{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"Mathematical 7","provider_url":"https:\/\/mathematical7.com\/m7","title":"Sport in geo-politics at \u2018The Platform\u2019 - Mathematical 7","type":"rich","width":600,"height":338,"html":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"eYpKDjPgdd\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mathematical7.com\/m7\/sport-in-geo-politics-at-the-platform\/\">Sport in geo-politics at \u2018The Platform\u2019<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/mathematical7.com\/m7\/sport-in-geo-politics-at-the-platform\/embed\/#?secret=eYpKDjPgdd\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" title=\"&#8220;Sport in geo-politics at \u2018The Platform\u2019&#8221; &#8212; Mathematical 7\" data-secret=\"eYpKDjPgdd\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script>\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/\/# sourceURL=https:\/\/mathematical7.com\/m7\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-embed.min.js\n<\/script>\n","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/mathematical7.com\/m7\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/The-Platform.webp","thumbnail_width":1293,"thumbnail_height":660,"description":"I was on \u2018The Platform\u2019 during the week in Lagos, an intellectual stage for public presentation of view points and perspectives by invited speakers on subjects with a common theme and of national interest and significance, a compass for those in government and society as a whole.   The Platform has become an annual \u2018pilgrimage\u2019 for many Nigerians, a must-follow program that comes up every October 1, organised by Poju Oyemade, a senior pastor at the \u2018Covenant of Nations\u2019 christian church movement, headquartered in Lagos.   The irony is that religious issues are not on the yearly menu. It, therefore, appeals to people of all persuasions.   I was a guest 7 years ago. Last week\u2019s appearance makes it my second time.  The 4-hr program was masterclass of excellent papers presented by 6 invited speakers. It was followed by a panel discussion during which all the speakers took questions selected from a collated list from a global watching audience, via technology.   When it came to my turn, the simple question asked threw me off guard.  It was such a great question that my answer would have just crowned what I thought was good, a deep excursion into the history of Nigeria at the Olympics during moments of geopolitics in history that needed only an icing on the cake to give it teeth.  That piece was actually missing.   The interviewer had asked me what options I could proffer besides the example of \u2018protest\u2019 by African countries that I had advocated in my lengthy presentation loaded with history, uncommon stories and references, but was short on alternative answers."}