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Despite Anxiety, I dream to Achieve and to Inspire – Anyanacho

Published

5 years ago

December 31, 2019

African Bronze medalist, Elizabeth Anyanacho, has been one of the best female talents to emerge in recent years on the Nigeria Taekwondo circuit. The number one seed has picked up an impressive SEVEN GOLD Medals, One Silver and One Bronze in the past Nine National Tournaments dating back to 2017 and has been undefeated since December 2017.

In 2019, the 20-year-old has a stellar year after she won three national gold medals and two international medals – a gold at the World Taekwondo [WT] G-1 ranked Nigeria Taekwondo International Open and a Bronze at the WT G-4 ranked 12th All African Games, efforts which saw the talented competitors break into the world’s top 100 competitors with a current world ranking of 86.

The gangly 6 ft 2” tall youth, who is a student of the Federal University of Technology Owerri has surprised many with her natural physical abilities and development.

In this interview, the soft-spoken African Bronze Medalist speaks of her Taekwondo journey, the impact of the last All African Games on her FUTO experience and her projections for the future.

Winning a major international medal at the last all African games made you an overnight celebrity in FUTO. How are you coping with this development?

By nature, I always keep a low profile, so I do not really think it was that publicized in school. I keep my head down and ensure I do not attract too much attention so I can cope with my studies and training, which is very hectic. I do not think I am famous. I am just happy I won an international medal for my country and it reflected positively on my university, who have been very supportive.

Quite a few countries indicated interest for you to come & train with their teams. But you passed up on some of these opportunities because of your school schedule. What informed your decision?

My school schedule is very tight, and it is so hectic being a student-athlete. I do not want to lose so much school time that I would have an extra year, and this is why I could not accept some of these invitations as it clashed with important academic periods. But I would really love to have more international training experiences so I could learn more from other teams and people. Hopefully, when I am done in two years, I can have more international training camping experiences.

How important is education to you?

Completing my education is important because an athlete will retire someday and it is this kind of investment in education today that will make it easier in the future as it will increase the opportunities available to one.

How are you combining the rigors of university education with elite sports training?

It is all about time-management and discipline. It is very difficult especially as there are limited resources. I hope to secure sponsors as a deal will me strive to achieve in both areas while being a good ambassador. Sometimes, when it gets too difficult, I just commit everything to God Almighty, and the truth is that it is always so difficult, so I am always putting everything into the hands of God. I will keep training hard and I will leave it to my coaches and managers to find and work out a sponsorship deal for me.

After the 12th All African Games, you missed out on the Korean Ambassador’s Cup, then went on to snatch Gold medals at the Kebbi Open and Best of the Best? Can you reflect on this?

I apologize that I missed the Korean Ambassador Cup. I really want to come and compete, but it was happening at the same time as my examinations, so I had to stay back and write about my exams. Balancing school and a sports career require a compromise on so many occasions. This was one of those kinds of decisions. But for the Korean Ambassador Cup, I was happy when I saw that my Team CCSF teammate, Bukola Ogunnusi, went there and won a gold in my category. It was as if she won for me and for all of us. I am also happy I went to Kebbi Open. There were not a lot of competitors in my category, but I enjoyed my podium experiences.

At the Best of the Best, I trained hard for it because I wanted to end the year strongly. Training at our training camp was so difficult, both physically and mentally. I am glad the training paid off. My opponents were tough and even though I won the gold, I took home learning points to work on, once my training begins in 2020.

How did you start Taekwondo?

I was 15 when I started athletics and a few weeks after I started athletics, I met Mr. Uche and Chika Chukwumerije at the stadium. My coach, Sam, did not come to training so he asked my mentor, Chika Chukwumerije to allow me to join his training session. He had a project with training students at Government Secondary Schools, and my school in Lugbe was among them. So he agreed. I did the sessions. It was plyometrics and a lot of drills I have never seen, and I really enjoyed it. From there, I started coming for training and I was combining athletics and Taekwondo. I started competing in grassroots taekwondo events in FCT, I did three in 2016 and two in 2017, and I won all five and I was delighted because I was just a white – yellow belter. In 2017, Mr. Chika to my first internationals. I was worried because I had not even done any national before, but he believed a lot in my talent. I ended up winning gold medals in Ghana and Senegal and the MVP trophies. Then came the Nationals – I won the National Sports Festival, National Trials, Best of the Best and other high profile events. So my journey has been really intense training sessions and competitions and outside of competitions, we do a lot of computer training and event management. I am grateful for my journey so far and dream of achieving a lot more.

Many athletes dream of going to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. What would it mean to you?

Of course, it would mean a lot if I can get the opportunity to get the Olympic ticket. I am in good form and have developed so much over the past three years. It would be my first time, but this is the dream of every athlete – to be on the highest ever stage and to win a medal. I know it will be difficult and this is why I keep working so hard so as to make this dream a reality.

What do you expect from the World Taekwondo Coach Certification Course as your last taekwondo activity in 2020?

“The course has helped me to familiarize myself with the WT rules and it has also helped me understand my rights as an athlete. From a coaching perspective, it will help me see what an athlete usually misses and this will help me very much as an athlete to understand better a coach’s instruction during a training session or a competition.

