By Chris Gyang
There is something deeply touching and humbling, especially for those of us considered physically fit, in watching blind athletes, led by guides, race at the Paralympic Games, hoping for glory despite the darkness into which their visual impairments have plunged them. The sheer wonders of God are on display when athletes with intellectual and physical impairments participate in their version of the hammer throw from wheelchairs. And what can one say about athletes with dwarfism or without arms competing and winning at the Paralympics?
These are the extraordinary wonders of nature, resilience, and the human spirit’s ability to overcome physical, mental, social and cultural barriers, to share humanity with a world that often views them with shame, pity or contempt.
The 2024 Paris Paralympic Games once again highlighted that those perceived as society’s outcasts can excel where others fail. This was true for Nigeria, where athletes returned from the Olympics empty-handed, while their Paralympic counterparts brought home seven medals – two gold, three silver and two bronze.
Onyinyechi Mark, for instance, shattered the Paralympic record in the women’s 61kg powerlifting category by lifting 145kg. Isua Ogunkunle also made history as the first Nigerian to win an individual medal in Para Table Tennis since the Sydney 2000 Games, securing bronze in the Men’s Singles Class 4 event. Of the N12 billion budgeted for both the Olympics and Paralympics, N8 billion was allocated to the main games, with the remainder reserved for the Paralympics. A string of scandals at the Paris Olympics, including the failure to register one of the country’s medal hopefuls, Favour Ofili, in the women’s 100m sprints, further compounded the disappointment of the Olympic team’s failure to win a single medal. For a sports-crazy country, the sense of loss and despondency could only be imagined.
In a country plagued by bad leadership, malfeasance and an unresponsive political elite, there is a lesson to be learned from the success of our Paralympic athletes. It is clear that a person’s state of mind, moral rectitude, discipline, patriotism and determination ultimately lead to success, both in sports and in governance. As demonstrated by the Paralympics, physical ability is just one factor in achieving success. Perhaps our sportspeople and, especially, the political class can learn from this. The success of our Paralympians challenges not only their physically fit peers but also Nigerians who have long looked down on the physically challenged.
For the large army of citizens who hatke to begging on our streets, most of whose physical impairments do not present much encumbrance, there is hope that they, too, can make something of their lives and bring glory to the fatherland through sports, whether at the local, state, national, or international levels.
To the able-bodied, the efforts of Paralympians may seem insignificant, even laughable. But to them, and to those who are perceptive, their actions represent supreme human effort, born out of a struggle to overcome physical and mental disabilities. Very few able-bodied individuals can summon such courage and strength.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), approximately 25 million Nigerians (about 15% of the population) live with some form of disability. Among them, 7.8 million have physical disabilities, 4.8 million have visual impairments, 2.5 million have hearing impairments, 1.5 million have intellectual disabilities, and 6.2 million live with mental health conditions. Given the strong performance of our Paralympians, imagine the potential achievements if the talents of these individuals were fully tapped.
Since able-bodied athletes have repeatedly failed us, why not turn to their less physically endowed counterparts, who have proven they can bring us joy and much-needed respite from the country’s harsh economic conditions?
Many of these athletes have personal stories of struggle and hardship. Some have overcome trauma, stigma, and ostracism due to their physical impairments, which are seen in certain societies as a curse. Yet, they have made it to the Paralympics, and for the fortunate ones, they have mounted the medal podium.
For Nigeria, redemption has come from the most unlikely source – those often considered inconsequential. A country in a constant state of turmoil and stasis needs such moments of reprieve from the struggles of daily life, which have become routine for ordinary citizens.
Perhaps it is time we turned to the seemingly unimportant values we have neglected in our rush for wealth and power: love, selflessness, regard for family and community and helping the needy. Sometimes, these are the things that make the greatest difference, dissolving the bitterness and strife of modern existence.
No doubt, Nigeria’s Paralympians have redeemed us and saved us from the shame of the lacklustre performance of their peers just weeks ago.
Chris Gyang A public Affairs Analyst contributes to this piece from Jos, Plateau State.