Once an admired edifice, the National Stadium, Lagos, has been abandoned over the years, with the countrys first world boxing champion, Hogan Basseys grave overtaken by weeds, reports TANA AIYEJINAIt was saddening to learn that the final resting place of Nigerias first world boxing champion and icon, Bassey Okon Asuquo, popularly known as Hogan Kid Bassey, has been overgrown with weeds.The highly celebrated boxer died in Lagos on January 26, 1998 after a failed battle to overcome a heart ailment which reportedly defied medical treatment and he was buried by the country beside the Brai Ayonote boxing gym which has also been abandonedinside the National Stadium, Lagos.The entire nation was thrown into mourning because Bassey was actually one of the earliest athletes who brought honour to Nigeria, emerging a world champion in 1957 after overcoming French-Algerian Cherif Hamia in Paris in an explosive bout.Bassey, who had earlier won the British Empire featherweight title in 1955 in Belfast by knocking out Irishman Billy Spider Kelly in the eighth round, was widely celebrated in Britain and Nigeria after the feat.The Calabar-born pugilist relinquished his British Empire title afterwards and he was invested as Member of the British Empire by the Queen of England, Elizabeth II on January 1, 1958 at Buckingham Palace.He was also honoured with the Lion of Africa award in Senegal while former Head of State, Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo bestowed the Member of the Order of Niger award on him in 1979.But today, Bassey, who was respected for his pleasant manner outside the ring and his powerful punching in it, has been forgotten by a country he fought to put on the world map. Sadly, his grave has been overtaken by weeds.Nothing apart from the faded green and white colours used in painting the grave indicates that a hero was buried there.In a country not known for celebrating her heroes in sports and in other spheres of life Basseys predicament may not come as a surprise to many. While other countries give their sporting heroes special treatment, in Nigeria, its tales of woes for retired sportsmen and women.Like many other forgotten sports heroes, it is as if Bassey never existed, as he is now unsung in death.Boxing promoter Martin Osaile said Basseys situation was just a reflection of the poor maintenance culture in the country adding that the late boxers family shouldnt have allowed him to be buried inside the National Stadium in the first place.In what department in Nigeria have you seen maintenance culture' Even the Ikoyi cemetery where multi-billionaires are buried is overgrown with weeds, Osaile said in a telephone interview during the week.Why did Basseys family allow him to be buried by the Federal Government' Why didnt they bury him in his house'Look at what Ayonote did to that gym beside Basseys grave. But they left it like that without any maintenance. We dont have sports administrators anymore. They (administrators) only care about themselves; they are selfish.When they dont care about people still living, why would they about the dead. We are living in second hell. It is unfortunate.Osaile gave insight further into the lives of other boxers who brought fame to the country but were forgotten in old age.He said, Sometimes our sportsmen who die mysteriously cause it because they dont plan for their future. A lot of boxers are passing through hell.Former Commonwealth champion Santos Martins died of hunger some years back in Mushin, Lagos. So also was Rafiu King, who died blind about three weeks ago. He was blind for 10 years and nobody cared.After Kings boxing career, he worked as a gatekeeper in England but when old age came, he had to return home. He was lucky he even built a bungalow where he lived in sorrow till he died. Another boxer died under the bridge in Benin City.Santos was Basseys Best Man when Bassey married in England. Both of them were brought back as coaches of the National Sports Commission. But for me they were brought back from grace to grass. Bassey became penniless before he died. Its a terrible thing.Sadly, while Bassey and other of the countrys boxing legends names should have encouraged the young ones to take boxing as a career, the treatment meted out to them in life and death may serve as a restraint to the youth who would have loved to take the sport as a career.Thus the dwindling fortunes of the sport are not far-fetched.Only football now attracts the youths because of the likes of Taye Taiwo and Yakubu Aiyegbeni. Boxing is the worst sport now, Osaile said.In those days, people hailed the likes of Obisia Nwakpa and Joe Lasisi because they succeeded and lived good lives. But now, you see boxers dying wretchedly. Who