As promised, I am responding to the media head of the #Asaba2018 CAA Championship, Kayode Thomas, who has personally attacked me, regarding remarks I am said to have made, regarding its organisation.
It’s surprising that in all he said, which included calling me a part of an “internet mob”, he couldn’t quote verbatim ONE SINGLE THING that I said about the championship, which is false.
Surely, if you are accusing me of lying, you should have the facts to bear you out. In all I have said, WHICH WAS NEVER IN PUBLIC, I have the eye-witness accounts of those there, which I have crosschecked.
Rather than address the problems of the #Asaba2018 championship, the CAA media head decided to attack my professional and personal integrity. That is always the refuge of those who cannot challenge the facts and are embarrassed by them.
Are the bitter public complaints of Marie Ta Lou, on @instagram, who spent days in Lagos, unable to get to Asaba in time, a lie? Are the pictures of athletes from several African countries, stranded/delayed at Lagos Airport and sleeping on the floor, a lie as well?
Are the reports of @EliasMakori in the @dailynation and @evelynwatta, concerning the poor logistical arrangements ahead of the championship, falsehoods too? Let Kayode Thomas address the salient issues they raised, if he dares.
Is it a lie that the athletics track in Asaba was badly laid? Or that the media had no tables and chairs at the media centre during their first day there? @ClaudiaEkai & @cjkaroney should be asked. They are there.
@seyeogunlewe, an athlete, commented about the track conditions in Asaba. He competed at #Asaba2018. Is he lying too?
Is it also a lie that the majority of the events scheduled for the opening day had to be cancelled, because the athletes couldn’t be in Asaba on time?
Is it also a lie that some athletes that arrived in the AM of the championship’s opening day had to compete in the PM of that opening day? Is that normal, at a top international championship?
Is it also a lie that a water tank, meant to supply water within the Asaba stadium, collapsed and crushed several cars? We are thankful that no one was hurt or killed.
Those in positions of leadership, including LOC head Solomon Ogba, should bear full responsibility for the mess they created at #Asaba2018, be humble to admit their faults and unreservedly APOLOGISE for them. @Nigeria has been embarrassed. Greatly.
I know that many reading this thread have been expecting me to entertain them by throwing muck back at Kayode Thomas, in the way he did at me. But I won’t go down the path of dishonour. What should concern us ARE THE FACTS. And they are unimpeachable.
.@Nigeria should be showing African sport the way to organise events properly. We should be alive to what Africa and the rest of the world expects from us. Let’s think very deeply about that.
I only hope that the departure of all the guests at #Asaba2018, from over 50 countries, which will end today, is better organised than how they arrived. That’s the least the organisers can do. Good day, everyone...
PS: My thanks to ALL the ATHLETES. They have competed honourably, despite the disturbing organisational hurdles they have had to scale past. Africa’s athletes should always be respected by the administrative custodians of sport. They deserve better.
