By Segun Odegbami
Good morning.
I wake up frustrated this morning.
The attached picture was taken yesterday afternoon at Obule Medical Centre in Sapele, Delta State.
It is of Peter ‘Apo’ Fregene, a 1968 Olympian, and former goalkeeper who kept goal for Nigeria’s national football team across three decades, 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.
I am frustrated because I am publishing this ‘horror’ picture, wishing I have the capability to do what needs to be done for a colleague without having to resort to yet another public appeal to the same few Nigerians that have, through the years, intervened in the matter of ill-health of a few retired, suffering Nigerian football heroes.
By now, we must have exhausted any remnant of ‘goodwill’ we have with Femi Otedola, Mike Adenuga, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Babatunde Fashola, Benson Ejindu, Allen Onyema, and a few other Nigerians that often came to the aid of a few lucky sports heroes several times in the past. Even if they have not complained, we are ashamed to go back to them again.
Why don’t we have, or why can’t we set up, even on our own, a simple welfare scheme for active and retired athletes across all sports in the country, to take care of our declining health in old age, long after our sports careers?
Doing so does not require knowledge of rocket science. What are needed are the will, hard work and a few good and committed people of integrity.
The danger now is that the number of retired aging sports heroes languishing in poverty, neglect and ill health is legion already, and growing. Their stories are ugly and shameful.
The evening of our lives is dark and dank (forget about the ‘packaging’ and ‘coded’ optics).
Government has demonstrated time and again that Sport is not a priority. 64 years after Independence they cannot and will not see it differently, period.
So, Peter Fregene is a reminder to us all again.
As I look at him lying comatose on a hospital bed in Sapele and sending the suffering he must be going through, my frustration is mounting.
It appears doing something for, and beyond, Peter is a responsibility that ‘fate and metaphysical aid’ seem to have put around my neck. So, we shall see, as our people would say when they do not know what’s coming next.
So, what is the situation with ‘Apo’ now?
He is still waiting for help to come in order to be moved by ambulance to the Ohara Teaching hospital, Ohara, Delta State. He has been waiting since yesterday.
I hope Globacom that have been taking care of his every need in the past one year would respond once again and come to his aid.
A friend sitting next to me yesterday as I discussed Peter with his wife on telephone last night, Tony Ojesina, immediately paid for the cost of the ambulance that would convey him there. But he still has other bills to pay before he can be moved.
I pray that the Creator of the Universe will ‘show up’ again as He has always done.
I implore all lovers of sports to pray for Peter Fregene. He needs our help.
