AGAIN the criteria for choosing recipients of the yearly national awards have become an issue following the latest edition of the revered event, which held in Abuja last week.Last week, President Goodluck Jonathan decorated 364 members of the Nigerian elite with awards ranging from Officer Order of the Niger (OON) to Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR). But with the exception of Joseph Yobo, Peter Konyegwachie, Mariam Usman and Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima, no other member of the Nigerian sports community was deemed fit to receive an award by the organisers of the event.Speaking to journalists on the issue recently, some stakeholders in Nigerian football said it was absurd that sportsmen that have brought honour and helped to launder the image of country are neglected when the Federal Government recognizes eminent Nigerians.According to former Super Eagles star, Mike Onyemachara, recognizing the contributions of sportsmen to the development of the country would serve in motivating others to work hard to lift the image of the country when competing in international competitions.He said: 'The awards to Joseph Yobo, Alhaji Galadima, Mariam Usman and Konyegwachie is commendable, but there are other deserving sportsmen, who should have also been so recognized.'It still baffles me that a club like Enyimba of Aba, which braved all odds to win the CAF Champions League for the first time for Nigeria after 39 years of trying, has not been appreciated by the Federal Government.'This is a club that broke all the records in Nigerian and African football even when the conditions were not conducive for excellence. When I went through the list and there was no Enyimba or the chairman of the club, Felix Anyansi Agwu, I knew something was not right. Up till now, no other Nigerian club has matched the record set by Enyimba and I think appreciating that achievement would spur others to aspire for greatness too.'But while many have applauded the recognition of those two sports personalities, there're also questions why some key sports figures were omitted in the list of the awardees.A former recipient of national award, the 'Mathematical' Segun Odegbami, while speaking on the awards, said that if the terms of recognition for the award was based on achievement, then Enyimba International Football Club of Aba, the first Nigerian club side to win the CAF Champions League after 39 years of struggle, deserves to be honoured.'A club like Enyimba International of Aba, which through the efforts and support of the former Abia State governor, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, broke the jinx of the Champions League, truly deserve to be honoured,' Odegbami said.'I recall that in 1980, when we lifted the African Cup of Nations for the very first time since Nigeria started to participate in the championship, the federal government recognised and honoured us with the national merit award of Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) and gave everyone of us a Peugeot car and a house in Festac Town for our achievement. I think it is necessary for government to also reward Enyimba because that club not only won the trophy in 2003, but went ahead to win it again in 2004. That's a record worthy of recognition,' he stated.Odegbami, also noted that other individuals like Coach Fanny Amun and the late Yemi Tella, among others, have also been so recognised and therefore, called on government to give honour to those who deserve it.'There should be a standard process of identifying those who merit awards either as individuals or as a group. Those who worked tirelessly for Enyimba to reach the zenith deserve to be honoured as well. Though, I recall that in 1980, when we won the African Nations Cup, not everyone who was part of the team was given the national merit award, others like coaches and officials were honoured. So, people who toiled for Enyimba to come this far should not be left out.'The former Eagles' captain, however, noted that the process of nomination, defence and recognition of sports personalities for awards should be left in the hands of stakeholders in sports.Enyimba FC has won two African Champions League titles, six Nigerian championships and two Federation Cups since 2001. Enyimba's luck began to shine in 1999, when Orji Uzor Kalu was elected governor of Abia State in the first democratic elections held in the country after several years of military rule. Kalu then proceeded to ensure generous funding for the local team and appointedFelix Anyansi-Agwu as the new chairman of the club, who in turn appointed Godwin Koko Uwa as the club's first coach in the new era.Chief Agwu took the task of turning Enyimba around and within 11 years of his administration as chairman of the club, amassed 23 trophies for the Aba side.In all of this, he got recognition from different bodies as the Best Club Manager, Administrator of the Year and several others. Enyimba also had its first appearance in a continental competition in the 2002 CAF Champions League.Due to the lack of a good playing ground at its base in Aba, the club played its home matches in Calabar, a neighbouring town, and the capital of Cross River State. After winning the first round tie against Etoile Filante Ouagadougou 5-3 on aggregate, it was knocked out in the second round by the 1998 champion, ASEC Mimosas of Cote d'Ivoire.The club went on to win its second successive Nigerian title in 2002 and then became the first Nigerian club to win the continent's premier international club competition in the 2003 CAF Champions League by beating Ismaily of Egypt 2-1 on aggregate under Coach Kadiri Ikhana.This was also the first time since 1988 that a Nigerian club had reached the final of the competition.Enyimba then successfully defended the title and won its second consecutive African Champions League title in 2004, beating Tunisia's Etoile du Sahel in the finals. After finishing runners-up in the national championship in 2004 (behind Dolphins FC), Enyimba won the double in 2005, winning its fourth Nigerian championship and its first Nigerian Cup.
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