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Where, O where, are the Eagles? (2)
Written by Duncan Saturday, 19 June 2010
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The Eagles are still in flight because it is not over until it is over … even with a huge cloud of “ifs.” IF Greece loses to Argentina. IF Nigeria pulls off a win against Korea without a single goal in its net. Then, maybe the Eagles can drag their wings into the next round of the 2010 World Cup. For now, the only certainty is that the Eagles have been found, going by the well of support that attended their loss to Argentina last week. Who knew defeat could elicit such overwhelming sounds of victory!
The Eagles even got a new supporter (or “cheerleader”) in my six-year-old son. His first World Cup and an Eagles match was Thursday. He got super “hyper” each time the Greeks were in Nigeria’s “ball zone” – as he refers to the goal area. It got so that I had to ask him to take a break both for his sake and mine! All that cliffhanging craziness made me happy that I didn’t watch the first match against Argentina. My heart simply couldn’t stand the suspense.
Besides, that day was quite hectic on a personal level. A friend was having a huge shindig. In May, she graduated with a first degree (“my second first degree,” she always emphasizes) in nursing administration. This was quite an accomplishment considering that she is a registered nurse and a manager at a government hospital here in the Valley. She therefore didn’t need a “second first degree” or any degree for that matter. She’s one of those women who went to nursing school right after secondary school in the late 1970s. At that time, “cool chicks” were too cool for nursing. Decades later, many of them are now stashing away their law and other “cool” degrees in the back closet for nursing because “that’s where the money is, babe!” But that’s conversation for another day.
On top of my friend’s “second first degree,” her oldest (of four children) graduated with an MBA while her second child (and son) obtained a first degree. The three graduations occurred in May. While each event came with a mini party, the family wanted one huge celebration. All six of us got invited, but as friends of the family’s, we didn’t just go as guests. Rather, we went bearing gifts though not the usual graduation stuff.
An invitation to a party in the Nigerian community here is not just about deciding what “bottom box” outfit to wear or which “canopy” would be the biggest in the room. (To the uninitiated, “canopy” is Akwa-Ibomese for head tie – of the gargantuan specie!) We also have to determine what food to prepare that would draw the most following on the buffet table. That’s how I spent most of Saturday bent over the hearth trying to achieve the perfect never-before-tasted chicken wings. Dare I brag that I succeeded?
I was thus so preoccupied that I (thankfully) missed the Nigeria-Argentina match. However, I peeked online to check the results after it was over. As I read the comments about the match, my heart started dancing in my chest. From the way Nigerians were back-slapping each other, I thought we not only won the match but did so by a wide margin such as nine goals (to spell “Argentina”)! It turned out that my people were rejoicing because Argentina didn’t spell N-i-g-e-r-i-a fully but stopped at N.
Highly commended, and in my opinion, the Most Valuable Player of the match, was the goal keeper, Mr. Vincent Enyeama. He is described on the FIFA website as “one of the best shot-stoppers in Africa (and) the undisputed first choice between the posts for Nigeria.” His name and ethnicity also attracted intense interest in an Annang newsgroup to which I subscribe. One of the “elders” of the group, Dr. Ezekiel Ette, had written a piece for this newspaper in which he raised issues with the fact that Nigerian coach, Mr. Lars Lagerback, had been fired in his own country for poor performance before he was hired in Nigeria and given oodles of money. Dr. Ette posted his Monday Punch article to Annang forum and that generated quite some heat.
In the course of the back-and-forth that often characterizes these forums, the “discovery” was made that Goalkeeper Eyeama is an Annang man, contrary to the ambiguity in his name. Enyeama, someone added helpfully, is Annang (not Igbo) for “one loves one’s own,” or “we love that which we have/own.” A prophet/prophetess may finally have honor in his/her own country, but then what’s Mr. Enyeama doing playing for an Israeli team?
Meanwhile, some elders in the newsgroup are proposing a hero’s welcome – regardless of the outcome of Nigeria’s outing in South Africa – for the “shon of the shoil.” Part of that celebration might include a chieftaincy title or two for Mr. Largerback for trusting Mr. Enyeama – an Annang man – in Nigeria’s goal post. Here’s an idea: Mbakara I of Annangland! After all, in the same forum this week, someone suggested that we should show “respect” to General Ibrahim Babangida for giving us a state (Akwa Ibom)! We’ll make him Maradonna I of Annangland.
On a serious note, I can’t help but marvel at the manner in which Annang people as a group always seem to be trying to justify their existence or to prove that they are as good as other ethnic groups in the country. Do we have that serious of an identity complex? A Wise One once said a tiger doesn’t have to prove his “tigritude” so why do we think we must prove our Annangness? Perhaps that’s what I do each time I latch on to my Annangness … like now. But hey, who doesn’t want to be kinswoman with the best goalkeeper Nigeria might yet have?
That brings us back to our Eagles and the excitement of South Africa 2010. Last week, I asked that we should cheer for the Super Eagles regardless of their performance. Well, let’s keep going! Far be from me to complain about the woeful results. After all, it could have been worse … like Switzerland defeating Spain and Uruguay spelling R-S-A on home turf! Ouch!!!
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