A few weeks after the news of her promotion to the post of a Divisional Police Officer broke; she became the mother of a set of triplets, two boys and a girl. Nigeria's queen of the track, Chioma Ajunwa-Opara, spoke with YEMISI ADENIRAN on the joy of motherhood, her sports exploits and lots more. Excerpts
You have achieved rare feats having won Olympic gold, become a DPO and now mother of triplets. What would you attribute it to?
There is nothing and no one to attribute it to than God Almighty. He is the God of possibilities who has been steadfastly on my side since I started my race on earth. I was the last born of nine children born by Mr. and Mrs. James Ajunwa. I was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth and that was why I did not complete my education as early as it was supposed to have been.
In 1988 when I completed my secondary education, I wrote JAMB, I passed but instead of my mother to be jump in excitement, she wept. This is not because she was not happy for me but because there was no money to send me to the university.
Of course, I lost the opportunity and couldn't further my education again. Life hasn't been easy but I thank God that He has been there for me. I was called into the Police Force that same year; in August precisely.
Alongside this, I was into sports and started beating everyone in my team such that in no time, I became a golden fish that had no hiding place. As I was winning championships in sports, I was being promoted in the Police Force. I cannot explain it myself and that is why the said achievements so far, can only be attributed to some special preference I enjoyed from God.
To the glory of God Almighty, the helpless girl of that fateful year whose future appeared bleak is now living a fulfilled life. I can't thank God enough.
To the praise of God, I am the ninth child of my parents, the last born and amazingly, the bread winner. I can never stop praising God. As for the blessing of my babies, it is just another evidence of God's special love for me. I serve a God who is big and is always doing big, big things for me. He has never left me nor looked down on me despite my weaknesses.
That's why I always tell people that I am a child of destiny. Everything I have today, I have by the grace of God Almighty.
How did it feel when you won gold at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996?
I was humbled. I didn't think I was going to win any medal least of all gold. All I did then was to put in my best and stood out. Before the event, some of my friends had told me they dreamt of me winning a gold medal and I simply told them they must have suffered from malaria fever. I mean, with all the big athletes around, how could they have gone to have such a dream. I simply waved it off.
It was not as if I felt inferior to them, but honestly, I wasn't expecting a gold medal. When I won it, I did not know what it meant until I got to Nigeria and saw the crowd.
When I saw the caliber of people and the number, I ran back. I was scared, I asked my coach what that was all for and he said it was all because of the gold medal I won. He said Nigeria didn't win in it in 52 years, so, it was a big record I broke. The crowd was something else. The fame, the goodwill that came with it is awesome. I thank God for all.
As a child, did you envisage any of the two careers you found yourself doing now?
http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/saturday-mirror/woman/im-a-child-of-destiny-chioma-ajunwa/
