The world witnessed a playing style exhibited by
our own U-17 boys team at the recently
concluded FIFA event that has not been seen
since the inception of the competition at that
level.
They were compact, free flowing, attacking and
defending as one unit. The team was flawless and
a marvel to everyone that watched them
including the FIFA officials.
How can such a beautiful product come from
Nigeria? A country that has been known not to
get anything right because of pervasive
corruption, ethnicity and crass disdain for the
national patrimony. How come the boys were so
disciplined, organised and goal oriented. For
once, the nation got it right: from the conception,
planning and execution, everything was done
properly.
Our understanding was that from the beginning,
it was made clear that there will be no short cut
route. Only those within the approved age
bracket were allowed to pass through the
screening. More noticeable was the fact that, no
player that has featured in our professional league
competition was allowed to take part. Majority of
them were picked from academies and schools
sport competitions.
Principally – and this we must note- the players
were picked based on their individual
performance: no quota system was involved in
the selections. If you are good, you are in. So we
find a mixture of Christians, Muslims and
traditionalists. Southerners and Northerners, all
properly bonded in love towards the common
goal.
There was an uncommon determination by every
individual to make his own contribution to the
whole. Where or when one makes a mistake,
another puts himself on the way to salvage the
situation. Such was the bonding that, they all
looked like children of the same parents, it is
indeed worthy of commendation.
We must appreciate everyone responsible for
bringing this to pass. The officials of all kinds:
coaches, NFA and importantly, the government of
Cross-River state which provided an enabling
environment and facilities for their training and
camping.
What is the over all implication of the Eaglets
victory? It is basically that, there is no height we
cannot attain as Nigerians if we are ready to allow
merit to reign in our selection of representatives.
We must also note the calibre of coaches on the
Eaglets bench, such ex-internationals like Manu
Garba, Nduka Ugbade and Emmanuel Amuneke
who have distinguished themselves in past age
grade competitions. So let us allow
professionalism to thrive in our national
endeavours and it won’t take time for the world
to take notice of this country.
Nigeria is a sleeping giant, it requires the right
calibre of leadership and professionals to stir it
from its sleeping position. Our roads can be made
to be smooth and free flowing if our FERMA
officials assigned to road supervision will do their
job properly by using budgeted funds to fix road
patches instead of conniving with contractors or
diverting monies into private pockets.
Power will flow when the present owners chose to
do the job professionally, by first, treating the
consumers as their customers.
Modern marketing management requires that the
consumer or customer is factored first in all the
planning of the corporation, so if they choose to
add correct value that will be in line with
consumers demands, the people will respond by
paying their bills promptly, even if the
consumption cost goes up.
It is therefore imperative for the new owners of
the defunct PHCN to first think of how they can
provide efficient services to the consumers. They
should not be in a hurry to jerk up prices, at least,
in the next six months.
How wonderful will it be if our politicians will for
once, allow true democracy to take place in line
with the people’s wish, if all the political parties- I
mean all – will allow true representations in all
stages of their structure, the unnecessary
bickering and heating of the polity will become a
thing of the past. Let the people’s voice be heard
through their legitimate representatives.
The lessons of our Eaglets victory are innumerable
and can be extended to almost all aspects of our
national life: discipline,co-operation, hard work,
merit and goal attainment. If only the country
can truly unite as one, with each region bringing
in its own area of comparative advantage to the
centre without any form of animosity.
If only we can appoint people – competent
graduates employment without recourse to their
state of origin, religion or tribe. It is possible – the
Eaglets victory has proved that – It is now left for
those in positions of authority to put proper
structures in place.
And talking about structures, I mean structures
of merit. The officials of the team have laid
foundation for the next generation to build upon.
It is a matter of replicating the paths used by
their predecessors. Let merit determine selection
in all aspect of our national life.
This brings us to the question of what happens to
the all conquering Eaglets? Some have said that
they should be kept intact and be made to
graduate together to the senior levels. This will
not be possible as some of them will soon be
pursuing their individual interests.
Some will opt to further their education instead of
a profession in soccer, others may lose form and
not be able to keep pace up to the senior level. I
tend to agree with the position of my brother and
friend here, Richard Okotie, that no successful
under-aged team has succeeded in taking all its
members to the senior level wholesale all over the
world- whether in Brazil, Germany, Spain, et al.
Along the line, some of them do not measure up
to standard at the senior level.
So what is to be done? When a method has been
tried and tested with good result, it is important
that we master and retain it.
The Spanish, German and Brazilians have done it
consistently through the years. Let merit be our
basic guideline for selection and also, the sports
authorities must be ready to provide all the
support for such endeavours to thrive at all times.
Do this for all categories of our national teams,
including the ladies and we shall be recording
repeated successes.
Next is to identify those amongst them with the
potentials to go further in their footballing
pursuit. Give them the necessary follow-up
support, like a thorough scrutiny of their contract
papers with clubs and linkages to coaches and
institutions that will properly supervise their
blossoming.
In all, the growth of the players in the profession
should be paramount and not the selfish interest
or greed of agents who abound everywhere,
always on the prowl to take advantage. Identify
such players in the group now and begin to
groom them for future successes. That is how it is
done in the advanced world.

I jst cant see our FA holding these boys in camp for 3 months b4 any competition again. To get them pinned down to work for this country in their capacity, we must b ready to give them more than foreign clubs can give them. Can u imagine the FG giving each 2 million naira? Is that how we intend to set our bait at the boys? We must have a package for them so we can keep them till the next competition. By the time club sides get hold of them, they form d big boys and become less committed to 'national call'.