OPINION: The Tears Of Tobi Amusan By Biodun Alabi

ABEOKUTA - This viral video of Nigeria sprinter, Tobi Amusan, on medals podium,with the world athletics championships 100m hurdles gold on her neck; and in an effusive emotional reaction to her country's national anthem, is this year's most iconic image that represents Nigeria's power of sports.

The moment is made more defining in the career and the life of Tobi because she also broke the event's world record in a breathtaking manner that also confirms the unpredictability of feats that Nigerians are capable of in all fields of life.

As expected, all manners of associations with Tobi and her feat have been emerging,claiming  to have a role in this, claiming to also own the superstar.

At a moment Nigeria is at the verge of another political decision, likely to be taken by emotions that are steep in primordial sentiments, Tobi looms large as the representation for the nation's sports sector as a tested and trusted Oasis in the Desert.

Her gold medal and new world record reply questions about the survival capacity of an average Nigerian at a time the country is at the nadir of her economic woes, insecurity stories and ethno-religious squabbles.

Women cry easily because they are much closer to emotions than men, so Tobi's podium tears are understandable; but in the context of this euphoric moment,  the tears of the Odogbolu, Ogun State-born athlete, reflect her feelings of unbelievability that she could be the light of a nation that is in a dark, and indeed, her worst moment.

Biodun Alabi 

Former Chairman,

Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN)

Ogun State Chapter