Otenkwa Ndubuisi Dele Udo was born in Umahia Abia State (May 24, 1957, died in Lagos in July 1981). He was a Nigerian sprinter. He died at the age of 24. He was a collegiate champion at the University of Missouri in the 1970s and competed in the men’s 400-meter dash at the 1980 Summer Olympics. He was shot dead in 1981 after an argument with a Lagos police officer. The story goes that the police officer was jealous of his performance.
America was his dream, the land of opportunity. Otenkwa Dele Ndubuisi Udo graduated, married his teenage wife and ran home to represent his country, but was murdered by a police officer for daring to mention the United States. On July 15, 1981, a potential 400-meter world champion was brutally repressed by someone sworn to protect citizens.
Udoh was the home where they prepared for the continental championship. The Green Eagles were also present at a camp at the National Institute of Sports (NIS), Surulere, Lagos, where they competed for World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations qualification. Everything was fine until that night.
Udoh and some athletes were late for lunch and had nothing left. They decided to walk to Ojuelegba, just a few meters from the camp, for food. Someone pushed her away but was stopped by a police officer armed with a gun.
Felix Owolabi and Moses Kpakor were with other members of the Green Eagles when news spread that Udoh had been killed by a police officer in Ojuelegba. Since there was no unrest in the city, they could do nothing with it.
Owolabi said: “Dele was a very good friend. I still remember that fateful day. He had just arrived with other athletes from Jos where they had gone for trials. They returned late in the evening and there was nothing left for dinner, so they had to drive to Ojuelegba to get something to fill their stomachs. The rest is history. He served in the service of his country. According to Kpakor: “A group of sports-loving “Alaye Boys” (street children) who recognized Dele ran to the NIS to announce the news. Brave athletes came out and took the stage. The boys said they only told the officer that in the United States, where he is from, police officers are polite and don’t threaten people with guns.
“After defining his mission, the police officer became jealous when he realized that Dele was from the United States. The boys from Alaye told us that the policeman had promised that the athlete would not return to his good country alive. In doing so, he defeated one of the best sprinters in the world. We were all in shock and fear throughout the night and beyond.
teammate and friend from University of Missouri-Columbia Godwin Obasogie delivered the message to Missouri Tiger’s Track coach Bob Teel.It was wonderful. Chidi Imo and Yusuf Ali were also Missouri athletes. Nigeria also handed over the institute to Eddie Ofili, Chuks Olisa and Ben Ogiri. Teel said: “Dele Udoh was one of the most popular athletes we have ever had here. He was an extremely sociable man with a lot of common sense. Yes, the coach was right, everyone who came into contact with the quarter mile loved it.
Udoh was at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, but Nigeria withdrew at the last minute. He went to Moscow in 1980 and ran on the 4×400 meter team with the trio Sunday Uti, Hope Eziehbo and Felix Imadiya. The quartet didn’t make it past the first round.
