Ex-boxer Ayodele Peters who represented Nigeria at the 1980
Olympic Games in Moscow, and has won several Gold medals for Ogun State in
boxing says he would have committed suicide if not that he knows it is a sin
against God.
Years after representing Nigeria and Ogun State in different
boxing games, the well-respected champion whom a lot of boxers look unto is a
shadow of himself.
boxing games, the well-respected champion whom a lot of boxers look unto is a
shadow of himself.
I am dying every day and the Lord knows it. It’s a big
shame. It’s just that I cannot commit suicide because I know that there is God
and He has preserved me for the past 20 years. I am over 57, but look at how I
am now, after representing Nigeria and Ogun State as a boxer. I am alive but I
am not living. I spent all my fruitful years boxing. I never looked at girls. I
was always happy to represent Nigeria, but look at me now”, Ayodele says.
shame. It’s just that I cannot commit suicide because I know that there is God
and He has preserved me for the past 20 years. I am over 57, but look at how I
am now, after representing Nigeria and Ogun State as a boxer. I am alive but I
am not living. I spent all my fruitful years boxing. I never looked at girls. I
was always happy to represent Nigeria, but look at me now”, Ayodele says.
Indeed, who would believe that this was the same man, who
was decorated with an Olympic pin and a letter from the then International
Olympic Committee president, Antonio Samaranch, when the Games clocked 100
years in 1996 would be in this state?
was decorated with an Olympic pin and a letter from the then International
Olympic Committee president, Antonio Samaranch, when the Games clocked 100
years in 1996 would be in this state?
Ayodele now lives in an uncompleted building in Ayobo, a
suburb of Lagos. He covered the windows of his room with old and worn blinds. A
rope, which serves as a makeshift wardrobe, runs from one end of the room to
the window. Ayodeles’ clothes are hung on it.
suburb of Lagos. He covered the windows of his room with old and worn blinds. A
rope, which serves as a makeshift wardrobe, runs from one end of the room to
the window. Ayodeles’ clothes are hung on it.
On the bare floor lies a new mattress, beside a stove and
kitchen utensils. In front of the mattress is Peters’ table, a four-legged iron
with a piece of wood placed on it. That is all he can lay claim to as his own.
kitchen utensils. In front of the mattress is Peters’ table, a four-legged iron
with a piece of wood placed on it. That is all he can lay claim to as his own.
The ceiling is riddled with holes, which evidently means
that the ex-boxer must take several positions in the small room whenever it
rains, to avoid getting wet.
that the ex-boxer must take several positions in the small room whenever it
rains, to avoid getting wet.
The sad part is that he is about to be evicted from the one
room apartment he rented in the uncompleted building because the owner is about
to complere it and move in. This is what has become of a man who used all his
youthful days to make Nigeria proud.
room apartment he rented in the uncompleted building because the owner is about
to complere it and move in. This is what has become of a man who used all his
youthful days to make Nigeria proud.
Sadly, he has been to Ogun State several times seeking for
his pension and help but little or no help has been rendered to him. The
question now is, who will help Ayodele Peters, or should he be evicted out of
his unsecured apartment into the streets and be left to die?
his pension and help but little or no help has been rendered to him. The
question now is, who will help Ayodele Peters, or should he be evicted out of
his unsecured apartment into the streets and be left to die?
Oh I forgot, Ayodele lost his wife and two kids years ago in
what he called a spiritual attack, but he would have been able to save them if he
had N5,000.
what he called a spiritual attack, but he would have been able to save them if he
had N5,000.
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