Beginning from today, the world will be united like never before. A Fulani man will sit beside an Igbo man to watch the television of a Benue man in far away Borno state, Nigeria.
When the players file out into the pitch, no one will query why there are no Hausa players in the lineup or why the captain is from a minority tribe. When a goal is scored, the green and white flag will be waved even by Biafrans. You will hear names like Ahmed Musa nwa nne, Oremi
Ihaenacho, Aboki Iwobi , Victor Moses owo mmi and the likes. No pipeline will explode in the riverside, no sorrowful outcry will proceed out of Benue, nor will a bomb explode in Borno while the eagles fly the Nigerian flag as everyone from politician to student, nursing mother, slay queen, soldier and terrorist will be glued to the television screen.
Granted, football like any other sport has different factions, ranging from separate national teams to clubs, associations and groups. Every of these factions play with one common goal: VICTORY. When the referee blows the whistle and the ball departs the center circle, tension, pressure, passion, and zeal is ignited like a flame in the players on the pitch, fans on the stands, coaches and technical crew on the sideline, football associations, government and
supporters at home. Often times such tension lead to arguments, shoves and fights. Players get injured, people get racially abused, and some others get dismissed but beyond all the tackles, fights, injuries, goals, applauses, jeers and tension, players are oftentimes seen embracing each other at the end of the game and even swapping jerseys. There have been instances where opposing players supported each other; stretching the opponent and even saving the life of their supposed enemy.
On April 1, 2014, Jaba Kankava of Fc Dnipro saved the life of Dinamo Kiev’s Oleh Gusev in a Ukrainian Premier League match when Gusev choked on his tongue after a clash with Dnipro’s goalkeeper. Togo international Francis Kone on four occasions saved the life of his opponent with the latest being during a match against Slovacko side, Bohemians 1905 at Dolicek stadium in Prague. Although some others such as Samuel Okwaraji, Anthony Reid, Gregory Mertens, and Cheick Tiote were not lucky to make it out of the pitch alive, the game has gone a long way in promoting respect, love and unity.
A research by Topendsports.com places football as the most popular sport in the world with an estimated 3.5 billion fans worldwide. With world population placed at 7.3 billion according to Worldpopulationreview.com , it could be rightly said that half of the world’s population either support or have interest in football. This laudable statistics also brings to mind yet another statistics. A wikipedia report shows that in 2012, over 4.2billion people worldwide belonged to either Christianity or Islam. With this in mind, it wouldn’t be wrong to conclude that football
and religion are the two most patronized organizations in the world as almost everyone in the world has come in contact with either of them. These two has also grown to become unifying agents of humanity due to their influence on man. But the big question is, if over 50% of world population support football and over 60% have interest in religion and both claim to promote peace and unity, why then is crime, terror, and killings on the increase?
According to a CNN report captioned FAITH TURNS CHRISTIANS INTO TERRORIST TARGETS, several of the world’s worst terrorist groups like ISIS and AL-Shaaab aim to create societies governed by strict distorted versions of sharia law. That means anyone who doesn’t subscribe to such extremist views are enemies and in danger, but the funny truth is that unlike religion, not a single terror group has publicly claimed to fight for one football team or the other despite the passion attached to football. Does this mean that football has thrived where religion failed?
According to Wikipedia, Nigeria is the 2nd most religious country in the world. Pakistan seats on 1st position with just little figures above the African giant. With thousands of prayer houses, home cell fellowships, interdenominational worship centers and many unregistered churches, I wouldn’t be wrong to say that there are at least three worship centers in every street in Nigeria. But why then do herdsmen slaughter? Why do suicide bombers include religious houses in their terror chart? Why is poverty and hunger on the increase?
A recent survey by Humanism.org.uk on RELIGION AND BELIEF shows that the proportion of individuals who do not hold religious belief is steadily increasing, rising from 31.4% to 50.6% between 1983 and 2013 and perhaps now represent the majority of the UK’s population.
It would be too sudden to conclude that religion has failed mankind. But the truth being told, it wouldn’t be wrong for religion to humbly understudy football to discover how it has despite all the factions never led to international bloodshed.
As the world converge again for the biggest sport contest with all continents and probably, 70% of the world's ethnic groups represented in Russia 2018 World cup, it is time to unitedly rewrite the world's destiny. Look beyond the tackles, dribbles, skills and talents. See the beauty as the colours in the different flags illuminates the world. Dance with the Rhythm. Appreciate creativity. Spurn at every form of disunity. But above all, look beyond the cup and see peace as the greatest victory.