Fearing for the Super Eagles, thanking Ben Ayade

The African Nations’ Cup starts in Egypt this month and Nigeria’s Super Eagles will participate. I’m worried about the safety of our boys. Over the years, one had had to worry each time they travelled together; what with those flight-related issues linked to the football teams of some other nations. So, each time the Super Eagles travelled, I quietly said a few words, wishing them a safe journey. Of course, whoever pays attention to how government officials in this country handle issues concerning sportsmen would be equally concerned. Did anyone forget how Nigeria was almost disqualified by FIFA for the 2018 World Cup after we had qualified? Some football official messed up issues relating to the eligibility of Shehu Abdullahi playing in the last qualification match. Three points were deducted. For this and many more issues about football administration here, anyone should worry when the Super Eagles are in focus.

Egypt itself at this time gives one cause to be concerned. Cairo, the capital, was hit by terrorists of late. Everyone has been giving the matter a polish though. They say Egypt is fine. Whoever doesn’t want a failed event would say that regarding the host country. But smart nations take extra precautions regarding their own. The US did the other day when President Donald Trump was in London. It’s interesting to know that wherever the US leader goes, not less than 800 people –warriors and intelligence officers – follow him, mostly to support what the host does in the area of security. They were in London too where eight million pounds was expended in hosting the US leader. Also, the other day, the new Israeli ambassador to Nigeria presented his Letter of Credence to President Muhammadu Buhari. Where the President held a meeting with this ambassador, where the ambassador sat and signed a register, the unmistakable Mossad man (that is the Israeli intelligence service) stood like a cheetah, prepared to pounce if anyone made a wrong move.  Now, that the Super Eagles are in Egypt, our football administrators should ensure they are provided with adequate protection. I urge the National Security Adviser to ensure that plain-clothed armed men from Nigeria accompany our boys. I want Mr President to take interest in this matter. Football administrators too shouldn’t expect some of us to keep mute if any excuse is given later regarding the safety of our boys. For no official should think administering football is all about travelling around the world and earning dollars. It’s hard work, a thankless service to the nation. Whoever thinks he’s into football administration to collect salary only and mess up simple administrative matters such as we witnessed in Abdullahi’s case must realise now that he’s in the wrong place.

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Meanwhile, Nigerian boys are in almost every football league across the world. I was impressed by those that I saw in the European leagues as well as the US Major League Soccer in this last football season. They are even more noticeable in the latter; many in the former are good yet they don’t catch the attention of the Super Eagles’ technical bench. Two of them are part of the current team in Egypt though – Henry Onyekuru in Turkey and Victor Osimhen in Belgium. Both were among the highest goal scorers in the countries where they played. Osimhen lately scored the fastest goal in the Belgian football league history, and some of his goals made me conclude he was a lethal striker. That impression didn’t start today.

Osimhen was part of the Under-17 set that won the 2015 World Cup. He’s kept up the impression I had of him during the 2015 World Cup. His moves that time reminded me of the link between Sunday Oliseh and Rashidi Yekini during the 1994 Nations Cup in Tunisia. In that tournament, Oliseh in the midfield often played the role of the tall wiry Sergio Busquets of Barcelona FC who sent long accurate passes to Lionel Messi. Of course, the consequence is devastating.  There was a particular move made by the 2015 Under-17 set which remained etched in my mind, the team’s signature move, and Osimhen was at the end of it. Someone sent him a pass from the midfield. He collected it on the right flank, a few feet away from the 18-yard box, and after a few dribbles, the ball ended in the net. I recall, as it was happening,  taking note of the quality of the pass from the midfield, how Osimhen received the ball, the quality of the run that followed, the ensuing goal, and how I had spontaneously said in my mind, “This team is dangerous.” It was the only Nigerian team regarding which I ever entertained such a thought.

The other set of Nigerian players that left a lasting impression on me was the 1994 class of Super Eagles in Tunisia. They were strong, solid and so dependable that in the final match of the 1994 Nations Cup, and after Zambia scored the first goal, I settled down more comfortably believing the game had just begun. We scored two goals and won the tournament. With all due respect to the Zambians who were worthy opponents, when the match ended and their boys were weeping, I was genuinely surprised and had said, “Did they think they could beat us?” That was a measure of my confidence in the 1994 set. The 1996 group that won the Olympic gold medal also inspired confidence. That was an assembly of talented players, the more experienced mixed with younger players. When Brazil was three goals up in the Semi-Final match, I had said in my mind, “If this team could not beat Brazil, which Nigerian team could?” In the end, we beat the Brazilians and proceeded to the final match against Argentina.

After I saw a few of the goals Osimhen scored during the 2018-2019 league season in Belgium, I concluded the young lad had remained as dangerous as ever. Now, only Osimhen can stop Osimhen. I mean the sky cannot be his limit if he maintains focus and abstains from vices that ruin careers. He will go up, no doubt, but he must manage success well by remaining his normal self, improve his game, and just focus on the next game, and the next game. Most Nigerian sportsmen don’t manage success well, little accolades get to them and before one knows it they are down.  They fail to cultivate the habits of professionals. True professionals stay normal, remain calm, they don’t drift along with life and its vanity, rather they are fully in charge of their affairs and their senses. It’s the only way to get to the top and remain there. There may be a motley crowd that expects successful sportspersons to start raising their shoulders, paying more attention to what doesn’t make them better players. But there are also people who nod with respect and admiration for sportsmen who remain calm-headed no matter what they have achieved. I wish Osimhen well. I shall be on the lookout for him in the years to come. I’m not expecting him to disappoint.

Now, few days ago Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State held a meeting with leaders of a visiting religious body. He said any member of the religious organisation who was interested in investing in agriculture in his state was welcome. That’s more like it. We’re used to religious bodies who visit state governors and all they want is release of public funds for some of them tour the Holy Lands. This time, Ayade asked whoever had among his visitors to bring for the state to benefit. Sometimes, I wonder if state governors ascertain if those who pressure them to release public funds to tour the Holy Lands exert any positive impact on their elections. For me, if state governors have funds to dish out, they should select unemployed youth in houses of worship and train them in Nigeria to either be employable or self-employed. Such youth reward politicians better during elections because they are more, more of them vote, and they influence their peers to vote. State governors ought to know this if they let relevant data or demography determine where they deploy public funds, rather than lamely bowing to the blackmail of religious bodies.