According to mainlandmetronews.com.ng, the coaches also faulted the organisers of the presentation ceremony in Abuja for making them stand throughout the ceremony, where President Muhammadu Buhari doled out N200 million to be shared by the athletes and their coaches.
Gold medalists were given N4.5 million each and the two athletes who got national awards of the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) were also given houses in Abuja.
The coaches, whose athletes won gold, got N1.5 million, which was another vexing issue for the athletes’ groomers. “A coach like Kayode Yaya, who has been working with Ese Brume over the years, was present at the hall, but he wasn’t even given a seat, not to talk of giving him and the others a mention. “All the coaches whose athletes won gold were not recognised,” said one of the coaches in attendance. “Names of athletes were pasted on seats in the hall and not one coach was given a seat, they were asked to stand at the back.” Commenting on the issue, Nigeria Track and Field Coaches Association’s Solomon Aliu, said: “It is appalling; this is not the way it is supposed to be. “People worked to make the athletes succeed.
There is a chain… the medics, psychologists, welfare officers and on top the chain is the coach. “I don’t know why the Ministry downgraded the coaches.