Okagbare has done more than the Super Eagles – Orji Uzor Kalu

Former Governor of Abia State,Orji Uzor Kalu has said that Nigerian athlete Blessing Okagbare has made a better contribution to the country,even more than the Super Eagles.

Uzor Kalu wondered why Okagbare should not be given a grand reception,just like the Super Eagles who won the 2013 African Nations Cup.

“I feel for Okagbare. Never in our history did anyone single-handedly win all the country’s medals in a senior global competition. Okagbare achieved that in Moscow, yet nobody is planning a Presidential reception for this great athlete,” Uzor Kalu was quoted to have said on Vanguard Sports.


“Without taking away anything from our beloved Eagles, I do not think they are World class.They never won an Olympic medal, never played in the quarter-finals of the World Cup, nor in the Semis of the Confederations Cup. Okagbare is on higher ground, having won Olympic bronze in 2008, and now silver and gold,” he added.

“She is more than an African champion and should be rewarded for her feat even if she did not win gold”, he added.

Kalu further said that he will personally lead a protest to the office of the First Lady,Patience Jonathan if nothing was done for Okagbare: “I will march to the First Lady’s office first. I know this government is gender sensitive. In 1996, Tongan super heavyweight boxer Paea Wolfgramm, the man who beat Duncan Dokiwari in the Atlanta’96 semis and loser to Vladmir Klichko in the final due to injury, caused King Taufa’ahou to announce public holidays in his honour. Now, if a country of about 110,000 people could do that for a silver winner, why would our own country of 170 million sports lovers fail to honour this one-woman riot squad?” Uzor Kalu asked.