The Nigerian Spirit: From Courtside Glory To Global Renaissance

By Olabode Opeseitan

At the FIBA Women’s AfroBasket 2025 Winner’s Press Conference, Coach Rena Wakama was asked to reveal her secret—what turned her players from contenders to the unbeatable. Her response was beautifully simple, yet deeply emblematic:

“It’s just the Nigerian spirit. We are resilient. That’s who we are. So, in short words, I said, ‘Hey, go out and win this game not only for yourselves but for our country.’ We are always playing for something bigger than ourselves. We are leaving a legacy. We are changing lives. We are impacting lives. So, if we are able to do that, the game is easy.”

It was more than a game. It was a declaration.

Congratulations to D’Tigress. Congratulations to Nigeria. This victory is more than a trophy—it is a baton passed from generation to generation, symbolic of purpose, pride, and progress. We await its celebration with the President and with Nigerians everywhere, just as we cheered the D’Tigers before them.

Yesterday, it was the Super Falcons on the football pitch. Today, it’s basketball. Tomorrow? Who knows what discipline will rise to carry the nation’s dreams further: Science? Technology? Arts? Culture? Music? Fashion? Agriculture?

One thing is clear—the sleeping giant has stirred. Nigeria is no longer sleepwalking through history. We are ramping up one success story after another. From Wizkid surpassing 9 billion streams on Spotify, becoming the first African artist to reach such a milestone, to Lagos being heralded as the fastest-growing tech capital in the world in 2025, the narrative is shifting—from an echo chamber of negativity to a crescendo of transformation.

Every Nigerian must tap into this spirit of positivity and perseverance. Beneath the turbulence, something extraordinary is unfolding. In every corner of this great nation, transformations—quiet and loud—are gaining momentum. Yes, the road remains tough, but let us not forget: the hardest part of dawn is just before the light breaks.

Let the citizens of the Republic of Despair continue to beat their drums of despair and dance alone to the dark tunes they create, even as the rest of the nation marches to the rhythm of renewal, achievement and hope. To be clear, every society needs and must encourage dissenting views and critics. They are the moral compass of a society—provided the intention is constructive and progressive.

This is our moment. This is our renaissance.