New Telegraph

I wish my father was alive to see my children’s exploits in sports –Ese Brume’s mum

Parents strive to see their children achieve greatness. Mrs. Sally Adaka Brume in this exclusive interview spoke to CHARLES OGUNDIYA about her happiness on what her three children – Ese, Karo and Godson – have achieved in global Track and Field. Excerpts

 

How come all your children are into Track and Field? When I was in school I was into track and field too, I did sprints, I was on the tracks, I ran 100m, then field event, I did triple jump, long and high jump.

 

So if you did all these, then it is right to say Ese Brume inherited these traits from you?

 

Exactly! I believe so. It should be a gene from me because apart from Ese, the others are also doing great.

 

There was this story of how Coach Kayode Yaya came to pick Ese, why did you release her just like that?

 

I was a sport woman too, I have an interest in sport too, so all my children, they are all into sport, so when he came, I was happy, I said okay because even on our own, we sponsored them, so when he came as a coach, we said okay, you can take over and that was exactly what he did.

 

As a mother, how did you feel seeing all your children in athletics? Ese and Godson members of Team Delta at the Sports Festival Team while Karo is competing in the US …?

 

I feel very happy, I feel uplifted, because where I could not reach, all my children are there today. Ese is world-class and I know Godson and Karo will also get there. I feel blessed.

 

You said where you could not get to, how far were you able to go in Track and field?

 

I stopped when I got married because there was no encouragement from my father at the time. Unlike me spending on my children for them to achieve greatness in sports, I didn’t get such opportunity during my time. At my time, I was representing the old Bendel State in Handball which is a team sport. Towards the Gateway Games (National Sports Festival), I qualified alongside my team but I didn’t go because there was no support from my father, so I decided to stop sports.

 

Meaning you are happy seeing your children reaching such a great heights

 

Yes! Seeing my children today, I am happy and I will never encourage my children to do anything than sports, I have been encouraging them to take to individual sports because of my experience in the past. I really wish my father was alive today to see what my children are doing in sports. I am proud of them all and myself as well.

But why did you choose handball and not the track and field?

 

Like I said before, there was no encouragement from my father, but because I love sports, I decided to go for a team sport, hence the handball.

 

What are the objectives for your children especially with their achievements so far?

 

My goal for them as they are performing well in Sport is to be focused in their education too. When you are doing well in sports but not educated, then you will not get far in life. Maybe after your career you will know the value of education and then return to square one. I don’t want such to happen to them, so I have been monitoring their education too.

 

Ese just graduated from the university and two years ago, she won a bronze medal at the World Championships, what do you think she needs to do to get better at the world stage?

 

Well, she has to train hard, thank God for now, she has graduated she’s not in school for now. It is just for her to work hard I want the Federal Government to support her and other top athletes too. I know Ese is going to make it, she will win gold for Nigeria at the Olympic Games by the grace of God.

 

She did virtually all the sports at the National Sports Festival, 100m, high jump, long jump, triple jump, relays. Don’t you think that was too much for her?

 

When I heard the news the first time, I was like Ese, are you now into heptathlon? She said it was not her decision but that of her coach, that it is good for her and will help her to build strength and stamina, so I said no problem. And I am glad she did well in all.

 

Let’s talk about Godson and Karo, do you see the potential in them even getting better than Ese?

 

Godson, by the grace of God, is going to be a world-class, I know and I pray so, then Karo, I know she’s improving because recently she went for a tournament and I could see a lot of improvement in her performance. It

 

is always difficult to see the best from some of the country’s athletes competing at home, will you say moving abroad will help?

 

It will enhance it, like Karo, she’s in the US now and there have been a lot of improvement. You know the type of diet over there, the facilities, the environment, the encouragement and competitiveness; she’s improving now unlike when she was in Nigeria. At home here, she was not looking all that good because of the type of food, so I know it’s better for them to go there. Another thing is determination because some Nigerians that went there were not that determined and couldn’t make it, so everything boils down to determination because you have to be focused so as to achieve what you are out there for

 

Talking about Godson, how soon do you think we will be seeing the champion in him?

 

Soonest! Godson by May 27th will be 18 years, I know before he gets to 20, he’s going to do wonders.

 

Finally, your parents didn’t encourage you, but you decided to encourage your children, how did they feel now seeing what your children have achieved in sports, was it a case of “if we had supported her too”?

 

Exactly, supposedly if my father was still alive it would have been better like what my elder brother told me one day, “you see what you could not achieve, your children are achieving it now, supposing daddy is alive it could have been better”.

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