1996 Olympic gold medallist, Chioma Ajunwa Okpara has been decorated as an Assistant Commissioner of Police, by the Police Service Commission. The event took place at the Police College in Ikeja.
Ajunwa became the first athlete in Nigeria to win an Olympic gold medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, and to date remains Nigeria’s only individual Olympic gold medallist. The promotion is coming after nine years of been stagnant in her former position and a week after the launch of her foundation to discover new stars that will take the Nigerian nation to new heights.
Social media users took to their various timeline to congratulate the long jump specialist. Anyanwu wrote “ACP Chioma Ajunwa, you are a woman of value, a pace setter, the only Nigerian individual gold medallist. I’m convinced beyond every shadow of doubt that God is taking you to greater height”.
Cynthia Ibeabuchi said, “Nne, it can only be God. Keep on praising his holy name for more promotion is coming your way”. A delighted Director General of Chioma Ajunwa-Okpara Foundation, Prince Henry Amike, himself a top notch athlete in his days, said the promotion of Ajunwa, was to showcase her professionalism, both in the police and the service of the nation.
“Till date, this is the only lady who has won an individual Olympics Gold Medal for Nigeria and the International Olympics Committee (IOC), has not said otherwise, why she’s being ostracized still remains a mystery to some of us. But thank God the Police Service Commission knows her worth and I think overtime Nigerians will appreciate this great athlete, who played football, jumped and ran for the nation”.
