The above caption was the adage I grew up hearing from my Dad anytime I was being naughty and somehow I've seen it play out in virtually every facet of my life. I then wonder if it isn't same with this barely-floating gigantic vessel called Nigeria.
Earlier this year, a legendary Nigerian soccer star, Rashidi Yekini, finally passed on after years of disillusionment with the state of things in Nigerian football. He was said to have had mental issues which embarrassed his family and thus, they sought to find a lasting solution to his crisis.
Whatever was the solution and however it was conducted or applied on the man is still very unclear till date. All we know is that he is dead and has since been committed to mother earth according to islamic rites albeit in shady circumstances. We prayed for the repose of his soul but right now, something scary is rearing its head again.
Whatever was the solution and however it was conducted or applied on the man is still very unclear till date. All we know is that he is dead and has since been committed to mother earth according to islamic rites albeit in shady circumstances. We prayed for the repose of his soul but right now, something scary is rearing its head again.
At the 1994 African Nations Cup in Tunisia, Yekini complained of something and he equally listed some culprits but in the euphoria of victory, Nigerians weren't interested in the 'gibberish' that was bothering their National team's top striker. He too became resentful and laid back, preferring not to 'mix' with the blacklisted guys.
By 1998 when he was still good enough to grab a National shirt at the FIFA Mundial in France, he shunned them as expected and we saw how 'cool' the team was without our talisman. It was discovered subsequently, that Rashidi Yekini swore not to play for the country again because of the likes of Samson Siasia, Austin Okocha, etc.
The Mafians had laid siege to the National team and without them, you couldn't get far. The present Coach, Stephen Keshi, was a ring leader himself in his days and somehow, nemesis is on his neck like Usain Bolt in 100metres race!
Last week, Nigerians were awakened to a rude shock from the past! Osaze Odemwingie took a swipe at the Nigerian Football Federation and Coach Stephen Keshi. Even the 'Prince of Monaco' Victor Ikpeba wasn't left out of the bashing. Their offence? Keshi left him out of the squad to play at the Nations Cup in South Africa in January 2013, the NFF didn't object and Ikpeba supported.
Honestly, I didn't expect any better! Obafemi Martins, Taiye Taiwo, Sunday Adeleye, and Apam Onyekachi are just some of the high profile players left out of the squad but we are yet to see them throw tantrums. The antecedents of Osaze reveal a very undisciplined player but it's only a reflection of how decrepit the system is.
I'm envisaging a messier affair as the AFCON draws closer but whatever the case, let it be known that Yekini's replacement has still not been found and if we don't lay the bed well now, who knows what would become of the next generation. Kudos Coach Keshi but the road to freedom is still very long...
Mafiarism and Gangsterism MUST NOT thrive!
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