How have you been spending your Holidays?

With my family in Abuja. I did not travel because I did not want to spend all my energy during the festivities. I have been enjoying my rest time from training, enjoy spending quality time with my parents and siblings, and I have started re-booting for the new year. Also, it has been a period for me to pray and reflect on the new year and commit myself and plans to God.

What is your focus in 2020?

I want to keep improving my performance in my studies and in the competition arena. I am so anxious about this because I want to do well and succeed, and I know hard work is key to achieving this. This will help to also encourage women and young people around me. So despite my anxiety, I dream to inspire and to achieve. In 2020, I will stay focused on studying hard while simultaneously training hard for all major and minor competitive events

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Featured

Presidency Refutes Afenifere’s Deceitful Statement on President Bola Tinubu’s Midterm:

Published

1 day ago

June 5, 2025

The Gleamer

Chief Sunday Dare

The statement from a factional Afenifere group raises serious concerns about a penchant and deliberate attempt to find faults and trade in deceit instead of objectivity. The group has found it challenging to accept that under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, Nigeria’s comeback story is firmly underway.

The rebellious Afenifere claims that President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s performance over the past two years has witnessed a regression in human development, economic mismanagement, and democratic backsliding.

This is a jaundiced view, echoing the view of opposition politicians, one of whom the group supported in the 2023 election.

A balanced assessment based on available data reveals a more objective and progressive picture, with significant achievements amid the challenges expected from a country like Nigeria with decades-old problems.

Beyond its confounding conclusions based on prejudice, the statement raises the following issues. With the ensuing point-by-point clarification, it will become clear that the group’s position is neither grounded in facts nor logic.

Economic Reforms and Their Impact

The factional Afenifere’s claim that Tinubu’s economic reforms, particularly the removal of fuel subsidy and the floating of the naira, have led to “unmitigated sufferings” and “economic deforms” seeks to draw attention to some of the challenges but overlooks the macroeconomic gains. The removal of the fuel subsidy, announced on May 29, 2023, saved the government over $10 billion in 2023 alone, reducing fiscal strain and redirecting funds to other sectors. Unifying the foreign exchange market and the naira’s floatation aimed to address distortions in the currency market, boosted foreign reserves to $38.1 billion by 2024 and achieved a trade surplus of N18.86 trillion for the country.

Under the Tinubu administration, Nigeria’s annual inflation rate fell to 23.71% in April 2025 from 24.23% in the prior month. Food inflation, the most significant component of the inflation basket, remained elevated but moderated to 21.26% from 21.79%

While these figures indicate stabilisation, the immediate impact on ordinary Nigerians is not lost. The government’s cash transfer programme, which provides funds to the poorest households and benefits over 5.7 million households, is a credible outreach.

However, dismissing the twin policies as “unforced errors” ignores the unsustainable nature of the previous subsidy regime and multiple exchange rate systems, which were draining public finances. A more balanced critique would acknowledge the necessity of reform while emphasising the need for better-targeted social safety nets.

As of today, the Tinubu administration has recorded over 900,000 beneficiaries of the Presidential Loan and Grant Scheme, over 600,000 beneficiaries of the Students’ Loan Scheme, NELFUND, N70,000 minimum wage, NYSC monthly stipend increase from N33,000 to N77,000, Free CNG kits distributed to thousands of commercial drivers across Nigeria with CNG buses rolled out in partnership with state governments, leading to a significant drop in transport costs. The administration also recorded over $10 Billion FX debt cleared, Federal account allocation to states growing by 60%, enabling more local development projects, N50 billion released to end the perennial ASUU strikes, and over 1,000 PHCs revitalised nationwide with an additional 5,500 undergoing upgrades.

The administration also disbursed N75 Billion in palliative funds to states and LGs for food distribution and cash transfers, over 150,000 youths are being trained in software development, tech support and data analysis under the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) project, over 20,000 affordable housing units under construction under the renewed Hope cities program launched across Nigeria, N200 Billion in Loans to farmers and agro-processors. Other gains: over two million Nigerians are now connected to new digital infrastructure and community broadband hubs and public WiFi projects, 3.84% GDP growth in Q4 2024 (highest in 3 years), over $50 Billion in new FDI Commitments, Net Foreign Exchange Reserves up from $3.99 Billion (2023) to $23.11 Billion (2024), over $8 Billion in new oil and gas investments unlocked, and over $800 million realised in processing investments in solid minerals in 2024 and inflation as at April was down to 23.17%.

It is now pertinent to inquire from opposition leaders about alternative strategies they would propose in contrast to this administration’s extensive list of significant achievements currently benefiting Nigerians in real-time.

