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Former Nigerian Sprinter, GLORIA AYANLAJA
Former Nigerian sprinter, Mrs. Gloria Ayanlaja now Dr. Gloria Obajimi Nee Ayanlaja was one of the legendary athletes and footballers whose name graced the Sports Diplomacy Wall of Fame recently built at the office Nigerian Institute of International Affairs in Victoria Island, Lagos State. This was done courtesy Air Peace Limited.
The Wall of Fame was historic and has become a tourist centre for lovers of sports. It is built to celebrate and adore members of the 1976 Montreal Olympic team and the 1980 AFCON National Football team, making the country proud. The case of the 1976 Olympic team was very touching and quite unfortunate. The team representing Nigeria was unceremoniously pulled out a few hours to the commencement of the games held in Canada in protest against the Apartheid regime in South Africa. They were highly devastated having sacrificed a lot to ensure they represented the country well at the world stage. This left many of them downcast as they wept whenever the memory of their ordeal in Montreal, Canada flashed their minds.
Ayanlaja was a prominent member of the Montreal Olympic team of 1976. She was one of those Nigerians were hoping on to fetch the country gold medal at the 400 metres race. She began her journey into stardom right from her secondary school days at the St. Teresa’s College, Ibadan. She was indeed a product of catch them young of that era. Ever since she represent her dear country Nigeria at the international level on several occasions. She is no doubt a trail blazing athletes of her era. During an interview with City People Journalist, JAMIU ABUBAKAR (08085185886), she recounted her many challenges before, during and after their recall from the Montreal Olympics. She spoke on how she was able to pull through her down moments, living a fulfilled life thereafter. Below are excerpts:
How do you feel about today’s event?
Thinking about 47 years ago when we were asked to come back home, it was all tears. It was unbelievable. By the time we landed in London, Heathrow for the Aircraft to refuel, on the screen of the television in the hall of Heathrow was the opening ceremony going on. It was a bad thing for us that we had to train so hard for years to be able to make the team. And we are ready to make Nigeria proud and win medals but we had to Make that sacrifice. It was a sacrifice and it’s still a great sacrifice but we are happy that today South Africa is free and they have their independence. And we were being remembered today for the sacrifices we made 47 years ago. It’s an awesome thing, it’s a great thing for Allen Oyeama, the owner of Air Peace and the Director General of Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Professor Eghosa Osaghae to write our names on this wall. It is everlasting and it’s going to spur the younger generation to realise that God does not forget anybody. It’s only God that can do this. And for God that laid it in their heart for them to do it, we are very appreciative and very grateful.
How did you receive the breaking news about the withdrawal of the Nigeria contingent at the Montreal Olympics?
I was within the Olympic village trying to buy a Polaroid Camera because the Polaroid camera had just come out then. And one of the officials just came to me saying Gloria! Gloria!! We are moving back to Nigeria and I said for what? Tomorrow is the opening ceremony, what happened Sir? Then he said; the African countries have decided that since the IOC did not allow New Zealand that has faulted going to South Africa to play with the Rugby team in South Africa, that it’s not expected to be part of the Olympic games. They had to boycott and since they didn’t push them to boycott then all African teams had moved out of the Olympic games. And that year was a very promising year for us at the games. 1972 was when we had Akinbuwa, Henry Rono, Filbert Bayi after the commonwealth games. So, the hope for African countries was so high. And for Nigeria to write her name in the anal of sports in the world, the then late Isaac Akinoye, the Director of the National Sports Commission brought in Lee Evans to come and train us and Archie Moore to train the boxers. So, we were in high spirits. We really wanted to show the world that we have arrived as a big nation. To leave the games village was a very sad thing. You cannot quantify the number of years and the quality of training that we put in for us to just leave like that. We had a minor competition some days before we left and the American countries took part in the 4 by 4, the Nigerian team made up of beautiful legs like Bazunu and others took part. When they saw that the Nigerian team was making some good performances in the 4 by 4, their black American went to Lee Evans to say; you are a black man like us. You are a black American, why do you want the Nigerians to beat us and he said he wanted to show that there are talents in Nigeria and Africa in general. But for us to come back, we were all in tears when we saw the opening ceremony going on in London when we were at Heathrow Airport. It was very sad. They gave us 1hour to pack out of the games’ village. The organizers told us that they had buses outside and we were to leave in 1 hour. It was very disheartening and very devastating for us.
Seeing your names on this wall, how does it feel?
I cannot quantify it. The joy in my heart knows no bounds. I’m elated. My children, my grandchildren and those yet unborn can come to NIIA. The Institute of International Affairs and the department of Sports Diplomacy deemed it fit to honour us and put us on this wall. To God be the glory.
After the disappointment of being abruptly recalled by the Nigerian government, how did you get over it and continue with life?
