Team Captain Enekwechi laments endless wait for promised presidential handshake weeks after end of CWG
By Uzor Odigbo
Nigerian athletes to the 2026 Commonwealth Games are now waiting for President Bola Tinubu’s promise of hosting them after doing the country proud at an event hosted by the City of Glasgow, Scotland in August.
Nigerian athletes performed their best performance in the Games winning a total of 24 medals 10 Gold, 7 Silver, 7 Bronze, but three weeks after there is no news of the President Tinubu hosting the athletes and this dampened the joy of the country’s representatives and their coaches.
While they camped in Scotland, the National Sports Commission had told the athletes, President Tinubu would be waiting for them in Abuja if they made the country proud. Team captain Chukwuebuka Enekwechi who won gold in the men’s shot put event by defeating two-time champion Tom Walsh said he was personally motivated by the President’s promise.
“I first heard that His Excellency President Tinubu had interest in hosting us while we were in Scotland,” Enekwechi said.
“To be honest, that was a big motivation toward my competition. I wanted to be certain that I was among the athletes who would meet our president. Winning gold was my way to ensure that.”
He noted that the athletes still expect the President to keep his word and give them the proverbial “Presidential Handshake.”
“It is my understanding that there are presently some scheduling conflicts, but I am still very much looking forward to our reception.
“It would be an immense honor and a life-changing experience for a veteran athlete and citizen of Nigeria such as myself
