The Rise Of Big Hearted Athletes
Across the world, blue bloods, music stars, business tycoons, top political figures, drug barons and celebrity athletes populate the class of big money spenders, who are capable of lavishing millions of dollars in a single outing. However, amongst these athletes are those who spare a thought for the dregs of the earth by donating to charitable causes. Eno-Abasi Sunday, takes a look at the trend, which is gaining grounds among Nigerian footballers
Elite athletes are not willing to be outdone by folks in other walks of life when it comes to spending loads of cash they rake in at regular intervals. Off the playing pitches or courts as the case may be, they swagger like vacationing millionaires, dine and wine in posh hospitality spots and get world-rated departmental shops temporarily closed for them to embark on private shopping.
Fortunately, some of them are not spending their money on personal comfort alone, but are increasingly becoming sensitive to the plight of not only their compatriots and residents of cities they dwell in, but also that of the downtrodden domiciled in far-flung parts of the world.
Back in history, American former professional footballer whose mother was a housekeeper, Jim Brown; former tennis star and three-time grand slam title winner, Arthur Robert Ashe; first African-American Major League baseball player, Jack Roosevelt "Jackie" Robinson and former American basketball player, William Felton "Bill" Russell, at the peak of their fame, did a groundswell to further social cause.
In this era, golf's world number one ranked player and one of the richest sportsmen of all-times, Tiger Woods, after winning the AT&T National, promptly announced he was donating the $1.1 million winnings to his Tiger Woods Foundation. This move was soon after he said that his charity efforts has "focused thus far on helping disadvantaged kids with academics and golf.
Worth more than a quarter-billion dollars in tournament winnings and endorsements, the golfer has, aside his foundation, a $25-million education center in the works. He also supports a national junior golf team.
Tennis number two player, Serena Williams, November last year flung open for students in that region, the doors of the Serena Williams Secondary School in Matooni, Makueni, Eastern Kenya.
Williams who is global ambassador for technology firm, Hewlett Packard (HP), also worked with the Starfishgreatheart Charity for orphans in South Africa, during that African tour, where she promised to build a school in Senegal that will allow kids to receive lectures for free, because of the premium she places on education. The construction of schools is apart from the numerous donations she has made over the years to numerous charities
On his part, one of the most successful boxers of recent times, Floyd Mayweather who has succeeded in establishing burgeoning business ventures, is becoming deeply involved in philanthropy. His Floyd Mayweather Foundation is offering assistance to kids and families who are faced with dire living circumstances in.
In 2005, UNICEF, the world's leading children's organization, presented the then World number one tennis, Roger Federer, with a plaque as a token of its appreciation for the efforts of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and pro tennis in swiftly raising funds to support its relief efforts in South Asia in the aftermath of the debilitating tsunami that struck the region. On the same day, Federer received the plaque, the then World number two (male) player, Rafael Nadal, upped the ATP contributions by donating an additional $15,000.
Back in Africa, towering at 7 feet, 2 inches, retired Congolese American professional basketball player, Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo better as Dikembe Mutombo, melted hearts of thousands of millionaires across the world who would rather spend their resources on choice automobiles, posh yachts, prime properties in waterfronts, prized wine and women.
To show that an equally large heart is nestled in his gargantuan frame, he announced in 1997, that the Mutombo Foundation, would commence the construction of an ultra-modern 300-bed hospital on the outskirts of his home town, Kinshasa, the Congolese capital. The facility was estimated to cost a whooping $29 million.
Though the turning of sod of the multi-million dollar project took place in 2001, actual construction work did not start until 2004, as the basketball player, who made a personal donation of $3.5 million had trouble getting donations from those that pledged.
The breakthrough healthcare facility, Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital and Research Centre, was among other things meant to provide assistance for women and children in a country where health care crisis raged on uncontrollably, leaving men, women and children, in their millions without any hope for survival.
In simple terms, the project spread over a massive land area of 12-acre (49,000 m2), was well received socially and economically by the people, even as it was seen as a novel development in a country where one out of every five children perishes before his/her fifth birthday, with malaria being responsible for 45 percent of childhood deaths and HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, measles and the likes all reaching epidemic heights.
In February 2007, when the $29 million facility opened, it became the first modern medical facility to be built in that neighbourhood in four decades.
Located near a thriving open-air market, it has full telemedicine capabilities with the United States and Europe through the network established by Medical Mission for Children.
Not only did his efforts earn him the National Basketball Association (NBA) humanitarian award in 2001, he was elected as one of 20 winners of the President's Service Awards, the nation's highest honour for volunteer service. Still in recognition of his humanitarianism, he was invited to President George Bush's 2007 State of the Union Address, during which the president referred to him as a "Son of the Congo", in his speech.
Mutombo's sterling example is just one of the few sportsmen who have milk of human kindness flowing in them, and the urge to bail fellow humans on the continent from the depth of suffering they have been thrown into by insensitive leadership.
In Nigeria, Super Eagles captain and Portsmouth of England forward, Nwankwo Kanu, MON, OON, who is the most highly decorated African in football history, is a class act when it comes to giving a shoulder for the weak to lean on.
The Kanu Nwankwo Heart Foundation (KHF) is a charity organisation established in 2000 by the UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, to help underprivileged African children living with different life-threatening heart ailments to access the cardiac surgical operations they need to stay alive.
Kanu's decision to get involved in charity works can be linked directly to the life and career threatening revelation that assailed him soon after his return from the 1996 Olympic Games, which took place in Atlanta, United States of America.