When we got to the games village and stayed 2 days, we just had to start going home one after the other. When I got home. I was downcast. I was supposed to have continued my education but I decided to sacrifice my education to be able to go for the Olympics. And to now come back without achieving that dream, I looked at my father, I hugged him and I was crying. My father said Gloria, God has done another thing for you. He now handed me the letter of admission to the University of Ife. I took the concessional exam to the University of Ife in April before we travelled out of the country. So I jumped up and he told me I have a few days to go and register. He said, so it’s a good thing that you are back. I dashed to Ife and did my registration. And when the lecture started, I was in the prelim. But my classmates in the secondary school were already in their 3rd year. They passed out before me but I made that sacrifice to be at the Olympics and to now come back with nothing was really painful. But to God be the glory, after about 47 years there’s now light at the end of the tunnel for us to be remembered. That is why I will forever cherish the chairman of Air Peace and the DG of the NIIA for having it in their heart to honour us. It’s a great honour. It’s a landmark in my life.
After that, how did you get back into active sport?
The thing is that I never stopped. The only other thing is that when we were at the airport going to Edmonton, Canada for the 1978 Commonwealth Games where it was announced that we are also boycotting again, I said again! Then I lost interest after a while. We got to the All African Games in Algiers in 1978 also and my name was already touted around the games’ village as somebody in contention to come and win the 400 metres but my spirit was downcast and I was a student of Ife. So I wasn’t in too much form. You know it’s not easy to train and the competition you are going for you are not able to achieve it. And so I picked myself up thereafter and started training as a student of the University of Ife to go to Moscow because I wanted to be regarded as an Olympian. They would say since we didn’t compete, they might not regard us as Olympians. So I picked up myself thereafter and started training as a student of University of Ife to go for Moscow because I told the Secretary General of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria then that there’s no way that I will sit in camp and I will be coming from Ife no matter where they are having the competition whether it is in Kaduna, or Lagos, or Benin, or Port Harcourt. And that’s all I was doing. I said every time I come for trials I would have improved from my previous time and so you would give me my allowance as those that were in camp. So that was what I was doing. And so I was training all by myself in the University of Ife. I would leave my room at 5.30 in the morning, run, drop my things at the gym and run to the gate of the University, come back, do my training in the sport centre, go to the gym. I would have prepared my breakfast, Oatmeal and boiled eggs. I would eat and later shower. And by 8 O’clock, l’m in class. And then in the evening I would do my training, all by myself. But I would go to the competition but I told them I would not drop from the position. I was now coming second. I didn’t mind because I was not training under any coach. So I was able to go for the Moscow Olympics. The only thing that made me downcast at the time was when I saw Andrew Young enter the office of the Nigerian Olympic committee, and I was asking what he is doing in Nigeria? They said he’s being sent by the American government to come and tell the Nigerian government to boycott the Russia, Moscow Olympics because Russia invaded Afghanistan. And I said another boycott? This is serious and I said there’s no need for me to train because America is a world power and the Nigerian government may buckle in and give in to them. After starting the examination in Ife, there was a problem in 1980. After the Oni of Ife was sworn in, there was a situation whereby students rioted because they saw a headless body of a student at the other back road to the campus. So they checked the pocket and found an ID card that showed he’s a student. And so we started rioting and we were now sent home from school. And that was when I received a letter from the National Sports Commission that the team had been away for 1 month and I wasn’t with them. They gave me only 2 weeks that if I don’t come, I should forget the Olympics. I now have to go to my head of department who went to the dean of education and went to the VC. The VC said we have a student that is going for the Olympics. He said it’s an honour. Let her go and that was how I quickly joined them in Lagos and took my flight to meet the team in Paris and compete at the Olympics. It was not easy, not training under any coach. So I wasn’t happy with my performances. I ran the 400 metres but it wasn’t as one would have expected. But today, I can be referred to as an Olympian.
Tell us a bit your academic background and your career line, including what you are presently doing?
I did my youth service in Kano and I worked with the Kano State Sports Council. I left my youth service and I came to Lagos where I was employed. Because there was an embargo on employment then but Dr. Awoture Eleyae was the principal of the National Institute for Sports and he employed me on part time as a lecturer at the institute. When the opportunity to employ was there, I was fully employed at the National for sports as a lecturer. In 2011, I rose to the position of the Acting Registrar, National Institute for Sports, after being the Head of Department, Management studies. Because I was in the academic line, I went to the University of Lagos and did my Masters. I also went to the University of Ibadan and did my Ph.D. I later became the acting Director at the National Institute for Sports before I retired in 2016. It’s been years of active service. And presently I’m the president of the Nigerian Athletics Masters. Masters are those that have competed for Nigeria before. World Athletics decides that every country within the Athletics Federation must put together a body that would oversee; because our athletes when they finish competing and they start living a sedentary life, they fall ill. And for us to be able to ward off hypertension, diabetes and different diseases that may be militating against people in old age, we now have to be competing. But the challenge that we have is that we don’t have any sponsors. These people have to pay their way and accommodate themselves. It’s not easy when we look at the economic situation in the country. We would appreciate that we will be able to be recognized and be assisted at this age.
The former Athlete is the president of Nigerian Athletics Masters. She is happily married to Mr Rotimi Obajimi in 1984 and they were blessed with three young men now and grandchildren.
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