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Nojim Maiyegun, the nation’s first Olympic Games medalist, passed away on Monday in Vienna, Austria largely forgotten by the country he once brought glory to. His death not only marks the end of an era but also underscores the disturbing trend of abandoning athletes who once elevated Nigeria on the global stage, writes PETER AKINBO
In a stark reminder of how Nigeria often neglects its sporting heroes, Nojim Maiyegun, the country’s first Olympic medalist, breathed his last on Monday in Vienna, Austria, far from the nation he once brought glory to.
He was 83.
Maiyegun’s death, coming just days after the 60th anniversary of his historic bronze medal win at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, underscores a tragic pattern of neglect that has plagued many of Nigeria’s sports legends.
In the 1960s, boxing was one of Nigeria’s brightest medal-winning hopes. Before Maiyegun’s breakthrough, Nigeria had already produced two world boxing champions—Hogan Bassey and Dick Tiger—both celebrated figures in their time.
It was in this era of glory that Maiyegun rose to prominence.
Maiyegun was born on February 21, 1941, on Glover Street, Lagos Island. He was a dutiful kid who went about errands with little attention drawn to himself until a bully forced out a side a teen Maiyegun never knew he had.
“I was 16 when I first knew about boxing. It started when I went to fetch water at Bamgbose in Lagos. There was a boy at that time who bullied everyone whenever he got to the public tap; he beat me a lot then,” Maiyegun said in a 2012 interview with The PUNCH.
“When I later learnt he was a trained boxer, I sought out Bonny Ade, who secretly trained me for six months until I was able to face the boy and beat him at the public tap.”
Maiyegun discovered he had a weapon in the punch of his left arm. His crude, street-honed techniques were refined, and the power of his left punch was fully harnessed. Maiyegun matured into ‘Omo Oloja’, his nickname, and became a household name across the neighbourhood and beyond.
Although, support at home came much later.
“It wasn’t long before I began to see my name in the newspapers as the next big thing in Nigerian boxing. I was excited, and that was when my parents reduced the criticism of the sport. They never really liked boxing because they believed it was for hooligans,” he said.
Maiyegun was inspired by the feats of legendary Nigerian boxers that preceded him, like Dick Tiger, and Hogan “Kid” Bassey. He got his own global opportunity during the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 1964.
Although the country had achieved multiple successes at the Commonwealth Games, an Olympic medal remained elusive. The contingents of Team Nigeria to the three previous Olympics — Helsinki 1952, Melbourne 1956, and Rome 1960 — yielded none.
But Maiyegun took this opportunity with both gloved hands and clinched a bronze medal in the men’s light middleweight (71 kg) category, making history as Nigeria’s first Olympic medalist.
His feat came at a time when the nation was in desperate need of a unifying moment of pride, just four years after the country got its independence.
Maiyegun was just 23 when he took to the ring for the light-middleweight boxing category in Japan. After getting a bye in the first round, he shocked the world in the second round.
Maiyegun defeated Great Britain’s William Robinson in just one minute and 59 seconds — a remarkable feat in amateur boxing. He defeated Tom Bogs of Denmark in the quarter-final before losing to France’s Joseph Gonzalez in the semi-final.
Maiyegun and Poland’s Józef Grzesiak settled for the shared bronze medal.
“I was too excited to realise I was the first Nigerian to win an Olympic medal; all I was thinking was that I had a chance to fulfil my dream of being the world’s best,” Maiyegun said.
According to Maiyegun, the government did not reward him for his historic feat until 1989, when he was awarded a plaque. He added that a year later, the award was taken from him “for no reason at all”.
“I don’t recall getting anything special as a reward when I won the medal at the Olympics, but former Head of State Ibrahim Babangida gave me an award in 1989,” Maiyegun said.
“The award was eventually retrieved by the sports ministry the following year for no reason at all. I was thinking the award would belong to me forever, but they took it back.”
At the 1966 Commonwealth Games, Maiyegun added to the laurel he won for Nigeria by picking up another bronze medal. The boxer also won other African titles and national belts.
But Maiyegun revealed that every medal and silverware he won was stolen while he was in Nigeria.
“All my medals were stolen while I was in Nigeria. But I believe a good name is better than gold or silver, so I’m not worried. I reported the theft to the sports ministry back then and asked if there could be replicas, but nothing could be done,” he said.
“I’m the first to win an Olympic medal, a trailblazer. No one can take that away from me. You don’t buy that with money.”
Maiyegun’s achievements inspired a generation of boxers, including Isaac Ikhouria, Peter Konyegwachie, David Izonritei, Richard Igbineghu and the Andeh brothers, who carried the torch for Nigerian boxing across multiple decades.
Duncan Dokiwari’s bronze in 1996 marked boxing’s last Olympic medal for Nigeria, highlighting the sport’s decline in the country.
Despite his achievements, Maiyegun was left to fade into obscurity. After leaving Nigeria, he settled in Vienna, Austria, in 1971 and began his professional boxing career in Europe.
Within two years, he was notorious throughout Austria for his ferocity in the ring. Austrian newspapers’ cartoons depicted Maiyegun’s gloved hands as guns to demonstrate how lethal his punches were.
