Fight Back At Atlanta - Director's Note

As a young Nigerian, sometime in 2009 I published an article about some of the heartbreaks we have experienced in our football as a nation, the article expectedly generated a lot of debate and as I engaged many of my readers, I discovered how much Nigerians yearn for more of such glorious moments in our past which made us proud to be Nigerians. I wished I could help them.

Then in 2010, the urge to encourage Nigerians to enjoy the World Cup in South-Africa irrespective of the results made me write about our joyous soccer moments and how much of heroes our footballers remain. Readers spoke endlessly about my record of Atlanta 96 and the night we beat Brazil with fond memories. However as the good went on I had others that felt nothing good has ever come out of Nigeria or Nigerian football and our sports generally. Some of these sad displays of amnesia and myopic sentiment had gone on for too long. I wished I could remind them.

My motivation are numerous but the emotions that come with every discussion about Atlanta 96 and the legendary Dream Team was the main inspiration I needed to make this film about the tournament and the great fight backs and that unforgettable Nigeria versus Brazil match. I am still not happy that I lack the talent to play football, so I am glad doing this riding on my special love for the game. Realizing that London 2012 makes the Olympics that gave us such moment 60 years in Nigeria became the final proof that this was the right time for a film on Nigeria's Olympic history, hence the celebration of Nigerian Olympians irrespective of the sport in which they participated.

I reckon that digging from the past helps one to build strength for the future and there is no better way to do this than true stories of our lives and the people we know. I have the passion to tell a story that will encourage you that life, like the spirit of the Olympics is not over until it is over. Perhaps you watched Chioma Ajunwa’s long jump victory, or if you are one of us that sat through the 94 minutes and cried along with Dosu Joseph that night after Kanu’s golden goal against Brazil, if you do not shed those tears again, you will wish we were all young again to relive the moment, but if you are under 15 years of age, this will make you wish you were born before 1996.

A young teenager once argued that the late king of pop Michael Jackson was white and he stuck to his pitiable ignorance. I knew the young man only needed to see just one of the many biographic documentaries about MJ to be educated that the legend was a black man like him, but what happens to the many heroes of Africa whose lives and proofs of greatness are hardly documented?

This is a deliberate blend of inspiration, education, tears and laughter for a 100% entertaining package – a true worth of your time and money. My joy is that you will believe more in yourself after watching it and your word of “thank you” will go to the great Nigerian Olympians of yesteryears and the heroes of Atlanta ’96 - our best moment till date.