Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi | credits: speechlog.com
“Hmmm. Hear every Nigerian praising the Super Eagles. Just let them lose the next match and you know that Nigerians are fair-weather lovers of Super Eagles and bad losers. You will hear some things like "Is this the team they are taking to the world cup?", "We need a foreign coach", "Keshi has no technical ability...why did he not remove Victor Moses and bring in Kanu Nwankwo or Finidi George" (just all manner of nonsense talk because there are 160million coaches in Nigeria. I am one. You are one.)” – Chris Eze Ozims
I agree with my
friend, Chris Eze Ozims in this Face book post of February 2013 after Nigeria
won the African Nations Cup, and reposted recently in course of the ongoing
world cup in Brazil. Well almost in all respect, except that I am not one the
160 million coaches in Nigeria, even in the cynical sense he meant it! This is because
I take a passive interest in football, whilst not diminishing the fact that it
is unarguably the world’s most popular sport. I am not one that reels off the
names and wings of English premier and European league stars and their career
trajectory. Neither am I a fan of any of the clubs - I don’t lose my cool when
they are winning or losing. The local league, obviously commands less attention
on account of its level of development in Nigeria.
However, I do get
interested enough to follow football at the national level, that is when it
involves Nigeria and other nations such as the case in world cup. Even if I
don’t watch the live telecast, I go out of my way to get a summary from the
news media or one of the ‘160 million coaches’ according to Chris. Though I
didn’t watch the Super Eagles goalless match with Iran, one of the numerous
coaches – my 12 year old son – provided an informed view when I asked him: ‘The
match was ok, but Nigerians should have won; because they had the ball most of
the time’. Of course Nigeria then beat Bosnia-Herzegovina 1-0 and though it
lost to Argentina 2-3, it went on to qualify for the round of 16, which many
thought was not possible. In fact another title for this blog post could be:
‘Impatient Nigerians; Now that Super Eagles has qualified for the next round’.
There are lessons
from Nigeria’s progress so far in the world cup. Football is a game, and even
as in other spheres of life, where there are competing interests some may win
and others will lose. We all prepare to win, but if the reverse is the case, we
should have the frame of mind to learn from the experience, prepare for the
next and move on gallantly.
In the game of life, don’t rule out anyone. Situations can change;
a turn of certain circumstances can be to our favour. Nigeria lost the game to
Argentina, but with the turn of events within the teams of Bosnia and Iran, we
qualified alongside Argentina in Group F! My friend, Ozims talked about fair
weather lovers, but there are those that actually wanted the Eagles to fail. I
heard a woman say something to the effect, ‘I told you they will lose,
they should just come back home’. What a negative mindset!
To achieve positive results we have maximize the use of our
talent. I believe the tide for Nigeria began to change, when Keshi brought in
Peter Odemwingie (see the 160 million-coaches mentality!). The lone goal scored
by him in the Bosnia tie ensured a much needed full three points. Ahmed Musa
built on the new level of confidence to net in two goals into the Argentinean
net. Another point that must be made here is that we should not overate any
opponent or challenge; face it will all you have. Keshi did admit that they
paid too much respect for Argentina. You are not the only one in a battle; even
your enemy also has a butterfly in their stomach!
As Nigeria meets
former champions France in the second round on Monday, we urge Keshi and the
boys to go in with all we have, and God on our side, we shall overcome and
advance to the quarterfinals! Who says it is not possible to #BringTheWorldCupHome!???
Last Line: “When the Lord brought back the captives to
Zion, we were like men who dreamed. Our
mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was
said among the nations,
"The Lord has done great things for them." The Lord has done great things for us, and we
are filled with joy”. Psalm 126:1-3 NIV
God can change every situation for good; but you require a
covenant relationship with Him. To find out more about God and how you can have
a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, visit any Bible believing church
near you, or: CHAPEL OF DESTINY RESTORATION CHURCH, 2 Akinlabi Lane, off
Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, by Round About Bus Stop, Ikeja. Lagos. Our Destiny
Seminar: ‘Releasing the Kingdom Inheritance’, continues today (3pm) and Sunday
(8am). I invite you to join us. I
believe the teaching will bless you!
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