However, Maiyegun’s body failed him when he seemed destined for greatness. Around 1973, he gradually lost his vision, with doctors predicting constant punches to the head as the cause.
Despite the impending blindness, a resolute Maiyegun went on to fight in a World Championship bout against Domenico Tiberia in December 1973 and lost on points. The match ended his career prematurely.
“I’m not sure what could have caused the blindness, but doctors thought it could have been from punches on the head. It started partially, and at a point, I had to fight a world championship title bout with the sight problem. I lost the fight by decision, but it is on record that I am the first blind boxer to fight for a title. I could see with one eye then.”
He fought 16 times and won 12 — 10 of them by knockouts.
In 2012, it was revealed that Maiyegun had gone fully blind, a condition he had lived with for over four decades without any support from Nigeria.
Following his premature retirement from boxing, Maiyegun survived in Austria by working in street cleaning and janitorial services. His visual impairment made it difficult for him to carry out his functions.
His story mirrors the struggles of many Nigerian sports legends who gave their best years to the nation but were forgotten in their twilight.
The neglect of sports heroes like Maiyegun has been an enduring concern.
Many Nigerian athletes have faced similar fates, from Jeremiah Okorodudu, who died recently after years of health struggles and financial difficulties, to Dele Jonathan, a former Commonwealth boxing champion who passed away due to lack of financial support for his health conditions.
Speaking on the subject, former boxers expressed their frustrations.
A former Nigerian boxer and Olympian, who spoke to The PUNCH under the condition of anonymity, lamented the widespread neglect of Nigeria’s sports icons, saying, “I can say that a lot of our heroes are suffering.
“Football, boxing, wrestling—great guys are left tattered, with no jobs and no recognition. These heroes should be placed on life support and given pensions like the senators. But instead, they’re used and dumped.”
Bash Ali, another legendary boxer, echoed similar sentiments.
“Unfortunately, Maiyegun died outside Nigeria because we relegate heroes to the backburners and celebrate criminals. A man like him should have been celebrated in his homeland, but he got nothing,” he said.
Joe Lasisi, a former African champion, added, “Nigerian boxers gave their all, but the moment you hang up your gloves, the government forgets you. We were hailed when we fought, but as soon as we aged, they stopped caring.”
Maiyegun’s story is emblematic of Nigeria’s broader issues with sustaining the legacy of its sporting champions. Despite the enormous potential within the country’s boxing talent pool, the sport has been allowed to wither due to neglect and lack of investment.
At the 2024 Paris Olympics, only three Nigerian boxers qualified for the Games, with two dropping out due to doping cases and the sole representative, Adam Olaore, losing in the first stage, underscoring how far the sport has fallen since the days when it was a national pride.
The passing of Maiyegun has sparked a renewed conversation on how Nigeria treats its sports heroes. The nation that once celebrated him has allowed his legacy to be overshadowed by indifference. As his body lies in Vienna, far from the land he represented with pride, the calls for better care for ageing sports legends are growing louder.
Tributes have poured in following the news of his death. The Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh, expressed his condolences, stating, “We lost Nigeria’s first Olympic medallist, Nojim Maiyegun, who died at the age of 85. His contribution in 1964 was a victory for all Nigerians. His legacy as a pioneer of Nigerian sports excellence will never be forgotten.”
Similarly, the West African Boxing Union President and Nigeria Boxing Board of Control Secretary-General honoured him, saying, “Nigeria will never forget the heroic exploits of ‘Omo Oloja,’ as he was fondly called. That bronze medal was more than gold because it gave us our first international recognition in sports. May the ‘ring warrior’ rest in perfect peace.”
Bash Ali noted the irony in how Maiyegun’s life played out, reflecting on how Nigeria’s first Olympic hero remained uncelebrated until his death.
The Interim NBF President, Azania Omo-Agege, also hailed Maiyegun’s achievement.
“He was a great guy, was the first boxer who won a medal from the Olympics. That was in 1964, the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. We had no issues of doping back then, he was one of the people who dedicated their life and everything to the country.”
National team coach and Olympian Tony Konyegwachie said, “He is our number one hero, the first hero in Nigeria, that will put us on the map of Olympic medals so he deserves a great honour from all Nigerians. We need to celebrate him, because he fought for Nigeria and won us the first Olympic gold.”
Lasisi referred to Maiyegun as Nigeria’s boxing general saying, “Nigerian people loved boxing and Maiyegun was the one who brought that first medal and therefore, Nigerians loved him. He gave a lot for the country and is someone I looked up to when I was starting out. His legacy will live on and may his soul rest in peace.”
Even the younger generation of boxers, represented by Nigeria’s first female world title holder, Elizabeth Oshoba, paid their respects.
“May his soul rest in peace. I didn’t know him well but I know of his exploits and he is one of those who paved the way for those of us in this generation,” she said.
Maiyegun may be gone, but his story remains a cautionary tale—a stark reminder of what happens when a nation forgets those who sacrificed everything for its glory. As Nigeria reflects on his life and legacy, the hope is that the future will hold better prospects for the heroes who dedicate their lives to representing their country, ensuring they do not meet the same fate as this once-celebrated champion who died far from home in silence.
