By Emeka Esogbue
Paris Paralympic champion, Bose Omolayo, has responded to her fellow citizens in the Ibusa community in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State, following the outpouring of joyful surprise upon learning that she is an indigene of the area.
In a media interview with PEN MASTER on Wednesday, the paralympian legend expressed her pleasure and confidence in her Ibusa ancestry, saying that her Ibusa roots are deeply ingrained in her. She further asserted her ancestry, remarking that she never lost her Ibusa heritage at any time and had often affirmed it.
“The Ministry of Sports knows my hometown, officially documented and I speak my Enuani dialect eloquently.”
“I sustain unwavering pride in Anioma and declare my Ibusa ancestry unshakably. My Ibusa roots run deep.”
Asked why her name changed, she said it was only a sporting name given to her by her husband to enhance her career.
PEN MASTER had reported that the powerlifting champion was an indigene of Ibusa, which necessitated reactions from several quarters of the community. Born with the birth name, Ogomegbunem Patricia Adiefe, she hails from Idumuogbu, Odaukwu in Umuodafe, Ibusa, Delta State. Her mother, Madam Nwabata Okafor, is a member of the famous Ikwele family of Ezukwu in the same community. However, Omolayo is married to a Yoruba named Prophet Sunday and they have children.
Athletes representing Team Nigeria in the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, France, returned home on Monday and Tuesday. The team placed 40th overall after winning two gold, three silver, and two bronze medals. Unfortunately, analysts described the country’s seven-medal haul as the country’s worst outing at the summer event. Despite the nation’s abysmal performance, Bose Omolayo, the Anioma girl from Ibusa, grabbed a silver medal at the event. She told PEN MASTER that but for the knock she received during the second lifting, she was aiming for the gold medal.
Back home, the Ibusa people have continued to celebrate the Paralympic Champion for putting the name of the community on the global paralympic map. In addition to becoming the first Ibusa native to hold a world record in any sport, Bose Omolayo is also the first from the community to earn an individual medal, a medal in the Paralympic and Commonwealth Games, and a medal in a global competition, coming in second only behind Kingsley Obiekwu who won gold at the 1996 Atlanta Games in football.
Meanwhile, pressure is building for the community to honor the Ibusa girl who has won numerous medals and broken multiple world records throughout her career, hence considered one of the most successful and dominant powerlifters in her category.
Bose Omolayo has inspired the world by demonstrating that disability does not limit one’s ability, and that Nigerians, particularly the Ibusa people, possess remarkable resilience and determination in achieving triumphs. Through her accomplishments, she has shown that with an unwavering spirit and unrelenting effort, individuals can overcome challenges and reach great heights, shattering stereotypes and redefining the boundaries of what is possible.
Many now look to the Ibusa Community Development Union (ICDU), hoping that honoring the Paralympic legend will further demonstrate motivation to the youths of the community. A grand and celebratory reception may as well send the message that beyond the big politicians, the community can make responsible youths and physically challenged individuals feel valued and appreciated in society.
Notably, the Ibusa Community Development Union Worldwide (ICDU), led by Chief Victor Uchunor, will have a chance to showcase the community’s inclusivity and recognition of individuals with disabilities. Coincidentally, Evangelist Princess Pat Adankele Ajudua, PhD, the current Honourable Commissioner for Delta State’s Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, is also a member of the community, and her involvement could make a significant statement. This presents an opportunity for the community to demonstrate its commitment to supporting and empowering individuals with disabilities, and for leaders like Evangelist Ajudua to set an example.
Bose Omolayo, the Anioma girl from Ibusa may well smile.
Pic courtesy PM News:
2021 Tokyo Paralympics
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