Women From Nigeria

"You cannot swim for new horizons until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore."

"The duo of Imaobong Nse Uko (400m) and Udodi Onwuzurike (200m) won individual gold medals while the 4x400m mixed and the women’s relay teams also won our first ever relay gold medals at the Championships."

"I started coaching her (Imaobong) in 2017. That was before the National Sports Festival in Abuja. As a matter of fact, she was discovered during the Akwa Ibom Youth Games and I have been coaching her since then. I must appreciate her parents who were gracious enough to release her to us. We were almost strangers then but they allowed her to live with the secretary of Akwa Ibom sports commission who also acted as her godmother. Training her was not easy because she was going to school. While I coached others in the day, I coached her in the evening whenever she returned from school."

""I went through a lot. I went through a lot of changes. I lost weight and some unfortunate fellows said I did surgery.""

"What I try to end up expressing is that being Nigerian is a state of mind. It doesn’t matter whether I had garri, milk and sugar in boarding school. It’s not about that. It’s about unity within the different ethnic groups and being able to help, love and understand each other."

"I am happy that things are working out well and I thank God for the progress made so far. I come from a riverine area in Ibeno local government area where I used to help my parents to catch crayfish. I am equally grateful to my parents and my coaches who are keeping me on my toes. I look forward to having a successful career in athletics."

"I think that was 2016 during inter-house sports, she was in Yellow House. I just looked at her and said can this one do anything? But she surprised everybody, I gave her the name ‘Kenya’ when I saw her sprinting legs. I told her you are going places."

"Imaobong you have done well, the governor is proud of you, the whole state is proud of you and we are happy that you have not disappointed us. As you are leaving for the United States, please do not lose focus, trust God, work harder and do the best you can at all times."

"It was very tough because of the weather. This is just the beginning of great things in my career. My coach and I really worked hard on this. I’m so excited; it would only get better. Coming here to make so much impact makes me feel so happy. It means more hard work, but the future is so bright."

""I grew up in a polygamous family with many people, so you can’t come and do rubbish. I received excellent care, a lot of love and protection.""

"God decided to use his only son for the sacrifice, so that his blood can wash away the sin of the whole World."

"Am happy about the whole event as my family and friends are excited too. I am very thankful to God and Mrs Ulaeto, my English teacher who discovered me. She was the one who handed me to coach Effiong Ibok who in inturn left me under the professional training of coach Daniel Umoette. I also appreciate Mrs Janet Bassey, secretary of track and field in Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Youths and Sports. I thank all my teammates too as well as everyone that encouraged me."

"I feel so elated, how I wish I could see her with my eyes now, oh how I will hug her. I told her to trust God for everything, and God is with her. Am so elated."

"First of all believe in yourself and your talent. Perfect your gift, work hard at it and never stop learning from the best. One must understand the business side of the music industry also it is a job. Get a great manager that believes in your talent and stay focused and remain humble."

"We as a people must start showing the positive side of Nigeria and all the beautiful places that need exposure."

"If you have a divine call upon your life you will be unique, you will stand out among others. If it’s about songs you will always let people know that you have something to say."

"We need to remind ourselves as women never to sell ourselves short, we are masterful spiritual and all powerful beings responsible for bringing life into the world."

"All upcoming gospel artists should arise and shine. Nigeria should arise and shine even at this period."

"The major cause of divorce among young couples is the fact that they cannot endure hardship with anybody. And, they prefer getting married to rich people. However, happiness in marriage is not dependent on how rich one’s spouse is. Young people should always seek divine direction from God before they get married."

"Young people should also learn to endure, be patient and rugged, and be understanding."

"We as women need to band together as a sisterhood stemming our petty quarrels the world is for the taking and we are the takers."

"There is Olabisi Afolabi, the famed NUGA alumnus from Ilorin, who helped Nigeria to a silver medal in the 4 x 400 meters at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, the highlight of a very successful athletic career, which included gold at the World Junior Championships in 1994, silver at the 1999 All-Africa Games, and bronze at the 1995 All-Africa Games."

