By Jude Atupulazi
It has always been known that in Nigeria, a country deeply divided along ethnic and religious lines, the one thing that unites the people is sports, especially football. It is said that when a goal is scored by Nigeria a Moslem will rush to a Christian and embrace him in a bear hug, enemies will temporarily forget their enmity and shake hands and everybody will operate at same wave length.
These have been playing out once again at the African Cup of Nations that will end this Sunday. In fact, by the time you read this, Nigeria may or may not still be in the competition but what will stand out will be the display of patriotic fervour by all Nigerians while the Eagles played.
The question has always naturally arisen as to why Nigerians have been unable to transfer this unity to other spheres of our national life in order to make us great. The write up I will share with you below, captures that question and makes an interesting read.
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Defining the Current Success of the Super Eagles: Data Analysis on Team Composition & Patriotism Over Parochialism
By Atta Ikiddeh
FACTS:
*✔️12 Igbos out of 25 players*
*✔️22 Christians and 3 Muslims*
*✔️21 Southerners and 4 Northerners*
*✔️12 states, Imo, Edo, Abia, Kogi, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Benue, Enugu, Anambra, Kebbi, Kano, Borno out of 36 States*
*✔️12 Igbos, 5 Yorubas, 3 Binis, 3 Hausa Fulani, 1 Ibibio, 1 Idoma.*
*I carried out a prescriptive and a diagnostic data analysis on the Super Eagles and the findings might shock some of you. The Descriptive analysis has turned out raw numbers into information that made it easy for me to interpret the composition of the squad.
While the diagnostic analysis has enabled me discover the reasons for the current success in the ongoing AFCON campaign. But let’s be very clear each player had to be the best in his craft to make it into the national team but many times in Nigeria we have sacrificed skills for self, competence for complacency.*
*This is what the analysis showed. Out of 25 players, 12 players are of Igbo parentage. That means players of Igbo origin make up almost half of the entire squad, the highest ethnic group in the team. And here is what is interesting, players of Yoruba parentage come second with 5 players.
*What about religion? Out of the 25 member squad, 21 are Christians, while 3 are Moslems.
*Geopolitically, the data shows, there are 22 players from Southern Nigeria, while 4 players are from Northern Nigeria.
*Here is something else that was quite interesting. There are 20 players from 12 states in the team. What this shows, 24 states out of 36 states in the Federation do not have indigenes in the squad. Note: I was unable to identify the state of origin of 3 players.
But here is what is interesting and most shocking. It’s not the findings or results of my data analysis that shocked me. It was the attitude of Nigerians. Nigerians that are pathologically sensitive about ethnicity, suddenly were not bothered about who is Igbo or Fulani; it is all about WINNING!
*Nobody is complaining. No petition has been filed against the NFA alleging tribalism in favour of the Igbos, Yorubas and Binis. No complaints why Imo and Edo states seem to have the highest number of players in the squad.
*From the glory days of the Mighty Green Eagles up to the Super Eagles today, international football is the only national enterprise that unites us as a nation and milks from us the purest form of patriotism any people can give a nation. Not even England can match Nigeria’s level of patriotism.
*There is something hallowed and untouchable about international football in Nigeria. Our Eagles are like priests in the field, as they salute the dreams and aspirations of every Nigerian to soar high as they open their mouths and sing, “Arise O Compatriots Nigeria’s call obey, To serve our Fatherland with love and strength and faith, The labours of our heroes past shall never be in vain, To serve with heart and might, One nation bound in freedom, Peace and Unity”.
*Ready to go to war. For pride and country. These Eagle priests are decked in our national colours, the, “Deep Green Grass – Peace White – Fertility Green – flag; it’s more than a symbol, it is more than a colour. It’s the rich green blood that flows through this ancient land. The green blood that flows and irrigates the veins and the inland waterways that nourish our Cocoa, Oil Palm, Cotton, Rubber, Groundnut and Cassava fields.
*Many might disagree with what I am about to say now – but I don’t think there is any nation on earth that can match the patriotism of Nigerians at international competitions. Not even mighty England whose clubs and English players we bow down to in absolute devotion. Have you ever heard a Nigerian miss a penalty or goal and we blamed his ethnicity or religion? Never! But do you know in the English national team if a black player misses a penalty kick – abuses, curses and insults by white English fans flood social media. In 2020 Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka were treated as, “just black” rather than English once they missed penalties in the Euro 2020. The racial slur was so bad the Prime Minister had to come out and apologise to Black British residents. Discrimination is not part of football in Nigeria. There are no Igbos, Hausas or Birom players – we are all one tribe – one Nigeria! We are better than the English.
*But guess what – just supposing members of the Super Eagles were suddenly appointed Special Assistants to the President, Vice President or the Senate President, what do you think would happen? I can tell you for free. Confusion of cataclysmic proportions would engulf the team and the nation.
Competence, professionalism and experience would be relegated in favour of ethnicity, regionalism and religion. We would all want representation in the national team. Even my village Afaha Offiong would demand our very own world class goalkeeper Ikrang Ubek gets a spot in the national team. Since 2012 no ball has gone Ikrang’s legs at our inter-village matches in Nsit Nation.
*As for the Igbos, their numbers would immediately be depleted as each state and tribe fields its own indigenes. And if William Troost-Ekong, my Ibibio countryman and a southerner – is the team captain at AFCON today – at the 2026 World Cup, the captaincy would have to rotate to the North. Turn by turn. Not turn by competence.
