The notion that womenfolk should not venture into areas reserved for the men, especially in sports, has been rubbished by ex-international weightlifter, Sefiya Onubaye, now a coach with the Nigeria Weightlifting Federation (NWF).
Sefiya Onubaye
Naturally, women are ofeten seen as attractive and alluring, but there are notions that some sporting activities like bodybuilding and weightlifting take that attraction off women. As a consequence, it is said that most men no longer find women who take part in such activities attractive, given their masculine looks.
Onubaye, who is also a weightlifting Instructor at the National Institute for Sports (NIS), Surulere, Lagos, and has featured for Team Nigeria in not less than four world championships, among others, also said that taking to the sport has no negative effect on women.
She said: “I have heard that a lot of all these women going into sports such as wrestling, weightlifting, bodybuilding, boxing and even football are not romantic and would be at the mercy of the malefolk when the time comes for them to get married.
“That even the biceps of female lifters could be a hindrance to their love lives in finding men to take them as wives is a negative thought.
“For your information, female lifters are sexier than most men can think of, and are more romantic than one could imagine.
“In fact, there are married women lifters who are doing pretty well both in their homes and their chosen careers.
“Very soon, I will get married – I am already engaged. I have never regretted going into the sport because it (weightlifting) has brought me joy and happiness since I ventured into it in 1988.”
According to her, in most of the major championships Team Nigeria has attended, female lifters picked more medals than their male counterparts. She cited the recent Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.
The weightlifting coach also shot down the insinuation that childbearing diminishes a woman’s lifting prowess.
Her words: “Gone are the days people looked at weightlifting as a sport solely meant for men. Today, even married women with children are in the sport.
“It has even been proved scientifically that women who have had babies are stronger than those yet to have children.”
Having excelled in her 75kg weightlifting category at the National Sports Festivals (NSF), All Africa Games (AAG), World Championships (WC) and the Afro-Asia Games, Onubaye’s only regret is her inability to represent Team Nigeria at the Olympic Games despite qualifying for the 2004 edition held in Athens, Greece.
She said: “Team Nigeria was given two slots for the 2004 Olympic Games and I had already picked one of the slots. But while preparing for the Games, I got injured and thus missed the trip due to injury.
“That I can say remains my saddest moment to date in the sport, and it was very painful. You need to see my feelings then; qualifying for a major international event like the Olympics and missing out due to injury.”
That actually led to her premature retirement from the sport actively. But she was not done with the sport generally, as she took into coaching.
“Weightlifting is a sport I love so much. That was why after my active days in the sport, I took to coaching. I am also a referee and I lecture at the NIS. I combine all with ease, and with my experience as an ex-international, a lot has become easy for me.
“When I started the sport in 1988 while in secondary school, it was for fun before I became a professional. As a professional, I never looked back until I retired.
“Back in those days, we had quite a few number of women lifters, but it was a thing of pride for us. But all that has changed. Now we have a lot of women lifters out there,” she said with a tinge of pride in her voice.
And still basking in the euphoria of her feats at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, where her athletes won two gold, four silver and one bronze medals, Onubaye who works with the Kogi State Sports Council, said she saw it coming, adding that it could have been better.
She said: “I was excited with the performance of the girls and the athletes in general. In fact, I expected more than what we got because we actually prepared very well for the Games and I was happy it ended well for us.”
Onubaye was short of words on the fate of Chika Amahala, who was stripped of her gold medal – the first won by Team Nigeria.
“I felt so sad, very sad and down. I really feel for her. She was so determined to do the nation proud like she did at the Africa Youth Championships in Botswana, but what happened is between her and Almighty God.
“I asked myself, how come? What happened? And the answers failed to come because we personally monitored her weight category and everything was okay and good for her until she went for her lift.
“Right now, she is trying to get over it and put herself together. It was just unfortunate that such happened to her and to the country,” she said.
On the future of the sport in the country, Onubaye is optimistic that it is very bright with the present leadership of the National Sports Commission (NSC).
“The future of the sport is very bright in the country with the programme the Director General of the NSC, Gbenga Elegbeleye, is having in mind. He really tried for us while we were in Glasgow. He was a real morale-booster to the team,” Onubaye said.
She, however, advised up-and-coming lifters to train very hard, remain focused and shun the use of drugs, if they want to excel.
“God has blessed us with all that we need and so we should not engage in the use of drugs.
“The government is now making the athletes to be happy, unlike during our days, and so they have no reasons not to deliver.
“During our days, there were no money; but we were doing our best due to our passion and the will to represent and do the country proud.
“The present crop of athletes is enjoying it now and we are happy about the monetary aspects by the government, as it will help to encourage more athletes to come and represent the country,” she added.
Onubaye’s facts file
• Started weightlifting in 1988 while in secondary school
• Placed seventh at the World Championships (1997)
• Won three gold medals for Ekiti State at the National Sports Festival held in Bauchi (2000)
• Won bronze at the Afro-Asia Games (2003)
• Won a gold and two silver medals at the All Africa Games organised by COJA in Abuja (2003)
• Featured in four World Championships for Team Nigeria
