For about an hour, a section of Maracana area of Rio de Janeiro experienced power outage, jolting some Nigerian journalists, who just arrived from journey from Lagos.
The journalists – Jacob Ajom, Christian Okpara, Pius Ayinor, Gerorge Aluo and Tony Nezianya – were just getting to identify with various apartments to be their temporary abode to cover the Olympic Games.
“Could they have known that some Nigerians are in town, coming from a country where it is common to experience such frequency in electricity outage?” asked by Aluo.
“After all, we are not alone,” snapped Okpara of The Guardian, who was just being welcome to an apartment.
“So, even power outages occur here. I hope it is not a frequent occurrence otherwise getting out of this multi storey building can be a heck,” added Ayinor of the Punch Newspapers.
A Brazilian, known simply as Martinez, said this was not a regular occurrence and could have been a fault that usually took a long while fix.
According to a NAN correspondent, the problem was fixed within the hour and live returned to normal.
Cheers Over Reports of Payment
There appears to be happiness at the Nigerian abode at the Games over the news that athletes have started receiving their entitlements in response to directives from Solomon Dalung, sports minister and Habu Gumel, president of the Nigeria Olympic Committee.
According to Tony Ubani, press officer of team Nigeria, both top sports personalities at the head of the Nigerian contingent said they did not want distractions.
“We want these athletes to concentrate and not allow anything to distract them,” Gumel reportedly said when he visited the Games Village.
“They should all be paid their entitlements in full. We don’t want any distraction. It is their money and it has been released.”
Ubani noted that the full payment of their allowances would no doubt calm frayed nerves and dismiss rumours that the athletes were only going to receive part payments. (NAN)
