Olympic Games Heroes.
On Friday 28 July, 2023 at the NIIA, there will be the unveiling of the Sports diplomacy wall of fame.
It will also mark the beginning of the 4th Conversation with the title From Olympic Boycotts to Hosting The World – West Africa’s March to FIFA 2034.
In the evening of that day at the Grand Ballroom of Eko Hotel, in Lagos, there will be the Investiture of Airpeace Sports Diplomacy Ambassadors. These Heroes are already assembling in Lagos from all corners of the world. Segun Odegbami, who is among them, calls it “The great Unification of heroes of Nigerian Sports!”
According to him, ‘Deadbones’ shall rise again. A host of late sports heroes and their still-living colleagues will be “dug out” from the archives to be celebrated, honoured, rewarded and immortalised on a wall at the NIIA”.
These are athletes that selflessly served their country and humanity at the 1976 Olympics and the 1980 AFCON. He featured some of them on his programme, on 90 minutes with Mathematical 7 on his Sports Radio Station Eagle 7 Sports Radio FM 103.7. Those that know them well enough shared their knowledge and experiences about the athletes in a refreshingly unusual conversation. The discussion was all about July 28th 2023, a date that will witness the biggest sports reunification in African Sports history.
These are majestic sprinters like Kola Abdullahi, Bruce Ijirigho, and Dele Udoh. Others are hurdling sensation Gidwin Obasogie, Overlapping Andy Atuegbu, Supreme dribblers like Haruna Ilerika and Mudashiru Lawal; deadly punchers like Obisia Nwankpa and Davidson Andeh, and very many of them like Mathematical Segun Odegbami. All are members of the 65 member athlete-ensemble. Below are the full names:
The 1976 Montreal Athletics Team include the following people: (1.) Kolawole Abdullahi, 100m /4 X 100m relay (late), (2.) Ruks Bazunu, 100m / 4 X 100m relay (USA), (3.) Moses Adebayo Adebanji, 4 X 100m relay (USA), (4.) Edward Ofili, 100m/200m/4 X 100m relay (late), (5.) Mark Olomu, 4 X 100m relay, Sapele, (6.) Chuks Abigide, 4 X 100m relay, USA, (7.) John Okoro, Long Jump (Late), (8.) Charlton Ehizuelen, Long and Triple Jumps, USA, (9.) Moses Akporowho, Long Jump, (Late),(10.) Godwin Obasogie, 110m, Hurdles, USA, (11.) Graywood Oruwari, 110m, Hurdles, USA, (12.) Modupe Oshikoya, 100m, Long Jump, Pentathlon, USA, (13.) Gloria Ayanlaja, 400m, USA, (14.) Bruce T. Ijirigho, 400m/4 X 400m relay, USA, (15.) Dele Udoh, 400m, 4 X 400m relay (Late) (16.) Felix Imadiyi, 400m, 4 X 400m relay, USA, (17.) Benjamin Omodhiale, 4 X 400m relay, USA, (18.) Rotimi Peters, 4 X 400m relay, USA, (19.) Dennis Otono, 400m Hurdles, USA and (20.) Taiwo Ogunjobi, 400m hurdles (Late).
The 1976 Montreal Olympic Football Team include the following: (1.) Emmanuel Okala, (Enugu) (2.) Joseph Erico (Late), (3.) Andrew Atuegbu, USA, (4.) Sanni Mohammed, Accra, Ghana, (5.) Mudashiru Lawal (Late), (6.) Christian Chukwu, Enugu, (7.) Godwin Odiye, USA, (8.) Kelechi Emetiole (Late), (9.) Haruna Ilerika (Late), (10.) Adekunle Awesu (Late), (11.) Thompson Usiyan (Late), (12.) Alloysius Atuegbu (Late), (13.) Baba Otu Mohammed (Jos), (14.) Jide Dina (Late), (15.) Samuel Ojebode (Late) (16.) Patrick Ekeji, USA, NA and (17.) Segun Odegbami, (Lagos).
The Montreal 1976 Swimming Squad include the following: (1.) John Ebito – USA.
The Montreal 1976 Boxing Squad include the following: (1.) Obisia Nwankpa, Lagos, (2.) Davidson Andeh (Late) and (3.) L. Obagoriola, Lagos.
The 1980 Africa Cup of Nations Team include the following: (1.) Best Ogedegbe (Late) (2.) Moses Effiong – (Calabar), (3.) Emmanuel Okala – (Enugu), (4.) John Orlando – (Accra), (5.) David Adiele – (Owerri), (6.) Okey Isima (Late) (7.) Segun Odegbami – (Abeokuta), (8.) Felix Owolabi – (Ibadan), (9.) Godwin Odiye – (USA) (10.) Christian Chukwu – (Enugu), (11.) Adokie Amiesimaka – Port Harcourt, (12.) Charles Bassey – (Calabar), (13.) Tunde Bamidele (Late), (14.) Kadiri Ikhana – (Abeokuta), (15.) Mudashiru Lawal (Late) (16.) Henry Nwosu – (Lagos), (17.) Ifeanyi Onyedika – (Enugu), (18.) Frank Onwuachi – (Asaba), (19.) Martin Eyo (Late), (20.) Shefiu Mohammed – Jalingo, (21.) Alloysius Atuegbu (Late) and (22.) Sylvanus Okpala – (Enugu).
Many of the greatest athletes in the world at the time of the 1976 Olympic Games will be storming Lagos, like the legendary Filbert Bayi, Tanzanian and one of the greatest middle distance runners in history, and legendary Charlton Ehizuelen, one of the greatest African jumpers in history.
What really happened on 16th July 1976? Many don’t know. Only few remember that athletes who had arrived for the Olympic in Montreal had to leave abruptly. Take someone like Filbert Bayi. He was the greatest athlete in the world on the eve of the 1976 Olympic Games. He had broken legendary John Walkers world record in the 1500 metres. The world was wanting for the ultimate showdown at the Games between them.
But that did not happen. Why? Filbert Bayo who came all the way from Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania didn’t take part again.
It was the same with Nigeria’s greatest long and tripple jumper in history, Charlton Ehizuelen. He was set.
But he couldn’t take part. He has still not fully recovered from what has been described as the greatest disappointment of his life.
As the door to his greatest dream as an athlete, was slammed in his face. Since then, 47 years ago, he had not been acknowledged, remembered or even appreciated until now.