"Anywhere could make for a dream arena as long as it’s an amazing stage with great lighting and perfect sound."

"If you want to succeed in life, you don’t have to listen to negative comments."

""women should not be in such violent relationships. Marriage is for better for worse but not when there is a threat to one’s life.""

"Not everyone will love you even if you are a star."

"Believe in your dreams, that dreams that seems impossible, You can achieve it and more! Just believe."

""I chose music after struggling to make people laugh as MC, ""

"I’m trusting you on this journey, and I’m going to obey you completely and totally"

"Life has taught me to be real to myself, that I should be kind to people, that I should be there for people because people have been there for me"

"An empowered girl will multiply the society. The foundation will provide everything for the child up to university level"

"Education for boys and girls is the key to releasing their potential for Nigeria and the world"

"Poverty remains the most important factor in determining whether a girl can access education."

"In a situation where everyone trains differently, it doesn’t help in the relay. Another important thing is equipment; if we have standard equipments, we’ll improve in our performance. All what the country (Nigeria) needs to do for us as a team is for them to give us the financial support, make us train together because when you train alongside your team, definitely the spirit of togetherness is present."

"You know in 4×400 meters, you have to work as a team and this was what we did on the track. We had one spirit, one mind and as a result of determination we clinched the gold medal. The next target for the team is numerous. In Africa, Nigeria is number one in 4x400m and we are grateful to God for making us return the gold medal to Nigeria ones more. Back in 2016, the South African female team defeated us in Durban and right now the gold medal has returned to its rightful owners."

"As a woman you never want to sit down and not do anything."

"Never believe all you hear or read about anyone."

"Abugan's 'A' sample was found to demonstrate findings consistent with an exogenous origin of endogenous steroids… and indicate an application of testosterone prohormone. She wrote to the CGF waiving her rights to have her 'B' sample analyzed. She also admitted liability."

"The Federation Court has determined that Ms Abugan had committed an anti-doping rule violation. Consequently, she has been disqualified from all events she participated in during the Games, with the results nullified. This includes her silver medal in the women's 400m. As she was also a member of her country's second placed 4 x 400m relay team, that result is also nullified."

""I also worked in a voluntary capacity with the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund in Paris, France, on Project Frimousse. I am so happy to be part of that project because the money realised from it was used to buy vaccines and medication for underprivileged children""

"Folashade Abugan returned an adverse analytical finding from a test conducted on October 8, 2010, after competing in the women's 400 meter final."

"When you are waiting on God for a child, you’re so sensitive that the little things that people do gets to you."

"The knowledge cannot be bought, but can only be shared and I think that a lot of issues artists get into is because they don’t have the knowledge and people use that ignorance against them. So going on I think people should educate artists on publishing, distribution and how everything works."

"Ms Abugan wrote to the CGF waiving her rights to have her "B" sample analyzed and a hearing, as provided for within the CGF Anti-Doping Standard (ADS). She also admitted liability."

""When they (the fans) listened to some of my old songs, they will write me as if they are talking to their girlfriend. There was a music label in London (England) that wanted to remix one of my songs that I recorded on DECCA base on that.""

"Find what you are good at, practice every day, fail at it many times until you are good at it."

"It is about not taking No just because someone does not like the ideas I bring."

"Good energy, good people, good vibe equals good relationship."

"I am fine now and doing much better. I have started my training. I was formerly in South Africa, but presently I am in Akure, Ondo State. But I hope to be in Lagos next week. By October I will be back to start afresh."

""Reggae is a genre of music that always has messages for the people. Reggae music is loved in the ghetto and highbrow areas. It can be used to fight against injustice and for equal rights. It is also for peace and love. Right now, Nigerian youths are fighting for justice, so reggae music is the answer.”""