Ebewele splits special Athletes

Barely twenty four hours after a female special athlete launched a campaign for Brown Ebewele in the run-up to association elections, a male colleague has mounted his opposition to the dream of the Edo State Director of Sports.Margaret Okoko had on Thursday told nigeriasports.com that Ebewele possessed all the magic to turn things round positively for Special sports.

But in a swift counter on Friday, a male power lifter wheeled to the National Stadium, Surulere to denounce Brown and declare his opposition to him.“I have heard of underground plans to have Brown Ebewele installed as President of our association, SSFN.

 I will work against his dream because he is a bully. Brown is a bully and his coming would further destroy special sports in this country” Yinka Bolatilo said. Yinka who was oblivious of the positive remarks made about Brown on Thursday said with the director of sports in Edo State as President of his association would hurt the feeling of special athletes “because of the way he behaves. He is a bully and he would be insensitive to our needs”

“Moreover” he continued “Brown in all his years in the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, AFN only contributed controversy. Our association would just die under him”.The ex power lifter who now plays wheelchair basketball said the SSFN needed at this point a chairman who will understand the psychological needs of the special athlete.

 For that, he made a strong case for a special athlete whom he argued was in a better position to understand the feeling and needs of special athletes. He declared “It is only a special athlete that can relate with a special athlete. As special people, we have our peculiar nature and it is very difficult if not impossible for someone who is not a special athlete to understand us”.

Yinka said he was excited that some special athletes emerged victorious from the zonal elections appealing to government to allow democracy prevail during the national elections billed for April 26. “If the elections are not manipulated, there is no way Ebewele would emerge victorious. He does not have anything working for him” he remarked.

The smooth talking athlete said able-bodied persons had disappointed special athletes in the past. He cited the immediate past President of the federation, Mrs Nkoyo Ibori whose reign he claimed brought about the lowest point in the history of special sports.

“Take Nkoyo Ibori for instance. She came to special sports to destroy the sports. As First Lady of Delta State, she had no time for special sports so she handed such a sensitive place over to the secretary Luke Olusola.

Mr. Olusola wreaked serious havoc on the federation on behalf of Mrs. Ibori. Today what is left of the federation is just the remains and only one of us can relaunch special sports”.