Soon after the Olympics, Kanu who caught the fancy of Inter Milan Football Club of Italy underwent a medical examination there, and it was revealed that he had a serious heart defect. A successful surgical operation in November 1996 saw the replacement of an aortic valve in his heart. He returned to his club in April 1997.
All these experiences led Kanu, who is also European League winner, UEFA Cup winner, FA Cup winner, Olympic medallist and former African Footballer of the Year, to establishing the heart foundation.
Last December three children aged 5 months, 5 years and 8 years returned home to Africa, after successful heart surgery in India. Another successful operation of one of the patients who was on the waiting list was completed last month in London, United Kingdom. By the last count, at least 281 heart patients, some of them orphans have been successfully operated in different parts of the world and millions of Naira spent on the exercise. Two-year-old Enitan Adesola and four-year-old Tofunmi Okude were the first to benefit from the foundation set up by the former African Footballer of the Year.
His latest efforts at using fame, resources and personal capacity to articulate the interest of children and get all sectors of the society to create a protective environment for these class of people is the "Kamp Kanu", a young talent hunt initiative, where budding stars discovered are taken abroad for trials and possible engagements.
Last week, it was the turn of two Super Eagles players, Ikechukwu Uche, who does business with Spanish La Liga side, Getafe of Spain, and John Utaka, of Portsmouth Football Club of England, to show that milk of human kindness also flows in them.
Born in Aba, Abia State, South Eastern Nigeria, Uche, like most kids of the average Nigerian parents, tasted the bitter pills of what it feels like growing up in an environment beset by challenges like lack of pipe borne water, good schools, pot holes infested roads, highly epileptic electricity supply amongst others.
Now earning in a week what many directors in government employ do not legitimately earn in months, the 25-year-old continued a routine he has been at in the last five years, visiting the Ngwa Road Motherless Babies Home, in Aba to drop his "widow's mite" for the helpless tots.
At the orphanage, one of the nine he routinely makes donations to anonymously, the fair-skinned footballer presented food and cash donations as the kids besieged him.
"I consider myself to be very lucky in life and where else to spend my holiday than with people who are not as fortunate as myself," said Uche who lost both parents within a span of three months in 2003.
"The truth is these kids don't have parents, so who cares? I guess we need to put ourselves in their shoes for a day. The government has done what they can, but each individual needs to make an impact and contribution as well, we must not always wait for the authorities," the skillful forward stated.
"This place like thousands across the country need fresh water supply, it will prevent diseases from spreading. They also need other things... and I will look into one or two of those while am still around."
Six years after he lost his parents, Uche still feels the loss immensely, as he declared, "That dark moment lingers but life goes on and I will have to live with it."
"Life out there and the one here (orphanage) is totally different, so let us reach out to the less privileged ones. I know they also do similar things but I urge fellow professionals to always reach out to vulnerable children."
Since he joined the league of professional footballers in Europe, Uche has made anonymous contribution to School of the Deaf, the SDA Motherless Babies Home, Nwamaka Motherless Babies Home, all in Aba. Others are The Agape Motherless Babies Home, Ahia Eke Motherless Babies Home and School for the Blind, all in Umuahia.
He has reached out to the Itumbuzo Illo Destitute Home; the Uzuakoli Motherless Babies Home in Uzuakoli Road and the Leprosy Home in Uzuakoli.
Utaka, Kanu's teammate at Portsmouth, who visited the country, recently was at the Save Our Souls (SOS) Isolo, Lagos, penultimate week.
The Nigerian international who said his visit there was borne out of his desire to give to people who truly are in need presented food and cash donations to the Village Director, Odesanya Matthew, while promising to send the Village Football Team a set of football kits and balls.
"This is just my introduction and I will continue to do this every time I come home for holidays," Utaka said.
"Now that I've got your contact, I will make sure I send you a complete football kit as well as balls for the team...I feel so honoured to be around these children and I promise to come visiting again sooner than you think.
A delighted Mr. Odesanya thanked the footballer for his kind gesture: "We've had "Jay Jay" Okocha here in the past and some other footballers as well but the coming of John Utaka is another blessing for us," Odesanya.
"The children here are truly inspired to have Utaka in their midst and the ones with football talents are already looking up to him for inspiration.
Utaka who spent some time with Seun Aluko, regarded as the best player in the village and their most promising talent, was later shown round the village, and the sports facilities therein.
In summing up his impression, he said, "It made me feel sad that these children have lost their parents but they seem really happy in the village and they all have big ambitions as they grow up."
Recently, the British Football Association (BFA) threw its weight behind the Sodje Sports Foundation, The Children's Hospital Charity and Boots For Africa, all initiatives of the Sodjes.
According to spokesperson of the foundation, Obatare Sodje, the British FA has given its blessings for the different programmes we have come up with.
''We have just receive a letter of recommendation from the British FA telling us that they are solidly behind us for bringing up the idea of bringing all the Sheffield legends back together for a charity match,'' he said. The match will be against "Friends Of Africa", a side that will feature stars like Kanu, Dwight Yorke, Cyrille Regis, Johnny Nelson and, of six of the Sodje brothers.
Ex international, and Bury FC assistant coach cum defender, Efetobore Sodje, said that they all decided to act because they know how difficult living in the street is, having experienced it himself. The Sodje Sports Foundation to be sited in Warri, Delta State, is aimed at rehabilitating and taking children off the streets.
''It is my dream to help street children to live a better life because l've tasted street life myself and l know what it means. Also, the foundation is a way of paying back to my country for making me who l am today,'' the former Super Eagles player stated.