would want to be a boxer' The sport doesnt attract anybody anymore. We cant have good boxers again. The era of boxing is gone.Ayonote gave his all to boxing but since he died, everything has gone down the drain.Former boxer Jerry Okorodudu said Nigeria Boxing Federation President, Major General Kenneth Minima (retd.) had instructed the secretary of the federation Patrick Uwagbale to clear the grass on and around the grave about a year ago.Okorodudu said, Bassey deserves more than what he is getting now after death. In November 2010, Minima asked the secretary to get people to clean up the place and make it more beautiful. But for over a year now, nothing has been done.Uwagbale confirmed that Minima had actually given instructions to get the place cleared, adding that they have kept the place clean.We cleared the place when the president (Minima) ordered that it should be cleared. We do the clearing regularly, Uwagbale said.But there were no signs that the place was cleared regularly.Okorodudu, an Olympian, lamented the plight of Nigerian boxers, saying boxers who brought honour and glory to the country had been abandoned.Its not only Bassey that is affected. Its happening to several boxers. Look at the kind of lives boxers are living today in Nigeria. No parent would want their child to take boxing as a career.The problem is from the administrative side. Even if we (boxers) are retired, they should have a place in Nigerian sports having served the country very well. They want us to beg but by Gods grace, I will never do that, he added.Well, the state of Basseys grave is a reflection of the state of the National Stadium. The stadium, once reputed as Africas best, is in a sordid state.The stadium last hosted a national team game in 2004 and the main bowl and surroundings have been severally hired out for religious activities with hoodlums taking over the arena.Just a few metres away from the late boxers grave, is a large expanse of land which has been turned to a garbage bin. The land, which shares a fence with the Nigeria Boxing Federation office, has a foul stench.The exit gate at Onitana, Iyun Road, Surulere, has been abandoned and it is also overgrown with weeds. It was learnt that hoodlums, who steal items from the stadium use the gate as their escape route.The Olympic-size swimming pool is in a dilapidated state. Former Sports Minister, Taoheed Adedoja, attempted to bring back the swimming pool to life earlier this year when he began rehabilitation of the pool but since he left office, nothing has been done again.The stale water inside the pool, which was last used about 12 years ago, reeks. The stands are covered by green patches while grass has also taken over a part of the pool.In fact most facilities in the stadium are in a pitiable state after years of abandon. Recently, athletes locked the entrance gate of the stadium for over two hours in protest. The athletes alleged that they were denied access to the facilities at the main bowl, which has been locked up. They said they were made to pay to use the facilities at the stadium.But Lagos Liaison Officer, National Sports Commission, Mrs. Tayo Oreweme, said it was part of the exercise to reduce vandalisation inside the arena. She claimed that hoodlums who disguised as athletes, stole the underground electric cable inside the stadium.Oreweme said efforts were in place to ensure that only genuine athletes were allowed to use the facilities.However, Oreweme declined to comment on plans to rehabilitate the stadium.But a stadium official, who pleaded anonymity said, When there is no security in a place, what do you expect' The stadium security personnel were withdrawn in December 2009 and ever since we have had issues of vandalisation and stealing.In Teslim Balogun Stadium, you have three set of security personnel for 24 hours. The only thing we have inside the National Stadium are mai guards who dont have guns. Can you guard a place like that'Ex-Super Eagles midfielder, Emeka Ezeugo, lamented the situation and blamed the National Sports Commission Director-General, Patrick Ekeji, for the poor state of the stadium.Ezeugo said, That is the best stadium I ever played in. I couldnt describe how it felt when the captain came out of the tunnel with the other players following. The fans would just go wide.We have a former Eagles player, Ekeji, who also played inside the stadium in the NSC. He enjoyed the great atmosphere in the stadium. Now that he is in the highest sports position in the country, he left it in a dilapidated state.You call that an administrator' Lets stop fooling ourselves. There are a lot of things wrong in Nigerian football and we need to address them.
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