Forget
about service chiefs or government posts, the most brazen acts of discrimination
which violate the federal character principle and offend our sense of equity,
justice and fair play have been taking place unnoticed in the Super Eagles and
in Nigerian football in general. From Shuaibu Amodu, Augustine Eguavoen and
Christian Chukwu to Samson Siasia, Stephen Keshi and now Sunday Oliseh, recent
managers of the Eagles have come from the South-South zone except for Chukwu
who is from the southeast). Not even the team captaincy is spared this affront
to justice. Vincent Enyeama succeeded a fellow native of the south-south,
Joseph Yobo, as captain. Their captaincies have coincided with the managerial
tenures of kinsmen from the south-south (and very conveniently with the
presidency of a son of the Niger Delta at least until May this year).
This
pattern of discrimination, nepotism, and tribalism (and any other
nasty-sounding “ism” you care to name) didn’t start today. Chukwu, Keshi,
Eguavoen, Uche Okechukwu, Oliseh are all past Eagles captains and all from the
south-south and southeast. For that matter, Nduka Ugbade, Wilson Oruma
(south-south) and Nwankwo Kanu (southeast) all captained age-grade teams.
Benedict Iroha and Emmanuel Amuneke (southeast) are in the coaching set-up of
age grade teams. It is worth noting that the prestigious No.10 jersey has been
monopolized by the south-south and the southeast through players like Friday
Ekpo, Etim Esin, Jay-jay Okocha and John Obi Mikel. Considering the lucrative
financial rewards and allied socio-economic opportunities that footballers
enjoy, it is clear that the south-south and the southeast have found a unique
channel of access to the national cake.
What
is even more alarming is how this clear case of favouritism and bias has been
internationalized. When CAF decided that it was finally time for a Nigerian
side to win the elusive African Champions League trophy, it zoned it to Enyimba
of Aba. And when UEFA decided that Nigerians were worthy of winning the
Champions League trophy, it awarded it to Messrs. Finidi George and Nwankwo
Kanu, (south-south and southeast respectively) then of Ajax Amsterdam in 1993.
This
raises important questions crucial to the survival of Nigeria. Why have other
geopolitical zones been so callously marginalized in the captaincy and
management of our national football teams? Is the southeast being denied the
presidency on account of its domination of football (and Nollywood)? Was Biafra
(if it had survived) actually Africa’s best hope of winning the World Cup? Why
despite the contributions of Garba Lawal, Sani Kaita and Tijanni Babangida has
the captaincy of the Eagles never been zoned to the north? Will the south-south
and the southeast get more command positions in the armed forces, if they
relinquish their grip on the super Eagles? Are the south-south and the southeast
implementing a “born to rule” (in football) agenda? Why do only Christians
captain the Eagles? What incriminating pictures of Keshi did midfielder Fegor
Ogude have in his possession that guaranteed his place in the Eagles?
What
in the name of Moses Kpakor does a Middle Belter have to do to captain the
Eagles? (Kpakor, the patron saint of unfortunate footballers was on the verge
of a lucrative move abroad from BCC Lions when he sustained a career-ending
injury in 1990. Informed sources have linked that mishap to Friday Ekpo’s
nocturnal visits to witchdoctors in Calabar). Ogienyi Onazi almost lost a leg
in our World Cup exit to France last year and still he continues to be ignored.
And, no, John Obi Mikel, though born and bred in Jos, doesn’t count. We want a
real indigene and a proper son of the soil, preferably one that has played for
JIB Rocks or Plateau United or the great BCC Lions of Gboko.
Who
truncated the totally baseless rumour much anticipated transfer of local
goal-scoring phenomenon, Emmanuel Makadas to Barcelona? Why did sons of the
Middle Belt like Patrick Mancha and John Zaki not go further than they did?
Could they have been victims of the same southern conspiracy that sabotaged the
Super Eagles career of the first Ahmed Musa a.k.a. Yaro-Yaro, a magician who by
all accounts was destined to become Nigeria’s answer to Lionel Messi in the
late 1990s? These are all national questions that need answering.
There
are those who argue that Oliseh was employed on merit and is the best man for
the job. This is preposterous nonsense. The need to give every zone, ethnicity,
religion, state, local government area, clan, hamlet and household a sense of
belonging must override sentimental considerations like merit and competence. These
are Western ideals that have no place in our culture. Besides, everyone knows
that football is a game of luck that has nothing to do with skill, preparation
and planning, and that it is the almighty God who zones victory to whomever he
wills. (Tournaments are won through prayer and fasting and by retaining the
services of witchdoctors, pastors and marabouts)
That
these issues of marginalization were not discussed at the National Conference
last year must go down as a grievous oversight. After three or four successive
managers from the southeast and south-south, the position of Eagles manager
should obviously have been zoned to the north central (with the great Daniel
Amokachi available) or to the northeast (what about the legendary Patrick Pascal?).
This makes so much sense since the northeast is supposed to be getting
everything these days.
The
blatant marginalization of other zones by the southeast and the south-south in
the management and captaincy of the Super Eagles is a national crisis. This is
the kind of problem that should keep President Muhammadu Buhari up at
night.
(Images sourced from www.naijaloaded.com and www.dailypost.ng)
