THISDAYonline

A visit to office of the President of Athletic Federation of Nigeria (AFN) Dan Ngerem one fateful Tuesday morning last September for an interview on his experience and challenges after he had spent closed to one year as AFN boss produced a question which had remained a puzzle.

"Please gentlemen," Ngerem said to journalists present, "how shall we welcome Uchenna Emedolu for doing the nation proud at the Athletics World Cup in Madrid, Spain?" The AFN chief was casual with the question that none of the journalists took him seriously.

He asked the second time, now a little more direct: "Gentlemen, how are we going to welcome Uchenna Emedolu, at least to say thank you in our own little way for winning a gold medal where others had failed?"

We agreed that the athlete be received in a rousing manner. But the logistics became a little problematic from the journalists' perspective. For sure, there would be need for drums, trumpets and a host of athletes to accompany the welcoming party. Besides it was the first time AFN would engage in such enterprise.

Ngerem went quiet, gazing at the journalists.

"But I think he should be received very well so that he would proud of Nigeria and to keep other athletes from further defection," he offered.

Little did the journalists know that Ngerem had concluded preliminary plans on how Emedolu would be received but wanted to know whether or not his suggestion for a reception for Emedolu would appeal to the journalists even as he planned to solicit their support.

He mooted that a limousine would be cute enough for the kind of reception he had in mind. But the journalists asked: "Where do we get one considering the limited time during which the athlete would jet into the country?"

The AFN boss interrupted with a suggestion of a place where limousine could be hired for that purpose. Security was the next thing to tackle for the athlete and others that would accompany him from the airport to his hotel at Victoria Island. Ngerem offered a quick solution with suggestions that since the reception was meant for a national athlete, the Police would gladly offer to assist with escort cars. He later hinted that the Sports Minister Steven Akiga may offer his escort pilot cars in Lagos to assist.

At this stage, the funds to execute the reception plan have not been discussed. However, what remained paramount was to give the kind of reception that would set the pace for others and to make sure it was not rubbished by poor planning.

At a stage, the project was temporarily halted for other discussion.

Little did we know that we have made enough impression on the AFN president to go ahead with reception of the athlete as what we saw during the airport reception of Emedolu was more than expected.

At the National Stadium preparatory to receive the athlete at airport were about 40 athletes who were clad in cap and white T-shirts with inscriptions "Welcome Emedolu, the World Champion". Five mini buses, aside private cars, two escort pilot cars and one long limousine car for the hero had assembled and formed convoy to the Murtala Mohammed Airport for the reception.

The athlete who did not get wind of the planned reception had earlier called two of his relatives in Lagos to receive him at the airport.

Strikingly, the Emedolu brothers that waited for him at the airport could not believe the number of people that turned up to welcome their brother at the airport.

They were stunned, as one of them later told this writer: "Chei, Nigeria has emptied for Uche...." He was not aware of this....If he did, he would not have asked us to come and receive him at the airport. Let me call his mum in Enugu to tell her what is happening in Lagos."

Interestingly, the mum came on line and the following discussion ensued: "Mama, you have to catch an early morning flight to Lagos tomorrow....Come and see what is happening here...It is unbelievable....Dress very well, I will wait for you at the airport."

At the Airport, the convoy patiently waited for the Alitalia flight which bore the athlete to touch down and when it did at about 8.30 p.m. and with immigration procedures concluded the airport came alive with all kinds of musical instruments, athletes and passers-by dancing to rhythm of the tunes.

There was a loud shout of gladness when the athlete came through the departure hall and was immediately carried shoulder high by athletes with full compliment of both the electronic and print medial presence.

Emedolu was treated like a visiting head of state as it was also hinted that Sports Minister directed that the athlete be accorded all protocols befitting heroes and heroines.

There was a drama at the airport when the Emedolu was about being ushered inside the limousine. The athlete drew back thinking it was meant for another person. Immediately his brorher said: "Uche... they say get inside....Na limo be this..., no bi ordinary motor car." The AFN boss who personnally supervised those that boarded the limousine beckoned on Emedolu's brother to enter into the luxury car that also had two journalists. Inside the car there were discussions between the hero and his brother, but at the middle of their chat his brother exclaimed: "Uche....this na limo. This looks like a dream..." He quickly made a telephone call to a friend and said: "I dey inside limo with Uche.... You can't believe it."

Uchenna's cousin was grateful to athletes who helped find his mobile phone that got lost in the melee heralding Emedolu's arrival.

The making of Uchenna Emedolu Street in Abuja also included a reception held in his honour at the media centre the following day after the airport reception where the athlete's mother and other family members were treated to handshakes and encomiums poured on the mother for her steadfastness in supporting her son's athletic career.

When it was again mooted by the AFN athletes representative Alli Baba Balogun that the Sports Minister would like to receive Emedolu in Abuja and perhaps get introduced to Mr President, people were stunned wondering how possible it would be for AFN to attract such wide recognition through the recognition of an athlete. But their worry was soon laid to rest as Emedolu not only met the Sports Minister but was also treated to a presidential street naming ceremony in Aso Rock Abuja.

Emedolu had never in his widest imagination thought that a street would be named after him in the nation's capital, Abuja. He could not have bought it with money. He may not have been the first Nigerian athlete to achieve the feat, but definitely his stars are different.

Additionally his season's training expenses have been taken over by the Sports Ministry. This also cannot be substituted with money.

It is however gratifying that all this fortune for Emedolu was hatched by a simple question from one man (Ngerem) who asked: "How do we welcome a hero whose state Anambra, and local council Adazi-Ani have failed to recognise?