Hurray for the Golden Eaglets!

Istanbul itself will be on the same page with this decision because, unknown to many Nigerians at home, Nigerian footballers are heroes and house-hold names in the streets of Turkey cities. From the taxi driver with their smattering English to the high-brow Ministers, the names of J.J. Okocha, Yobo Yobo and the new dazzler, Emenike, […]

Istanbul itself will be on the same page with this decision because, unknown to many Nigerians at home, Nigerian footballers are heroes and house-hold names in the streets of Turkey cities. From the taxi driver with their smattering English to the high-brow Ministers, the names of J.J. Okocha, Yobo Yobo and the new dazzler, Emenike, are on the fond lips of most people in Istanbul. My friend who recently visited South Korea also confirms the ambassadorial status of our footballers in far-away Seoul. So, whether they know these young heroes of the U-17 Nigerian team who have just helped Nigeria to rule the world of soccer or not, they will be looking forward to picking their new Okochas to boost and add quality to their club sides. For, Turkish are like us in their unqualified love for the round-leather game.
In the midst of our misery-invoking happenings on our land, the un-abating terrorist rampage as they slug it out with the soldiers (more deaths are hitting shallow graves in Borno State); Herdsmen and farmers are killing themselves in mortal combat in Benue, the stampede in Uke church, Enugu State, has recently added to the national grief, and so on, there must be something to cheer the spirit and comfort the soul. There must be something to carve a model of the infinite possibility of triumph and victory on our land. The game of football has recently begun again to provide that succour; that expedient balm on the cancerous wound on the national spirit. This year alone, some intervention in the recurrent cycle of dastardly living has happened twice through the instrumentality of soccer. This year is the year of the return of the Super eagles to the winning spirit, anchored by the victory in the African Cup of Nations, which we won last Nineteen years hence, and Keshi is taking the boys into greater heights by ensuring that they qualify the nation for their fourth appearance in the World Cup (by the time you are reading this column, it should have happened).
Now, the streets are agog with victory songs and celebration galore for the new heroes. Under the meek and humble but tactical and strategic tutelage of their coach, Manu Garba, the Golden Eaglets won the FIFA U-17 World Cup for the fourth time, the first nation ever to have recorded that feat in the history of the game. And more, they scored a total of 26 goals, again breaking the record of goal scoring in that event. They went ahead to cart numerous other laurels from the tournament, including the Fair play cup, the golden hand for the best gold keeper of the tournament, the most valuable player of the tournament and a silver boot—all of which confirm the supremacy of the team from the blast of the opening whistle until victory hour on Friday, November 8, 2013.
Victory, as they say, gathers a multitude of friends, only failure suffers the fate of an orphan. Deservedly, every Nigerian is in the streets pouring accolades on the new heroes who have brought smiles on our quavering lips from too much incidents of grief. From the Embassy in Turkey which gave them a boat ride, to the applauding national delegation led by Senate President, it is praise-song galore. Back home, State governors, Ministers, YSOF President, labour, and numerous outstanding football enthusiasts are dancing in the street for the great exploits and accomplishments that these young lads have brought to our land to cheers us up. It is also true that the President of the nation who had visited the older team earlier in Addis Ababa, sent promise to the team of an unforgettable gift  that they will receive  when they come back home with the victory cup and he has since hosted them—lavishly we are  told.
As we savour this moment of bliss and triumph; as we celebrate this rare feat of success brought to us by a generation whose future we have been battling hard to mortgage in our grand refusal to turn the potentials of this country to great benefit for all and sundry, what lessons have we learnt that will be enduring victory–lessons that will bring growth and development to our social economy in all sectors of our national life? Let us begin from football itself from which we are cornering insufficiently earned glory.  It is not enough to shower the lads with soporifying gifts of transient value—huge sums of money, promises of mansions, and so on. Yes, it is good to show such appreciation to young and impressionable minds like these so as to keep their spirit high. But beyond that, what enduring value will emerge from these victories? If we search our consciences, to begin with, what capital did we invest into these teams that justify their victory and our claim of victory? What shall become of the team after this stage of their career? Will the team be nurtured into the great players of tomorrow that will join or take over from the Super Eagles and make our greatness in the field of  soccer a continuous one rather than a whistle stop or a brief candle? Their coach, the meek disciplinarian who brought exemplary leadership and inspiring guide that led the team to triumph has pointed a direction. He has pronounced his wish that these eaglets must be nurtured to become the future Super Eagles. His words; ‘ I see them moving up to the U-20 team  and then becoming the future Super Eagles’. Great vision backed by personal record of consistency in the training guild. Starting himself as the coach of Gombe United, he rose to become the Assistant Coach to Yemi Tella who won for Nigeria the U-17 in Korea in 2007.He has now won for himself, with tenacity, endurance, steely discipline and humaneness the most emphatic U-17 World Cup so far. Shall the nation emulate this model? Keep the team together, provide for them, and nurture them until they move from promising lambs to stout sheep? Or shall they peter off, as usual, scampering afield, seeking greener pastures in other lands until a Keshi goes picking them from around the Globe for Super Eagles assignments?
Will our national leadership circuit also pick a lesson or two from Manu’s leadership record—selflessness, meekness (the type that converts power to inspiration?) and firmness in fairness? Shall they shun god-fatherism in preference for merit and do more and more away with federal character that lacks character and pick the best across the country to serve this nation in all endeavours and capacities?
It is time to say congratulations to Garba Manu and his heroic lads–the bringers of hope, succour, bliss and joy to our beleaguered nation at a time it needs it most.