By Francis Ewherido
There are a few commentators who frown at the enthusiasm and sometimes obsession many Nigerians have for the English Premier League. It is common when a new season commences or during the season. When I come across such views, I ask myself what is the problem? Is it a sin? No! Is it a crime? No! Is it unpatriotic? Absolutely not. Does following the English League by Nigerians have anything to do with the dwindling fortunes of the Nigerian League? Of course, not! We are in a global village and these Nigerians are just exercising their freedom of choice.
The English simply repackaged the English Premier League and turned it into the global brand and money spinner that it is today, surpassing the Spanish La Liga, the German Bundesliga and the Italian League in terms of earnings and prestige, I dare say. Let me stay away from which is the best league in the world to avoid unnecessary controversy.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian league was on a downward trend while this was going on. In the days of Segun Odegbami, Muda Lawal, Owolabi and their contemporaries, our best players plied their trade in Nigeria. The local league was strong and vibrant. As a Bendelite (that was how people from Bendel State were called before the creation of Edo and Delta States) I was naturally a fan of Bendel Insurance and later New Nigerian Bank because of Stephen Keshi. I remember in 1985 or 1986 when Bendel Insurance defeated Enugu Rangers in Enugu. The celebration among Bendelites went into the night at Ziks Flats, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where we listened to the radio commentary.
Two of my fellow Bendelites and our Cameroonian friend consumed close to three cartons of beer in “celebrating” the victory. Our Cameroonian friend went to use the toilet, slept off and spent the night there. He was lucky because Ziks Flats had very clean toilets. Those of us living in Franco Hall could not have done that no matter how drunk we were. Franco Hall toilets got cleaned in the morning only and there was no water to flush the toilets subsequently. Each user simply “tops” whatever faeces he met there. Our Cameroonian friend would have had a faeces-filled feast if he had fallen asleep in a toilet in Franco Hall.
These days most of our top players are now foreign-based. It is true that the migration of some of our best African players to Europe was an inevitable trend at some point due to better contracts, but that is not the reason for the downward trend of the Nigerian Football League. A country with a population of over 200 million people should always have new talents to replace those departing. Moreover, Morrocco, Egypt and South Africa also have players abroad, but their local leagues remain strong.
I related with the Nigerian Football Federation when it was the Nigeria Football Association. Notwithstanding the change of name, it remains one of the biggest problems of Nigerian football. Officiating has also been another big problem. Time was when no away team won a match in the Nigerian league. Controversial decisions were made, including award of dubious penalties. Officiating has improved, but we still have a long way to go. Is it not embarrassing that our referees scarcely get the nod to officiate at the international stage. Meanwhile, referees from countries not known for football like Rwanda, Seychelles, etc officiate at international stages, including tournaments. Also, many of our football pitches have improved, but still not up to international standard. I can go on and on.
Why blame Nigerians and describe them as unpatriotic? In the 80s, foreign music dominated at parties and social gatherings in Nigeria. Today, it is Nigerian music all the way. Also, most Nigerians now wear clothes made by Nigerians in Nigeria. Some of these outfits have price tags of millions per outfit. But those who can afford them buy them without blinking. I wanted a dress from one of these top designers who is a friend. When he gave me the price, I almost passed out. I told him I am not one of his high-net-worth clients and paid him what was comfortable for me, which he accepted because “I be senior bros.” Why is this patronage and change of orientation? Is it out of patriotism? No way. Nigerians are getting value for their money. Nigerian football needs to offer value to fans, sponsors and other stakeholders if we want it to get to the level we desire to fill our stadia with football fans.
Stop calling Nigerians unpatriotic. We all saw how the premiership evolved. It was not always like this. I started following the premiership keenly when Kanu Nwankwo joined Arsenal. In line with my patriotic zeal, I became an Arsenal fan. But I was actually a fan of Kanu before he joined Arsenal. I fell in love with Arsenal’s style of play and Arsene Wenger’s business philosophy which he implemented in football management, although I later got fed up with him because his style was no longer yielding the desired results. By the time Kanu left Arsenal, I had fallen in love with Arsenal, a love affair which subsists till date. I am a proud gunner.
That does not mean I have no more place in my heart to love a Nigerian football club. But honestly, I no longer support any local team. None gives me the fulfilment Arsenal gives me. If Arsenal wins, I savour the victory and the good football. If we lose, there is always the bitter bile of defeat. To shake it off, I write this column on the day we are playing. If we lose, I use writing to take my mind off the defeat. If we win, I will write with Joy. If the victory is against Man United or Chelsea, I postpone writing and savouring the victory and bragging rights over Scott, GborhoKings, etc. That’s partly how we catch a cruise and keep ourselves happy like many other Nigerians, or don’t we have a right to be happy?
Before our eyes the Saudi League is evolving. With careful planning, we can do the same. We have the population, the economy and football fans. We should stop blaming Nigerians for supporting foreign clubs. It is not unpatriotic in a global village.
I love the Super Eagles. You recall that during the last Nations Cup semi final with South Africa, five Nigerians died. I had to act fast to avoid such a fate. Just before the start of the penalties, I suspected my pressure had risen astronomically. I reached out for the Sphygmomanometer to check my blood pressure. The systolic (upper reading) was 190. Immediately, I decided not to watch the penalty and that was probably my saving grace.
I used to go to the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, to watch matches. I stopped because of the activities of hoodlums after matches. No matter the result they unleashed terror on fans coming out of the stadium after the match. It was worse when it was dark. I now watch it on television. My only challenge is the tension which I have not been able to overcome.
