Icheoku says watched Nigeria's Golden Eaglets overrun host country, Chilean Under 17 side and the verdict, the Coach Emmanuel Amuneke chaperoned boys performed brilliantly very well, routing the Chileans 5 - 1. It was not the goals nor the stellar performance put up by the Nigerian side that did it for Icheoku, no, it was the composition of the team, simply the best Nigeria has to offer without regards to federal character or quota system. The result was outstandingly worth mentioning as it goes to showcase the great possibilities that await a Nigeria truly united where no parochial allegiance is paid as to where any Nigerian comes from or the need to represent every section of the polity regardless of lack thereof of the most competent representative for the country.
When Nigeria wins, it is Nigeria that gets the honor and kudos, not the area that produced majority of those ambassadors of note. When commentators are calling the game, it is Nigeria that comes out of their mouth and not the geographical zone in Nigeria that sired those players. When the mesmerized sports writers write about the encounter, they reference Nigeria but not the part of the country from where they came. Icheoku therefore queries why not Nigeria continue in this part to greatness, leaving out those who wants to be left behind and allow them play catch-up if they later decide to so do and then compete. But a situation where very brilliant performers are sacrificed on the alter of federal character or quota system representation is not good for Nigeria and no rational Nigerian should stand by and watch this cancer continue to wreck havoc in Nigeria.
From the names of those brilliant boys at the FIFA Under-17 World cup tournament Chile 2015, it is obvious which geographical area in Nigeria produced most of them. It is equally obvious which religious belief majority of them adhere to. But these boys are bona fide Nigerians playing their hearts out and winning convincingly while flying the flag of Nigeria. This is exactly what a nation looks and should look like and this is the pathway to nationhood if Nigerians are seriously desirous of ever some day seeing their country morph into a nation.
Icheoku hopes that this group of very talented and formidable ball kickers can be kept and nurtured together as to someday graduate into the nations senior team, the Super Eagles. If they could outplay their counterparts from the United States of America 2-0 and now Chile 5-1 at this age, there is no reason why they should not be able to replicate the same classy performance five to ten years from now when these their current competitors from these other countries will similarly mature into their respective senior teams. But regrettably, a Nigeria under a spell, afflicted by crass partisanship, political rascality, parochial stupidity, religious bigotry, ethnic necropsy as well as other idiocies, including a very retrogressive federal character and leprosied quota system, will have this opportunity similarly fretted away as with every promising dream that went unfulfilled in the country.
Anyway, Icheoku plans to continue watching these beautiful boys of soccer do what they do best; and prays their effort is rewarded eventually with the tournament's golden trophy. These boys are good and Coach Amuneke is a viable soccer tactician and the combination shows. It simply shows the limitless possibilities awaiting a Nigeria where merit is allowed to take its rightful place. Like the defunct MAMSER once had it, if some people are good cattle rearers, they should be encouraged to rear their cattle better and more and more; if some people are good soccer players, they should be encouraged to play better and better; if some people are good politicians, they should be encouraged to play better and improved their politics. This way, the good will someday graduate into better and then go on to become the best; and collectively, only the best will then be representing Nigeria in every sphere. Or is this too much to ask of Nigerians, especially those Nigerians who are burning with a desire to see a Nigeria truly come of age. Icheoku says congratulations to Coach Amuneke and his Nigeria's Golden Eaglets on their performance this far. Icheoku wishes them all the best.
When Nigeria wins, it is Nigeria that gets the honor and kudos, not the area that produced majority of those ambassadors of note. When commentators are calling the game, it is Nigeria that comes out of their mouth and not the geographical zone in Nigeria that sired those players. When the mesmerized sports writers write about the encounter, they reference Nigeria but not the part of the country from where they came. Icheoku therefore queries why not Nigeria continue in this part to greatness, leaving out those who wants to be left behind and allow them play catch-up if they later decide to so do and then compete. But a situation where very brilliant performers are sacrificed on the alter of federal character or quota system representation is not good for Nigeria and no rational Nigerian should stand by and watch this cancer continue to wreck havoc in Nigeria.
From the names of those brilliant boys at the FIFA Under-17 World cup tournament Chile 2015, it is obvious which geographical area in Nigeria produced most of them. It is equally obvious which religious belief majority of them adhere to. But these boys are bona fide Nigerians playing their hearts out and winning convincingly while flying the flag of Nigeria. This is exactly what a nation looks and should look like and this is the pathway to nationhood if Nigerians are seriously desirous of ever some day seeing their country morph into a nation.
Icheoku hopes that this group of very talented and formidable ball kickers can be kept and nurtured together as to someday graduate into the nations senior team, the Super Eagles. If they could outplay their counterparts from the United States of America 2-0 and now Chile 5-1 at this age, there is no reason why they should not be able to replicate the same classy performance five to ten years from now when these their current competitors from these other countries will similarly mature into their respective senior teams. But regrettably, a Nigeria under a spell, afflicted by crass partisanship, political rascality, parochial stupidity, religious bigotry, ethnic necropsy as well as other idiocies, including a very retrogressive federal character and leprosied quota system, will have this opportunity similarly fretted away as with every promising dream that went unfulfilled in the country.
Anyway, Icheoku plans to continue watching these beautiful boys of soccer do what they do best; and prays their effort is rewarded eventually with the tournament's golden trophy. These boys are good and Coach Amuneke is a viable soccer tactician and the combination shows. It simply shows the limitless possibilities awaiting a Nigeria where merit is allowed to take its rightful place. Like the defunct MAMSER once had it, if some people are good cattle rearers, they should be encouraged to rear their cattle better and more and more; if some people are good soccer players, they should be encouraged to play better and better; if some people are good politicians, they should be encouraged to play better and improved their politics. This way, the good will someday graduate into better and then go on to become the best; and collectively, only the best will then be representing Nigeria in every sphere. Or is this too much to ask of Nigerians, especially those Nigerians who are burning with a desire to see a Nigeria truly come of age. Icheoku says congratulations to Coach Amuneke and his Nigeria's Golden Eaglets on their performance this far. Icheoku wishes them all the best.
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Christy 'Apena' Essien-Igbokwe , the wife of Jegede Shokoya of the New Masquerade and Nigeria's lady of songs is dead; she was 51years old. Although her family claimed that "brief Illness" killed her like so many Nigerians; Icheoku retorts that it was most likely AKwa Ibom voodoo and remote control that was used to arrest her. It is on record that she had fallen out with the governor of her native Akwa Ibiom State and have been having a relentless war for political turf with the governor? So who knows whether she was sacrificed to Ekpe cult or even Alusi-Okija as an offal; afterall African science is still very much alive and portent. May her soul rest in peace.
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