*Now, it is clear that Nigeria’s inability to move forward as a nation is not corruption, tribalism or religion – those are mere symptoms. The real disease is the complete absence of that patriotic zeal and nationalistic fervour that has made China, America, Britain, Brazil and even India great nations today.
Rather what we have is a primordial political desire to take ownership of Nigeria from our ethnic blocs. This is what has robbed Nigerians from moving as One Patriotic cohesive bloc. But in international football, these divisions melt away, win or lose, we stand as one tribe called Nigeria.
*Politically we don’t appear to be One Nigeria. Because we are deeply divided into blocs of ethnic Political, Economic and Religious interests. But in international football on the field, by some miracle, all our parochial tendencies all seem to disappear, our One Nigerianess is celebrated. There is no Igbo, Yoruba, Annang, Idoma or Hausa. There is no Christian or Moslem.
Only competence on the highway of GLORY. When a Nigerian or group of Nigerians aim for Glory, I have noticed there is no tribe or tongue. Nigerians are a people that thirst for GLORY. Because deep down we know we are the leaders and undisputed kings of the black race on the planet. Did you know that one out of every 5 black person on earth is a Nigerian? Nigeria is the Moses of the Black Race.
There is a huge weight of responsibility to showcase the very best of the black race to the world. Excellence comes naturally to us. And all other black nations, black people and the world look up to us. We crave to be the best in everything that we do. This is why we are – Apolitical, excuse my language; Tribeless and Religionless when it comes to our national team. This is the sort of Patriotism that can propel Nigeria build the first Black rocket to the Moon.
*The question therefore is – if our National Team and International Football bring out such Uncommon Patriotism from Nigerians – how can the Federal Government invest and sustain this Spirit of Patriotic cohesiveness inside and outside the pitch?
*But perhaps the much bigger question is this – seeing that the national team draws us together, blinds and deafens our eyes and ears from the endemic parochialism which has crippled us over the years, can the Federal Government invest massively in the national team without politics sprouting from the wings of the Super Eagles? Is there a way of converting the velocity of this patriotic zeal into other areas of the nation especially our economy? I am sure we can.
*In conclusion, from the prescriptive data, one can say the current success of Nigeria is not because there are 12 Igbos out of 25 players, 22 Christians out of 3 Muslims, 21 Southerners out of 4 Northerners, 12 states out of 36 states. No! Diagnostically, our current success can be attributed to the purest form of patriotism exhibited by both players and the nation, you and I. Where tribe and tongue may differ, in brotherhood we stand. In a land where Patriotism is defeating parochialism.
*Finally, I commend President Tinubu for the speedy and noiseless release of funds to the Super Eagles without any of the embarrassing money headlines.
*Nigeria Can!
*Let me re-echo the words of Senator Akpabio, the Senate President, “Bring home the trophy”.
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*DATA:
*GOAL KEEPERS
*1. Stanley Nwabili – IGBO; Christian; LGA Ogba–Egbema–Ndoni Rivers State
*2. Francis Uzoho – IGBO; Christian; LGA Nwangele Imo State, Nigeria.
*3. Olorunleke Ojo -YORUBA (Okun tribe) Christian, LGA Edumo, Kabba-Bunu, Kogi State.
*DEFENDERS
*4. William Troost Ekong – IBIBIO; Christian; LGA Etinan Akwa Ibom State.
*5. Bright Osayi-Samuel’s – BINI; Christian; LGA Benin City Edo State.
*6. Ola Aina – YORUBA; Bio Unknown; Born in UK.
*7. Zaidu Sanusi – HAUSA FULANI; Moslem; Jega Local Government Kebbi State.
*8. Bruno Onyemaechi – IGBO; Christian; born in Owerri LGA (may not be his hometown), Imo State.
*9. Semi Ajayi – YORUBA; Christian; pob UK; State – Mother’s family in Lagos.
*10. Calvin Bassey – IGBO; Christian; Pob Italy, State: Anambra; LGA: Umunnamehi Ihiala; Mother: Ebere Bassey Etim; Father: Kingsley Ikenna Ughelumba.
*11. Chidozie Awaziem – IGBO; Christian; Enugu State.
*12. Kenneth Omuero – IGBO; Christian; Abia State (Likely).
*13. Frank Onyeka – IGBO; Christian; State: Unknown; Pob: Benin City, Edo State.
*14. Joseph Temitope Aribo: YORUBA; Christian; Pob: UK.
*15. Alex Iwobi; IGBO; Christian; State Anambra State; LGA: Onitsha.
*16. Raphael Onyedika; IGBO; Christian; Imo State.
*17. Alhassan Yusuf: HAUSA or FULANI; Moslem; Kano State.
*18. Kelechi Iheanacho: IGBO; Christian; Imo State (Likely).
*19. Victor Osimhen: BINI; Christian; Edo State.
*20. Terem Igobor Moffi: BINI; Christian; Edo State.
*21. Samuel Chukwueze: IGBO; Christian; Abia State.
*22. Ademola Lookman: YORUBA; Christian.
*23. Moses Simon: IDOMA; Christian; Benue State.
*24. Paul Onuachu: IGBO; Christian; Imo State.
*25. Ahmed Musa: HAUSA OR FULANI; Moslem, Maiduguri, Borno State.
