Nigerian Olympic medalist at the Beijing 2008 Olympics Chika Chukwumerije has attributed his podium success to the timely and unwavering support of the former sports boss Chief Dr Patrick Ekeji, the Statesman Newspaper reports.
Chukwumerije made this known to newsmen in a statement during a curtesy call to Dr Ekeji at the Owerri sports club on Wednesday August 25th.
Chukwumerije, accompanied by Mr Kennedy Onwunali Wakawaka sports CEO, 
said “You see, Chief Dr Patrick Ekeji was one of the critical reasons I stood on the podium at the Beijing 2008 Olympics. Certainly, bureaucracy, greed and corruption will have killed my dreams if someone of his deposition was not the sports boss at the time.
In 2007, I went to his office and asked to see him. I had never met him one on one.
Yes, Dr Ekeji was exactly that kind of sports boss. If you were an athlete, and demanded to see him, he will make time to see you.
I told him that I want to and will win a medal at Beijing Olympics. I had a detailed plan.
He didn’t put me down or discourage me. He just advised – win a gold at the All African Games, then qualify for the Olympics, then we will see.
I won a gold at Algiers 2007 AAG, then qualified for Beijing 2008 Olympics. I did both in style, giving technical knockouts to all four opponents I met in Algiers and also at the qualifying match for Beijing Olympics in Egypt.
True, I was that focused.
Chief Dr Pat Ekeji sent me a text a day after I qualified.
‘Let me see your program.’
Yes, I was ahead of my time. I wrote my Beijing 2008 Olympic training program myself. Modified it for London 2012 Olympics, then modified it even further and use it to qualify Elizabeth for Tokyo Olympics.
He took one look at my training program, and knew he was looking at something special.
He called a certain intelligent Deputy Director of Sports at the time, Mallam Al Hassan Yakmut.
‘I know you would appreciate and understand this comprehensive training program, written by this young man. See to it that it flies. I know we are on to something special here’
Certainly, this was thinking outside the box; and Chief Dr Ekeji certainly took a personal risk signing off on such an audacious proposal from a young athlete, who accepted all the multi-tasking functions that came with his plans.
But, that was that. The rest is history. His decision will forever remain a reference for the Olympic bronze I won in Beijing.
So, yes, I can never forget Chief Dr Pat Ekeji for the impact he made, not just on me, but on the Nigerian sporting landscape.
He was strict yet kind and approachable.
From a distance, I loved how you tackled issues headlong, protected athletes and pushed athlete-centric policies.
So, with all the pleasure in the world, I was thrilled to see him again today after 6 years.
To tell him what I have always told him – thank you so much for supporting when it matters most.
We will continue to love and appreciate you. We will proudly sing your praises for your impact on the Nigeria sporting landscape when you were at the helm of affairs.” He concluded.
Chukwumerije who was a student of FUTO Owerri as at the time he represented Nigeria during the Olympics also paid a curtesy call to the V.C of the varsity along side Elizabeth Anyancho a 22 year old Tokyo 2020 Olympic debutant who is also a student of the varsity.
The duo where well recieved by the V.C Prof. Mrs Nnenna Oti duly represented by the deputy V.C Prof. Emeka Emmanuel Oguike.
