• Ikenna Paschal Okpaleke

Last Friday, 22^nd June 2018, the day Nigeria’s Super Eagles won the match against Iceland, was perhaps the happiest day for the greatest number of Nigerians ever, at least for more than 4 years now. Indeed, the walls of division seem to have collapsed that day. Unity among all peoples and denominations and religions appeared to have been very evident and very concrete. National unity became normal without further preconditions. As usual, my interest was to listen to the voices at the fringes; the voices of unity. I heard people highlighting how Musa has within 90 minutes brought about happiness and national cohesion more than Buhari could do in over 3 years. I heard people claim that Musa could surely win any political post in the South. I even saw posters declaring ‘Musa for President’ under APGA, the so-called Igbo political party. I even suspect that Boko Haram, herdsmen and kidnappers had a ceasefire as part of their own celebration. And even more interesting, I read a lot of girls offering Musa free kisses, offering themselves as brides, and even changing their names to accommodate Musa: Blessing Orji Musa, Omolola Lilian Musa, Olachi Musa-Okoli. Oh, did I even tell you that I learnt the etymology of Musa? They say Musa is a short form of ‘Musarachi’ as in ‘Kasarachi’. It has never been this hilarious in Nigeria lately, among Nigerians at home and in diaspora.

In the midst of all the frenzy, I came across a very interesting write-up on how this victory of the Super Eagles showed how united Nigeria could be. Below I reproduce the write-up:

Yesterday, in faraway Russia, in the ongoing 2018 World Cup, Nigeria defeated Iceland. Ekong (Ibibio) passed the ball to Balogun (Yoruba) who found Mikel Obi (Igbo)  who laid the pass to Moses (Christian) who sent the vital cross that Ahmed Musa (Muslim) scored for Nigeria. 

For a moment, I looked around as Nigerians who barely knew each other jubilated and celebrated our victory. Almost every person, complete strangers to every other person, was hugging their neighbours, patting backs and clinking glasses, just like long lost friends.

I waited to hear somebody say Moses’ pass was unacceptable, because it was from a Christian,  an “infidel”,  or Musa’s goal was from  a Muslim, “son of the bond woman,  the Ismail generation.”

I did not even see any person query Moses’ State of origin,  or whether Musa was the son of Fulani herdsman from Sokoto or Kano.

I did not hear from anyone asking whether Balogun worships the god of Shango, thunder,  fire, water or ‘ekpo ntokeyen’.

We celebrated and rejoiced. Nobody remembered those things we use to divide ourselves as Nigerians.

For a moment, I asked myself, is this not how we should always see ourselves?

Do we realize that God made us Jews and Gentiles, Christians and Muslims,  with different  faces, colours, height, shapes, sizes, creed and belief for a purpose? 

I ask, when we discriminate and segregate on the basis of either religion or where God has taken us in life, are we living by the word of God to love ALL, and hate NONE. Let us be the change we want to see in others. The enemy we are looking for may be right inside us. Just thinking!

What then is holding our unity? Why can’t we find reasons to remain this united, joyful and happy together? Let us imagine a little:

• Imagine where everyone of us scores a winning goal for Nigeria.
• Imagine where the politicians score goals of prosperity for our people instead of serving their personal interests.
• Imagine where church leaders with their congregations score goals of Christian unity for the Christians in Nigeria.
• Imagine where religious leaders and followers, Christians, Muslims and others score the goals of peaceful co-existence for every one of us.
• Imagine where all the lecturers in our universities score the goals of quality education, free of fraud and corruption for Nigerian students.
• Imagine a Nigeria where every Nigerian life would be protected by the State no matter who is at the helm.
• Imagine a Nigeria where the goals of peace, love and justice are daily scored.
• Imagine …

Meanwhile, our hearts go out to all the victims of Plateau massacre last Saturday. We pray and hope that Musa scores once again today against Argentina! We really need a win!