Paralympians Seek More Recognition For Special Athletes
Nigeria’s Paralympians have demanded more recognition for special athletes to motivate them to continue to make the country proud at major competitions.
The special athletes impressed at the 2024 Paralympics in Paris, winning seven medals for Nigeria.
Speaking at a gala award night organised by the Paralympic Committee Nigeria (PCN) for their remarkable showing at the Paralympics, where they won two gold, three silver and two bronze medals.
Paralympian Gold Medalist, Folashade Oluwafemiayo, has called on the government to give more recognition to the special athletes to propel them to give their best.
She said, “This is the first ever that Paralympic athletes will be recognized and hosted at a gala award night, This is the first one, and we enjoyed it very much.
“Big kudos to PCN President (Sunday Odebode) and the organisers of this program, God will continue to bless them, and we are looking forward to more of this recognition from the government.
“They should celebrate us so that we will be happy. Once we are celebrated, we will be happy to bring more medals to the country.”
Folashade, who secured her place as a gold medalist in the 2024 Paralympic with her first lift of 147kg, to shatter the Paralympic record of 135kg further urged the government to create awareness for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) so that other people living with such conditions can be integrated into the sports’ industry.
She said, “I feel they should create more awareness because there are some people out there that don’t know anything about this sport, but when there is publicity and awareness, they will come and join.
“I am advising other people with disabilities to follow their dreams, and they shouldn’t allow anybody to look down on them. Though we are not loved like others in society, they should put in all their efforts in order to achieve their dreams,”
Bolaji Eniola, who became the first Nigerian and African athlete to win an Olympic or Paralympic medal in badminton, was also honoured at the award ceremony night.
She was delighted to be honoured following her historic outing in Paris.
Eniola said, “It means a lot to me because that was my first outing at the Paralympic Games,’ she said. “So, I feel so nice, and it means a very, very big lot to me because I made history as the first Nigerian and African badminton’s medallist from both Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“It really feels so good, and being honoured tonight is even more special.”
Similarly, the senior special assistant to President Bola Tinubu on disability matters, Muhammed Abba Isa, was full of praise for the Paralympians for making Nigeria proud in Paris.
He said, “We are not only celebrating the Paralympians because they brought home medals from Paris 2024 but we are celebrating their resilience; despite their disabilities you can see how they are making Nigeria proud, But the challenges that we have with the paralympic athlete is the lack of support from various sectors.
“The government alone cannot do everything. We need the support of the public and private sectors too, and when they offer more support to these athletes, they will achieve more.”
Paralympians Seek More Recognition For Special Athletes is first published on The Whistler Newspaper