Cost of Governance and the Oronsaye Report

The assertion that the Tinubu administration has failed to implement the Oronsaye Report and instead increased governance costs is inaccurate. The Oronsaye Report, which recommends the merger or scrapping of government agencies to reduce expenditure, has not been fully implemented and has drawn criticisms; it must be noted, however, that the administration has made some efforts to improve fiscal discipline. The fiscal deficit was reduced from 5.4% of GDP in 2023 to 3.0% in 2024, and the debt service-to-revenue ratio dropped from nearly 100% in 2022 to under 40% by 2024. The government also recorded over N6 trillion in revenue in Q1 2025, partly due to removing Ways & Means financing and fuel subsidies. These steps demonstrate fiscal prudence and will eventually translate into immediate, tangible relief for citizens. The administration is working earnestly to address these optics and prioritise cost-cutting measures, including implementing the Oronsaye Report, to restore public trust.

Allegations of Prebendalism and Corruption

Afenifere’s claim that the administration favours “the privileged and connected” through corrupt palliative distribution and mega-project allocations is questionable. Reports of palliatives being mismanaged or distributed through unverified channels have no doubt surfaced, raising concerns about transparency.

The administration has taken steps against corruption, such as suspending Humanitarian Affairs Minister Betta Edu in January 2024 over alleged fund diversion, signalling some commitment to accountability. Critics may argue that more systemic action is needed, but dismissing all the efforts as propaganda overlooks these initial steps.

Without abusing Presidential powers, the administration is working on expediting action on all pending investigations and prosecution of corrupt practices. At the same time, critical agencies are collating credible evidence on ongoing corruption litigations. It must, however, be noted that in 2024, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) secured a record-breaking 4,111 convictions, marking its most successful year since its inception. They recovered over N364 billion and significant amounts in foreign currencies, including $214.5 Million, $54,318.64, and 31,265 Euros.

The EFCC achieved its single most significant asset recovery in 2025, with the final forfeiture of an Abuja estate measuring 150,500 square meters and containing 725 units of duplexes and other apartments. The EFCC concluded the final forfeiture and handed the estate to the Ministry of Housing in May 2025.

Democratic Concerns and Centralisation

Afenifere’s accusation that the Tinubu administration is pursuing a “one-party state totalitarianism” and undermining democratic institutions is unsupported and lacks merit. The claim of neutralising the legislature and judiciary is also a false alarm.

The public should note that the Supreme Court has upheld opposition victories in states like Kano, Plateau, and Abia, suggesting judicial independence. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has faced criticism for allegedly appointing individuals said to be ruling party affiliates, but no evidence confirms these appointees are card-carrying APC members.

The allegation that the Tinubu government cracks down on peaceful protesters is primarily unfounded. It is a regurgitated rhetoric deployed under previous administrations as a reflection of broader challenges in Nigeria’s democratic culture.

The issue of the State Police is more complex than the oversimplified approach of the factional Afenifere’s statement. Every administration policy is subject to security impact assessment before implementation, and there is a difference between the State Police being widely advocated and a Police State that critics may blame the Federal Government for if implemented without caution.

Security and Social Welfare

Contrary to the impression created, the administration’s security record is impressive. Over 13,500 terrorists, bandits, and insurgents have been neutralised and 7,000 arrested in the past year, though there is still some news of abductions and violent attacks. The administration’s proactive response to security-related matters has paved the way for more farmers to return to their farms, impacting food production and supply.

The administration also embarked on agricultural initiatives, including tractor procurement, fertiliser distribution, and increased mechanisation.

The government has also not relented on its Regional Development drive as the administration succeeded in establishing Development Commissions across 6 Geopolitical zones (South West, North West, North Central. North East, South East and the Niger Delta) to empower communities and accelerate developments.

Political Climate and 2027 Elections
The claims of government-sponsored conflicts within opposition parties lack concrete evidence and should be ignored.

Economic reforms are undoubtedly laying the foundation for long-term stability, with GDP growth at 4.6% in Q4 2024 and a Fitch B credit rating upgrade as evidence. Moody’s Investors Service’s latest upgrade of Nigeria’s rating from Caa1 to B3, with a Stable Outlook, indicates that the Tinubu administration is on the right path.

The government is not oblivious to some discontent and difficult times among Nigerians. There is an urgency to deliver more tangible results, which is guaranteed given the impressive performance of the administration in just two years.

Afenifere’s statement saw the cup as half empty. On the contrary, it’s half full. Under President Tinubu’s administration, some of Nigeria’s hydra-headed problems are being tackled headlong.

The administration has achieved fiscal improvements, such as reduced deficits and increased revenues, which will eventually translate into meaningful microeconomic relief for most Nigerians in the short term, even as the government moves to address these issues with greater empathy and transparency.

The administration’s demonstrable priorities are securing the nation, fixing the economy, and improving human capital development.

Responsible citizens and political leaders must work collaboratively with the administration to address the challenges and counter disinformation, as highlighted in the admonition against fake news and deceptive AI videos.

Under President Tinubu’s leadership, Nigeria is turning the corner. From stabilising the naira and curbing inflation to reducing debt burdens and

expanding access to education and health, the administration delivers bold reforms with actual results. With improved security, regional inclusion, anti-corruption measures, and institutional rebuilding, Nigeria’s comeback story is not yet complete — but it is firmly underway.

– Sunday Dare is the Special Adviser to Mr. President on Media and Public Communications.

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