Our Nigerian story: Football is Nigeria’s Glue By Somto Mbah, Indeed, I’m not sure if its the right word, but surely football is a beautiful game. Yes, it is only 11 versus 11 vying for glory and dominance on the football pitch. But when the green and white stripes of our Super Eagles are on show, every nation knows or should know that over 160 million Nigerians are fighting together as one with one purpose: victory on all fronts. The sport is more than just a game for us: the moment you are born in Nigeria, up to the day you take your first steps for which more often than not involve kicking a football, the game is tailored to bring us together. There is no Nigerian who does not love or understand football, and I say this with conviction. A few weeks ago, Nigeria wrapped up a thrilling 1-0 victory over Bosnia & Herzegovina, our first and only win in the world cup. On that particular night, there was no power(electricity) in my estate. Normally, residents turn off their generators around 11pm but the game was also supposed to kick-off at the same time. I, therefore, wasn’t surprised when I stepped out during half-time for a breath of fresh air and heard generator noise. All the generators that were supposed to be ‘resting’ by this time were on, singing a melodious tune, as the Super Eagles fought against opposition in Brazil. The day after the victorious win was a Sunday. In every church, green was the colour to wear. The praise and worship session in my church was met with a lot of bubbling energy and it was a really wonderful sight. Everyone was celebrating with the same energy and wavelength as Odemwinge when he scored the goal. I’m saying this because Nigerians are naturally independent in their thoughts, and when we disagree on something, you can be absolutely sure that we will voice out their opinions, but, if there is one thing we all agree upon, it’s our love for football and our potential as a country. A recent study shows that more than 83 percent of Nigerians love football, 5 percent more than in any other country. If you get in a danfo bus and drive to anywhere with space and soft ground in Nigeria, you will see people playing football with plastic bottles, cans, paper-balls, and basically anything that is circular and can stand in place of a traditional football. You will see amputees with one arm performing ‘pannas’ on able-bodied men and you would stand and smile as one of the strongest images you would ever see will be forged in your mind forever. The beautiful game brings out the best in us as a people. We play football everywhere: in school, with our coworkers, or with neighbors on early Saturday mornings. Our team-mates on the pitch go on to become some of our closest friends, building bonds that will stand the test of time even in the face of adversity. The rivalries which ensue spur us on to conquer our opponents without mercy, pushing us to work even harder. A beautiful game in every sense of the word, and as Nelson Mandela used rugby to reconcile the Blacks and Whites in South Africa, football can do even more in Nigeria, without anyone even championing the cause. Such is the power football has over Nigerians. Can it glue us together?
Posted on: Sat, 09 Aug 2014 13:26:46 +0000
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