Nigeria Content Online

Finally, the most
important week in the history of African football is here. The whistle
was blown on Friday to mark the official kick-off of the first World
Cup on African soil.

It had to have been
an emotional moment for every African in the world and it is my prayer
that one day, Nigeria will successfully host the world better than
South Africa have done so far.

Despite the long
time grudge between Nigeria and South Africa, I can’t help but commend
them. I don’t know who else in Africa would have handled the assignment
of hosting the World Cup better than them. I was privileged to have
attended the draws in Cape Town and I left there confident that South
Africa will do us proud despite all the negative reports from
journalists in the western world.

Anyway, coming into
the tournament, the Super Eagles of Nigeria were not given a chance and
sadly, by the majority of Nigerians. Despite the lackluster performance
we have witnessed from them in recent times, the boys need our support
and not just in prayers. And really maybe it’s about time we stopped
depending on faith. Are we the most religious and morally upright
people on earth? Maybe the most religious, but our country is not
devoid of moral vices like corruption, ritual killings, kidnapping,
armed robbery etc. Now, do we really expect God to favour us over more
responsible countries?

Whatever the case,
I still believe strongly that for the fact that our national flag is
flying in South Africa, the boys need all the support they can get,
which brings me to the topic of the “flag culture” that has been
adopted in some parts of the world especially in England.

All about
patriotism It’s a practice that makes you appreciate the magnitude of
the most important event in the world. And I think it is the height of
patriotism.

I have never thought that Nigerians appreciate what the national flag is and stands for.

In South Africa,
June 9 was declared Bafana Bafana day and all South Africans were
encouraged to go out waving national flags and wearing colours in
support of their boys all through the day. Surely, it has increased the
level of confidence in the squad. That is exactly what the Super Eagles
need right now. Something to boost their confidence. Imagine all
Nigerians adopting the “culture” by walking and driving around with the
green white green flag. In England, it cuts across all nations. You
tend to see cars with flags of different nations, a true spirit of the
World Cup. Even in Ghana, World Cup or no World Cup, it is the usual
practice to see motorists hanging their nations’ flags on their cars.

Sure, it is just a
rectangular piece of cloth but it goes beyond that. Apart from being
very colourful and flying from a pole or mast, it is used to symbolize
a country.

Though some nations
express religious symbolism via colour, such as green often used in
Arabic/Islamic countries, the green stripes of the Nigerian flag
connote that the land is full of lush green vegetation and the white
symbolizes sanctity and a sense of togetherness and solidarity (peace).
Based on this, I urge Nigerians to adopt the flag culture to help boost
Super Eagles chances at the World Cup.

Yesterday’s match
is gone, as we look forward to our next two matches, let’s go out there
in millions hoisting, waving, carrying, wrapping and lifting the
Nigerian national flag. It doesn’t matter what part of the world you
are in. The key word here is solidarity. You never know we may just
push the boys into the semi-finals.

Once again, good luck to the Super Eagles as they take on South Korea and Greece.