Super Eagles Outing At 34th AFCON And Need For Unity Among Nigs

Super Eagles Outing At 34th AFCON And Need For Unity Among Nigs

The 34th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations ended last Sunday with the Super Eagles emerging as the second-best team on the continent after losing the coveted trophy to the host, Cote d’voire.

The gallant Eagles were 29 minutes away from glory before the Ivorians came from behind to snatch the victory.

Nigeria went unbeaten until the last match before they tasted defeat on a day that it was most avoidable.

However, the team’s resilience and commitment brought to the fore, the never-say-die spirit of an average Nigerian who never gives up even in the face of daunting challenges.

Nigeria also had the longest winning streak in the competition, winning four matches at a stretch.

Nigeria’s defender, William Ekong equally won the Most Valuable Player of the Tournament award joining his compatriots, Christian Chukwu who won in 1980, Rashidi Yekini who got the award in 1994 and Austin Okocha who was the Most Valuable Player at the 2004 tournament.

When Nigeria qualified for the final match of the tournament after beating South Africa, President Bola Tinubu sent a congratulatory message to them.

A part of the message said “you have made us all Proud to be Nigerians’’.

Also, when the team lost the final, Vice President Kashim Shettima addressed them.

Some of his words went thus ‘’You are the source of our national unity”.

When the Super Eagles play, there is no race, no region, no religion, you unite us’’.

The messages by the leaders of the country aptly depicted the mood of the nation when the young and patriotic Nigerians were in the football trenches defending their fatherland.

Even in faraway Cote d’voire, the videos of the players and officials singing worship songs together was a huge reminder that unity and religious tolerance were tonic for national unity.

The spirit of oneness displayed by Nigerians back home and across the world whenever Nigeria played speaks volumes about the unity of the people.

The moments when a Nupe man hugs an Ijaw man, a Tiv man lifts a Fulani man and a Kanuri lady smiles and hugs a Yoruba lady, all to celebrate those memorable moments, truly displayed beauty to the way Nigerians related.

It is sad that the country lost some patriots who, driven by patriotism and love for country, succumbed to death in the course of cheering the Eagles during the semi-final match between Nigeria and South Africa.

Just like the composition of the team, every Nigerian should be given the chance to contribute to nation building in whatever capacity to carry out their lawful businesses without molestation.

The attitude of seeing some Nigerians as lesser than others should be a thing of the past.

The Eagles would not have gone far in the tournament, if they did not play as a team.

It is therefore pertinent for Nigerians to embrace team spirit to make the country great, prosperous and indivisible.

The unity displayed during the season is enough indication that the things which unite Nigerians are more than those that divide them.

Nigerians also need to desist from the act of cyber-bullying of some players for the country’s loss to Cote d’ivoire since football is a team sport.

It is also incumbent on those in authority to lead with patriotism, responsibility and the fear of God to be able to extract absolute support and cooperation of the masses, and for the Super Eagles, they should not despair.

They need to put behind them, the disappointment of not giving their beloved country a fourth Africa Cup of Nations title.

Yesterday is gone, tomorrow is another day.

The next tournament is another opportunity for them to gift their beloved country the much-desired title when Africa converges on Morocco next year to fight for glory.

By Linus Hagher, Edited By Grace Namiji