Tobi Amusan and the Parable of the Black Pot, by Wole Olaoye
Tobi Amusan and the Parable of the Black Pot, by Wole Olaoye
Nigeria's Tobi Amusan won gold in the women's 100m hurdles at the World Championships in Athletics, after breaking the world record with a time of 12.06 seconds.
Oluwatobiloba Ayomide Amusan is the white porridge symbolic of the limitless possibilities produced by the soot pot of an underachieving African nation. No one should blame us for momentarily basking in the sun!
Do not despise the soot-encrusted earthenware pot; remember, the white porridge that quenches your hunger comes from his insides. This is the way of Providence: When it was time for Nigeria to stand up for recognition, the whole world stood up to salute the Green-White-Green.
It wasn't just Oluwatobiloba (Tobi) Ayomide Amusan who was shedding tears of joy. There were many watery eyes among the viewers as the ecstatic athlete also tearfully sang his heart out in sync with the performance of Nigeria's national anthem. She had defied predictions. She had broken the world record twice in a few hours. She had set a new world record in the women's 100 meter hurdles.
Something good could come out of Nigeria after all. And it happened.
Allow me to roll out the drums to celebrate Amusan and Nigeria today. Some of my countrymen have been so accustomed to the flood of bad news about their country that they refuse to celebrate any interlude of good news. Some even interpreted Amusan's tears as proof that she regretted being born Nigerian! Ahh!
There should be a limit to self-flagellation. What kind of masochist would enjoy the endless demarketing of his country, while at the same time demanding that he be respected by the rest of the world? If you recognize that your country is an irretrievable shithole but you refuse to celebrate anything good about it, how do you expect the rest of the world to react?
I am aware of the threat from Boko Haram terrorists to kidnap President Buhari and Governor Nasir el Rufa'i. I also followed the exploits of the terrorists, as they made their way to Abuja and the main cities of the country. Social media forces you to know that these are perilous times in Nigeria. But I insist that we have the right to embrace our good fortune whenever we have something worth celebrating.
Just when the world thought there wasn't much else in Nigeria besides terrorism, scams, drug trafficking and corruption, it's a surprise!< /p>
The story of Amusan is a tribute to a dogged determination born from an uncommon belief that a crown of glory...
Nigeria's Tobi Amusan won gold in the women's 100m hurdles at the World Championships in Athletics, after breaking the world record with a time of 12.06 seconds.
Oluwatobiloba Ayomide Amusan is the white porridge symbolic of the limitless possibilities produced by the soot pot of an underachieving African nation. No one should blame us for momentarily basking in the sun!
Do not despise the soot-encrusted earthenware pot; remember, the white porridge that quenches your hunger comes from his insides. This is the way of Providence: When it was time for Nigeria to stand up for recognition, the whole world stood up to salute the Green-White-Green.
It wasn't just Oluwatobiloba (Tobi) Ayomide Amusan who was shedding tears of joy. There were many watery eyes among the viewers as the ecstatic athlete also tearfully sang his heart out in sync with the performance of Nigeria's national anthem. She had defied predictions. She had broken the world record twice in a few hours. She had set a new world record in the women's 100 meter hurdles.
Something good could come out of Nigeria after all. And it happened.
Allow me to roll out the drums to celebrate Amusan and Nigeria today. Some of my countrymen have been so accustomed to the flood of bad news about their country that they refuse to celebrate any interlude of good news. Some even interpreted Amusan's tears as proof that she regretted being born Nigerian! Ahh!
There should be a limit to self-flagellation. What kind of masochist would enjoy the endless demarketing of his country, while at the same time demanding that he be respected by the rest of the world? If you recognize that your country is an irretrievable shithole but you refuse to celebrate anything good about it, how do you expect the rest of the world to react?
I am aware of the threat from Boko Haram terrorists to kidnap President Buhari and Governor Nasir el Rufa'i. I also followed the exploits of the terrorists, as they made their way to Abuja and the main cities of the country. Social media forces you to know that these are perilous times in Nigeria. But I insist that we have the right to embrace our good fortune whenever we have something worth celebrating.
Just when the world thought there wasn't much else in Nigeria besides terrorism, scams, drug trafficking and corruption, it's a surprise!< /p>
The story of Amusan is a tribute to a dogged determination born from an uncommon belief that a crown of glory...
Nigeria's Tobi Amusan won gold in the women's 100m hurdles at the World Championships in Athletics, after breaking the world record with a time of 12.06 seconds.
