Words Of Encouragement For Blessing Okagbare Over 10-Year Ban By AIU -By Isaac Asabor

Since Blessing Okagbare, Nigerian Sprinter, was initially suspended for testing positive to a banned substance on the eve of the Women’s 100m semi-final race at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, and which on Friday, February 18, 2022 unfortunately culminated in her ban by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) for 10 years for engaging in multiple breaches of anti-doping rules, not few athletes across the world might have begun to look inward, and how to avoid such grievous mistake in their career. In a similar vein, not few of her fans, including this writer, believe she will get her groove back, if she remains positive and believes that life is simply far too short to be bored or miserable (or both), and particularly when she aligns her mindset with the fact that she deserves to be in another endeavor that would equally be fulfilling to her, and in the same vein taps into her passions, and consequently joy to her life.

The foregoing words of encouragement, no doubt, which would have influenced my state of mind if I were in her shoes seem not to be in agreement with the action she has taken since AIU slammed 10 years ban on her yesterday. As deduced from her tweet this morning, by virtue of being her follower on Twitter, she unarguably want to slug it out with the leadership of AIU in a legal battle. She tweeted: “My attention has been drawn to the statement issued by the AIU regarding its disciplinary panel decision. My lawyers are currently studying it for our next line of action which we will inform you soon”.

To my view, she need not embark on the legal journey that may eventually drain the resources she would have utilized to start up in a new business endeavor as it is dicey to predict whether she will win or lose in the long run.

To my view, age is comparatively on her side to go into other area of human endeavor, after all, she has become famous in the field of sports, particularly in the area of Sprinting. The foregoing piece of counselling is one of the reasons she should remain hopeful.

In fact, it is expedient to recall that since the 2008 Olympics long jump silver medalist’s was provisionally suspended, following a positive test for human growth hormone by the AIU that not few of her fans were shocked and disappointed. But what can they do other than keep on encouraging her not to give up, and apprehensively begin to see the world crumbling on her. After all, it was Maya Angelou that said, “No matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.”

As a Christian, going by her first name, I believe she might have come across the scripture enshrined in James 1:2-3 that says, “Consider it pure joy … whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.”

Seen from a concurrent scriptural perspective, the bible in Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

Given the foregoing scriptures, I can advise Okagbare that the trial she is about to pass through or already passing through is not quite different from what many people have passed through, or are passing through. Sustaining success in life in any capacity is certainly no easy feat. To get to the very pinnacle of any chosen career or business endeavor is unarguably hard, especially if setbacks and thorns of life have to be dealt with.

Though I will recognize the fact that all things are not good. It would be mockery to say that they are. The death of a child is not good. Cancer is not good, drug addiction is not good, war is not good, and even the 10-year ban slammed on her is not good.

But the Bible says, “We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” In the chemistry of the cross God takes things that, in and of themselves, are bad, and He puts them together, much as a chemist might take chemicals that, in and of themselves, may be deleterious and mixes them to make a medicine that brings healing.

Analogically put, salt which virtually all of us consume everyday through the food we eat is made up of both sodium and chloride. By itself, sodium is a deadly poison, and so is chloride. Put them together, and you have table salt. Salt flavors food, and a certain amount of salt is necessary for health and life. We cannot live without some pinches of salt in our systems.

You may have asked, “What lesson can be learnt from the foregoing analogical thought?” Without racking our brains, it simply means that God can take things that are bad and put them in the crucible of His wisdom and love. He works all things together for good, and He gives us the glorious, wonderful promise that He will do so.
We know that we have victory over sin and over Satan, but this verse in Romans teaches us that we also have victory over our circumstances. It says that all things work together for good.

Permit me to point out five things about this promise in Romans 8:28 so that we can see how God works together to help us rise above our circumstances.

Blessing, I am optimistic that you will get back your groove soonest; wherever your spirit will lead you to. So, do not take any decision without carrying God along. After all, Jeremiah prayed in Jeremiah chapter 10 verse 23 thus: “O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps”.

Finally, also have it at the back of mind that challenges are the spice in life that make it worth living. If there were no challenges in life, living would be a drag that would take away the charm of being alive. It may seem that one has to face more and difficult obstacles in life, but every challenge helps us become a better person.