I didn’t hear the normal noise. Everywhere was quiet. I could practically hear the footprints of ants and chirping sounds of crickets. The last time I noticed this kind of magna silencia was on 1st of March 2023 by 4.18 am when Yakubu declared Tinubu the President.
11th of Feb was a night of sorrow, tension and nightmare. The bottles of champagne set aside to be popped remained untouched. The dance shoes already arranged for the victory, nobody remembered them again. One by one,with a drooping spirit many walked out of the viewing centres believing it was a dream. For those who watched from the comfort of their homes, straight to their beds, sulking. In all these, however one has to thank God for there was no lose of life unlike what happened previously.
Such is football! It has a way with ones emotion. It touches the very part of ones being, changing ones system and making it look like football begins and ends in every thing.
Many didn’t eat, many lost their peace, got so depressed nothing else was of interest to them within the moment. That is how powerful the strong hold of football on the emotions of many.
For the emotional fickle, they can kill because of football. For those who are so deeply connected to the game emotionally, they can crumble an age long relationship because of football. They get too emotional and wouldn’t fathom any reason why victory shouldn’t be assured.
Did Tinubu go there? One depressed and highy disappointed person asked.
He thought the presence of Tinubu at the match venue could have orchestrated such a lose. Such would tell one how far some Nigerians can go when football is involved. They don’t joke!
Nigerians have gone quiet in celebration . All men in their cocoons, licking the wound of defeat. They had wanted something different from the daily hardship they go through. They needed a smiling face which was difficult to achieve since May 29th 2023. They wanted for a second , to live and bask in the euphoria of victory to forget their woes and challenges.
Very close to achieving that after their victory against South Africa. Their mouth already wide open for the honey to be poured, but in a swift turn of events a vinegar of defeat instead was poured in their mouths.
With a speed of lightning the once cherished, loved and celebrated Super Eagles are today being criticised with a lot of undeserving comments from same fans who said few days ago they were the best.
When it comes to football,Nigerians are not good losers, always seeking and pining for victory and if it doesn’t come, every mileage got and achieved by the players are cantankerously hauled into dishonor, scathing criticisms, hate and unfriendly comments. This isn’t football!
I dare say, we are Nigerians, who do not know how to manage failure and defeat. We are Nigerians, who hype to the high heaven success, however it comes.
We are Nigerians, who know how to make a 360 degree U- turn from support to rejection. We don’t know what is called “mean” where virtue stands.
We are Nigerians, who understand only the theory of the end justifying the means. Could it be the reason we celebrate riches, money, fame etc regardless of the means of acquisition?
Failing isn’t a bad result. What remains bad is the disposition not to rise again to strive for better results.
I ask Nigerians and football enthusiasts, what was your initial expectation from the Super Eagles? Tell me you had expected a fantastic play to the finals and I will tell you how economical you are with truth. Not even a single Nigerian saw them making it to the finals. Not even one, based on their pre- tournament ratings believed they could get to the quarter finals.
They improved against your pre- tournament ratings, strived to lift the cup but missed it by whiskers. I think they deserve to be celebrated. They deserve to be honoured. They deserve our good comments and constructive criticisms for a better performance.
Let celebrate their second place. It is not easy. If Nigeria economy will do as much improvement the Super Eagles did, everywhere will be agog with jubilation.
I ask those who are still sulking, what is the place of Nigeria In this concluded AFCON? Use it as a model to measure other growth indices in our economy, politice etc.
For now they are our heroes! They made us proud! I pop champagne for them and for other Nigerians who are not sour losers. Tommorow is another day.
Well done Super Eagles! The Eagle of Africa. Who killed the lion, hacked down the Antelope, made a mince meat of the Bafanas etc..
To the Ivorians congratulations! You did well. This is what is called incremental progress. From grass to grace. I have read many motivational expressions from your AFCON performance from 1,) The last shall be the first 2) Never write off anybody 3) What matters is how you end not how you begin. 4) Don’t judge a man by his first round performance 5) Dry bones shall rise again. Etc These are motivational expressions that would help one get through life and its puzzling challenges.
To Nigerians, the spirit of sportsmanship is the ability to manage both victory and defeat and still maintains the calmness of mind. I doubt many of us have reached to this level of emotional intelligence. Imagine someone suggesting that the match was sold 😆 He said, what business has Shettima with the AFCON? “It was the night after the semi finals that Shettima concluded the deal of selling the final match, just like Yakubu sold Nigerians votes to them”. Goodness!
Presently his Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu is playing against bad economy, insecurity, injustice, corruption etc if only he can perform like the Eagles or better still like the Ivorians who came smoking and shooting from all cylinders, from their lacklustre performance to an excellent one. Let each of them ( Super Eagles or Ivorians) happen to Tinubu and Nigerians will be fine for it.
Jarlath Uche Opara Jarlathuche@gmail.com
