Yesterday, I reluctantly went to the stadium to watch the Super Eagles World Cup qualifier match against Ghana. Reluctant because there was this uncertainty of a guarantee of security, given the mood and state of the nation, especially as it was less than 24hours after the Kaduna Train terrorist attack, that left many Nigerians dead, maimed and traumatized.
As I approached the stadium around 5:45pm, I was amazed at the excitement and passion of thousands of Nigerians that were scampering to get a seat at the already overflowing 60,000 capacity Abuja National Stadium. The mood inside the stadium itself was ecstatic, filled with chants, cheers & boos, loud sounds of vuvuzela, all in unalloyed support and show of patriotism to Nigeria and Super Eagles. I’ve never seen that much number of people sing Nigeria’s National Anthem that passionately, with hope as the match was about to start. It was an exciting place to be, not minding the risk of such huge gathering in a now unsafe Nigeria.
Well, we all know how disappointing both the Super Eagles players and the coaching crew were, a performance that left me in conclusion that I played way better than all those Nigerian players, and wondered how they are even the super stars they are in Europe.
No creativity in the game, no strategy, no urgency, tasteless, and felt like a regular I-challenge-you-take-one-post play in a make shift field that most guys are used to.
Anyways, it was still fun being out there, and it made me understand and appreciate why European league football matches are always filled to the brim. Seeing the disappointment of Nigerian fans that trooped out to support the Super Eagles and indeed across the country, I deduced one thing; Nigerians still love Nigeria, but Nigeria doesn’t love Nigerians.
Nigerians are resilient and passionate people, with the capacity to be very patriotic, even more than Americans are to their country, but they are like a herd without a Shepherd. They just need leadership that will guide and direct the people to progress, and discipline the errant 2% monsters of the population like the ones you saw vandalizing the stadium yesterday.
Nigeria is possible. Only if we chose Leadership that works. Let’s take 2023 General Elections with all the seriousness it deserves, as that seems like the only hope of any future for Nigeria!
BY EMMANUEL NJOKU.
FCT ABUJA.
