Football is a game that brings people
of different ethnicity together to share a moment of mixed feelings which
could either be happiness or sadness, in every game of football played the
truth remains that some will retire happily while some will retire unhappy
because there will be winners and losers. Analyst and many sports commentators
will argue that football is a king of sports and from all indications it seems
to be true due to the wide coverage of it in the world at large.
Football is among one of the most
lucrative sports played around the globe both the players, coaches, technical
advisers, board of directors even the fans benefit from it in one way or the
other, it equally adds weight to the economy of any nation that have talented
and experienced players especially when they participate and win competitions
both nationally continentally or globally.
The game of football is one of the
unique event and sports that brings the continents and nations of the world
together, through nations cup that is being played in different continents of
the world and the biggest football event which is the world cup, that brings
together and the attention of the entire world especially the participating
nations.
Many nations and countries clamour to
host any football event be it their nation’s cup or the world cup due to its economic
value and other social benefits attached to it.
Apart from being a football lover and
a fan who can sacrifice time and money for the sake of football, I am
equally a player who performs handsomely in goalkeeping, when I was in
primary school and college I frequently participate almost in all the
games being played even when I am unwilling to do so but because my team will
like to have me on the goal post knowing what I am capable of doing; The
same is the case with our community annual football competition which takes
place in the month of December.
Despite the zeal and passion I have
for football, yet I made up my mind never to watch football game anymore until
Biafra is being restored. In the year 2015 I had an encounter in a newspaper
vendor's shop otherwise known as newspaper stand that pushed me to take the
decision which may not hold water in the sight of many when I am done telling
my story.
The scripture advised that whatever
it is that will prevent you from inheriting the kingdom of God you should
remove it, it goes further to say if it is your right hand that will be the
cause or one of your eye, that you should kindly remove it because it will be
better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye leg or hand than going
to hell with your complete body. This is to educate you that there is something
you must remove from meat before consumption of it and nothing good comes easy
on earth.
One evening around 5:00pm before the
official commencement of English premier league EPL in 2015, I went to our
usual newspaper stand in Texaco filling station at Abakpa Nike Enugu East LGA
Enugu state Biafra land to check the front pages of the newspapers as well as
get information about the news making round the air locally nationally and
globally. As usual many colleagues were gathered in different corners
discussing issues regarding the struggle for Biafra restoration under the
leadership of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu of the indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB), how
the Nigeria government were making efforts to stop IPOB and shutdown radio
Biafra from transmission and the take of the international organizations and
world at large on the matter.
After I checked what the newspapers
were saying I positioned myself in one corner as to join the conversation which
is very interesting to me personally, as I listened keenly before I make my
little contribution; I heard a gullible young man whom I suspected must
be an ardent one Nigeria campaigner or perhaps a mad lover and a football fan
who raised an alarm that soon the English premier league will commence so that
the discussion on the issue of Biafra will end and the stories from EPL takes
over. I need not be told how passionately he hate Biafra or to hear about
Biafra.
I pretended as though I did not hear
him clearly but my mind explained to me the deeper meaning on what he said and
tears wanted to drop from my eyes but I held it as a strong man I am, then I
began to question myself does it mean EPL is more important to Biafra? Does it
mean the lives of our people murdered in cold blood in the struggle for Biafra
restoration does not matter? Does it mean the sufferings mayhem and
marginalization unleashed on our entire people means nothing that when EPL
starts the issue of Biafra will stop according to him?
From that day hence after the mental
rumble I went through, I had no option than to vow never to watch football game
till Biafra is restored. Then I was a member of IPOB and a student of Mazi
Nnamdi Kanu in the university of Radio Biafra London and I never knew him
in person apart from his broadcast and write ups I run after like America
visa lottery, I believed the struggle must cost me something and if this
is one of the things it will cost me then I am ready to lay it down and since
that day till date I never go to sit down for a purpose of watching football
and if you see me in front of a television set displaying football match then
know that I am after something tangible which as soon as I am done irrespective
of the team or country playing I will retire, since then I stopped following
football because I was challenged personally.
After some years when Mazi Nnamdi
Kanu returned to Biafra land I was covering an event of his visitation to
Ebonyi state as a Biafra journalist particularly in the house of Israeli
synagogue at Izhia Ohaukwu LGA Ebonyi state and after the performance of the
live band that kept the arena lively he said that if not that he vowed never to
dance until Biafra is restored, he would have danced today. I thought of this
and asked myself how can someone take a decision never to dance until he get
what he is struggling for? Then I remembered my own vow and I was reassured
that indeed there is something you must remove from meat before consumption of
it.
As someone who need a change from the
mayhem, marginalization and all manner of inhuman treatment meted on Biafra
people by the Nigeria government, what have you done or intend to do to change
the situation? Have you said yes or no to something though it may be contrary
to your hobby or favourite for the sake of Biafra restoration? Many of our
brethren and comrades are passing through a lot of things on daily bases due to
what they believe in but I do not know for you. Action speaks louder than voice
and there is no better time to do something tangible for Biafra to be restored
than now.
Written by:
Ogeh Friday Igiri
For: Ebonyi State Media
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