Former Alliance for Democracy (AD) governorship candidate in Lagos State, Chief Owolabi Salis, has hailed the Super Eagles for making Nigerians forget their hunger because of its victory over the Bafana Bafana of South Africa, at the on going Africa Cup of Nations
According to him, “that victory was something else. For the first time in recent times, Nigerians forgot their terrible hunger and poverty, as the spirit of celebration took over.”
He said the victory evoked vivid reminder of 1969, when the legendary Pele of Brazil, led his Santos Club to Benin City in the thick of Nigeria-Biafra civil war.
“For three days, the war dramatically ceased as both the Biafran and the Federal troops watched Pele display his soccer artistry to the admiration of all,” he recalled.
“In fact, such is the magical spell in soccer that even our hitherto embattled President Bola Tinubu himself will be happy that for the first time the Super Eagles turned the heat of agitations relentlessly mounted by the mass of discontented Nigerians over the prevailing hardship in the country off his neck, just because of the wave of celebrations coming on the heels of the epic victory.
“I watched the TV; seeing how people trooped into the streets in ecstatic jubilation that defied words to describe. “Even in the hot zones of the Sambisa Forest and other vulnerable spots in the North and other parts of the country, I can imagine all the dare-devil kidnappers, terrorists and ritual killers gone on holiday, as they also joined in the celebration.
“As far away as I was in the US, my phone knew no rest. It kept ringing and ringing, as friends, family members and others kept bombarding me with calls of celebration and rejoicing
“At my own end here, the jubilation knew no bounds as my American and European friends, danced, clapped, yelled and celebrated
“Indeed when Karl Marx, the famous progenitor of communism described religion as the opium of the masses, little did he know that a game known as soccer would one day come atop to overtake religion. Of course, there is no doubt about it, soccer is the new religion cutting across the entire world irrespective of nationality, race, tribe, sex, sectarian creed of any sort.
“It’s the greatest unifier and the most effective agent of peace, it’s the only universal language understood by all, irrespective of any differences, as earlier itemised. Soccer is the new religion, it’s the new opium of the masses,” he reiterated.
He urged Nigerians not to rest on their oars,but rather keep praying that the Super Eagles should coast home to victory and emerge the overall champion in the continent.