Wanjiru’s death a wake up call to athletics fraternity

Whereas I agree with writer Al Kags (the Star newspaper of 18th May) that runner Samuel Wanjiru’s death is a big loss to his family and the country, I disagree with him when he says we are all to blame for Wanjiru’s death. It reminds me of the story where a young man went to his father and asked for his part of the family’s wealth. After his father gave him his share of the wealth, the young man went to a far away land, where he lived on the fast lane of life and within no time, his wealth was all gone. He even started feeding on pig’s food. Famished and in tatters, he returned home to his father, who welcomed him with open arms. The only difference with Wanjiru’s story is that Wanjiru did not get the opportunity to redeem himself after making the mistake that many young people always make in life. His death was indeed sudden and painful, but I think writer Al Kags seems to be taking things too far, perhaps in his desire to be seen to be sympathetic to the family, when he wants to make us feel guilty for Wanjiru’s death. Wanjiru’s rise and death is simply what we would call a case of having too much too soon in life without adequate preparation for handling the same, like the young man in the above story. The good thing is that the young man came to his senses soon and returned home, while Wanjiru did not. Al Kags’ argument that society is to blame for Wanjiru’s death is typically the Kenyan way of doing things, people not wanting to take responsibility for their own actions. It is common to hear people blaming the government and asking the same government to come to their rescue, when actually, it is the people who are to blame for the problems facing them. For instance, we have seen people going to live in forests against government policy and when they are evicted they start blaming others, forgetting that they went into the forests in he first place against government policy. Al Kags cannot point fingers to the whole of society for the problems that befell Wanjiru, sad as it may be. I think that if there is anyone to apportion blame to it is the runner’s handlers, the people who were close to him and helped him to reach where he was. It is not even his mother. How can you and I be a part of his problem when I have never interracted with him closely, other than seeing him on television running? What has happened to Wanjiru can happen and will happen to any young man who finds himself in the situation Wanjiru found himself in. He was only 24 years old when he died but the kind of wealth he had not many in his age group have and will ever have. The young man could not handle the wealth that came his way at such a young age. Look at it this way; the kind of wealth Wanjiru had is what some of the wealthiest men in this country have, yet these people are in their 50s, 60s or 70s. Media reports say that Wanjiru had his first millions in his early 20s. Who of us would not be disoriented to receive such a big amount of money at such an age? We have read many times and we have been told stories of many old men, older than Wanjiru, who have ran away from home and gone to have good times with women who are not their wives, after getting bonus payment for tea or after getting their golden handshake after retirement. It is a fact that many of these athletes come from a rural background and are not so exposed when they suddenly find themselves in the limelight. This sudden change of status finds many of them unprepared. They do not know how to handle themselves and how to treat others around them. Suddenly they find that all the things they could not have because of financial limitations, now they are able to acquire. This is what makes some of them who lack discipline and guidance to fall by the way. Looked at in this context, what happened to Wanjiru should not surprise anyone, and Al Kags should not blame society for that. It is upon the concerned parties themselves like the athletes, their agents and the athletics body in the country to find ways and means of helping those who find themselves in a situation like Wanjiru’s. One of the ways would be to encourage the athletes to have financial managers and counselors who will help them to manage their wealth and handle the fame that comes with their elevated status in society. The athletics fraternity of coaches and athletes agents should work closely and they should be able to sit and talk with the athletes whenever they realize that some of them have social problems that may end up in ugly situations like Wanjiru’s. This is their responsibility because they are the people who are bound to gain or loose the most if the lives of the athletes end up tragically, like what we have seen with some of our local stars. Therefore, Al Kags should not try to blame me when I have nothing to do with the death of Wanjiru.