National Sports Commission (NSC) Chairman, Mallam Shehu Dikko, has expressed his enthusiasm for a new era focused on “aggressive grassroots talent identification” to ensure that emerging athletes are properly nurtured and supported to achieve their full potential. His goal is to help these athletes reach international success and secure honors for Nigeria, while preventing them from being enticed by the opportunities presented by foreign countries, particularly those in the West.
Dikko made these remarks during a visit from 14-year-old gymnastics sensation, Stephanie Ogechukwu Onusiriuka, and her mother, at his office in Abuja.
Onusiriuka, who has garnered significant attention and acclaim for her impressive performances, has been dubbed Nigeria’s answer to Simone Biles. Recognized for her exceptional skills, she is now the focus of efforts by the NSC to ensure her future remains tied to Nigeria. Currently training at Leeds Gymnastics and a member of the UK Gymnastics Club, Onusiriuka has already made her mark on the global stage, and the NSC is keen to help her achieve even greater success while representing her home country.
Having just finished her Senior Secondary Certificate Education (SSCE) examinations, her parents have been fielding calls from her UK club enquiring when she will be back. To this, Dikko jokingly asked her mother, “Why are they so keen on her returning? What is their problem? Do they want to poach her? This one is our own and we will do everything to keep her. We will invest in her so that we can authoritatively lay claim to her.”
Dikko continued: “She will be part of our elite plans and preparations. Let’s see what you have, then we will put heads together and do a new plan. Even if she is going abroad, she will be there on our own support and sponsorship. We will foot her bills. By 2026, she will be 16, so she will feature in the Commonwealth Games. In 2028, she can be a major medal prospect at the Olympics.
“Whatever we do for the likes of Ese Brume, we will do for her. We will also get someone to adopt her in line with our Adopt-an-athlete program so the private sector will compliment whatever we do as Government. From our perspective, from now, she is part of our elite group.”
“Gymnastics is such a sport that is done at a very early age. Funny enough, you will say she is only 14, but this is the beginning of the peak years of gymnastics. These next four, five years are the years she is at her peak to get us on the podium. Biles is 27, but she is in the exit lounge. She won her first Olympics gold medal at 19. That is about the same age that we are targeting Stephanie in 2028. She will be 18 then, she should get us on the Olympics podium.
“We will get a desk officer for her and others to monitor her progress . We are going to follow this through all the way right from here, this very moment. Get us your details, let us find her something for Christmas,” he told her elated mother.
Onusiriuka, the golden girl of Nigerian gymnastics, won 1 gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze at the National Sports Festival, Edo 2021 aged just 11. With 4 gold medals, she emerged the best gymnast at the National Youth Games, Delta 2023.
She also has two gold medals from the African Club Championships in South Africa in 2019 and 2022.
