The 29th day of March will forever remain indelible in the hearts of Nigerians when the Super Eagles of Nigeria failed to qualify for the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.
Nigerians, who trooped out en masse from all over the country to support the senior men’s football team, met the shocker of their lives from the lackadaisical attitude of the Super Eagles against their West African rivals, the Black Stars of Ghana.
After the first leg of the qualifying encounter to secure the ticket to Qatar in Kumasi, Nigerians had no iota of doubt whatsoever about the Super Eagles qualification for the international event that showcases the culture of soccer among football-loving countries.
Inspired by the passion and enthusiasm for the sport, Nigerians travelled from every part of the country by air and land to cheer the Super Eagles to a must-win victory. This is ascertained by the roaring crowd that echoed thunderous chants in support of the Super Eagles on matchday.
The sight of the number of cars packed by Nigerian supporters around the stadium spanned all link roads to the venue of the cracker between the two teams. From the stadium, along Airport road, cars were parked as far as Lugbe on one side and further towards the FCT Central Area, on the other. Link roads to Berger and Area 1 were shut down and gridlocks surfaced on all routes leading to the stadium.
With such massive support, the Super Eagles had no reason not to score at least three goals against the Ghanaians. Anything less is a total disregard of the patriotic dispositions of the Nigerian people toward the national football team.
Unified for the particular purpose to see the name of the most populous African country listed among the contenders for the finals of the FIFA World Cup in November, the multi-ethnic nation spoke in one language that reminisces the dreams of our heroes past for our beloved nation.
In different regalia, depicting the “Green-White-Green” of our national flag, the Nigerian people walked majestically around the stadium premises with more still trooping in to feel the ecstatic warmth from the atmosphere of an envisaged victory before kick-off. To them, “the match which has been won by Nigeria already should come to an end, and let’s go wide in celebration”.
The time has come with the match referee, Morocco’s Rédouane Jiyed, and supporting officials walking into the field with the Super Eagles trailing behind them. This was heralded by rumbling chants by Nigerians that shook the entire support pillars of the stadium to welcome the “pride of African football”.
Like a flower that shrinks the moment it is detached from its parent stalk, it took 120 minutes to change the reactionary tones of Nigerians (hell was let loose) as Ghana qualified ahead on away goal advantage at the sound of the whistle.
The once ecstatic atmosphere became hostile as the feeble amongst them became the fiercest. They raged in anger and none could be stopped or pacified. The attitude and commitment of the players in the game took the center of every discussion with Augustine Eguavoen, Super Eagles Head Coach, and the entire technical crew taking their share of criticism.
Nigerians react:
In an interview by The Trumpet correspondent with some fans during the wanton destruction of the country’s national assets at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium by angry Nigerians, they vented their frustrations on the shabby performance of the Super Eagles players but only exempted Victor Osimhen.
According to them, corruption has eaten deep into the system which favours mediocrity for meritocracy. They stressed that Nigeria is too blessed with talented footballers on the street, in slums and suburbs who if assembled, would defeat the Black Stars of Ghana hands down.
Suleiman Dada said: “I came from Sokoto to support my country. Doing this, I left my business to come to cheer my country to victory but you could see the way they played like people that have not played the game before.
“They spoiled my day, ruined my joy and I lost money by putting my business on hold because of this game,” he added.
A man from the southeastern part of the country who preferred to remain anonymous lamented that the Super Eagles are fond of disappointing Nigerians when it mattered most.
“The Super Eagles are fond of disappointing Nigerians at the time they are needed to perform.
“The goalkeeper Francis Uzoho made a big mess of himself, not Nigerians because the ball he parried into the net my late grandmother can catch that ball.
“Let me make it clear that the one thing that still keeps us together is this thing here [football], outside that nothing else; yet these players could not perform except Osimhen who was determined to score.
“Mark today’s date, this is the last time I will ever watch a Nigeria match in my life,” he lamented.
Meanwhile, Omamuzo Edafe disagreed with the actions of Nigerians to cast blame on the Super Eagles noting that the foundation upon which the team is built is faulty.
According to him, the Super Eagles players are professionals trying to play safe because if they get themselves injured in the course of the game, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) leaves them to their faith.
He said: “I take exception to the blame and criticism of the players who were being careful not to get themselves wounded.
“The system is bad right to its roots with a poor severance package to take care of players who are victims of rough tackles.
“So I find it appalling for Nigerians to misdirect the actual course of the predicaments rocking Nigeria football to the Super Eagles players.
“How many of our local referees were picked to officiate in the Qatar 2022 World Cup qualifiers? What does that tell you about the football system of the country where local teams in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) always win their home matches?” he added.
Edafe also condemned the decision of the NFF to sack the entire technical crew of the Super Eagles stating that is a gimmick to assuage itself from blame.
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He continued: “The NFF decision to sack the entire technical crew is taking medicine after death. It is a strategy to seek a reprieve to save its face from the criticism by Nigerians.
“Nigerians should not take them seriously. A federation that could hype up the media space that it had signed Portuguese coach Jose Peseiro and later said a different thing who on earth takes such people that talks from both sides of their mouth seriously.
“To me, if the system is revamped to cater adequately for wounded Super Eagles players and these crops of football administrators are checkmated appropriately, our football will improve tremendously,” he added.
