“The vision must be followed by the venture. It is not enough to stare up the steps – we must step up the stairs.”
—Vance Havners
By Cosmas Omegoh
The sun rose last Sunday morning with such exceptional grace, casting a certain golden glow on the country’s oriental skyline. The dazzling rays pierced the clouds carrying a clear message of resilience, hope, and victory.
Soon, an air of excitement settled on everyone that the country had once again conquered Africa in women’s football. The nation’s national women’s side – the Super Falcons – had lifted the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) – the tenth time. This time in Morocco.
It was a victory so sweet for the team guided by a certain Coach Justine Madugu. It was such an exceptional victory given that the Nigerian girls rose from the ashes of an impending defeat to claim victory, edging Morocco’s Atlas Lionesses 2-3 in a pulsating epic final.
There was a lot of drama wrapped around the success to make it such a memorable one. One of those was the comeback factor which is the hallmark of a team so resilient that it doesn’t accept impending defeat.
A grateful nation continues to recall that as hope of victory on the occasion gradually waned, many Nigerians understandably slipped into the mire of disappointment and disillusion. Some went ahead to switch off their devices and quietly retired to bed, counting it all over. They couldn’t accommodate seeing Nigeria in the backburner no thanks to the 2-0 opening stunner by the opposing team. Worse still, the Moroccan side was menacingly looking to double its advantage and eventually kill the game as a contest.
On that summer night in Rabat, only a handful of Nigerians held on to hope that a miracle was possible. And it happened indeed!
At the blast of the final whistle signifying the end of proceedings, the Nigerian girls were in front 3-2. The victor’s song was theirs to sing, same for the bragging right. Nigeria’s aim to win the campaign which was tagged “Mission X” was realised in full.
Till now, everyone is savouring the sweet victory. And what is more? It has been permanently inked in football books that Nigeria has claimed the WAFCON title for the tenth time – a record as terrible as it seems – at least in the near future.
Many Nigerians have argued and rightly so, that Super Falcons’ victory was so special not only in their lives but that of the country. This line of argument takes cognisance of the place of sports in diplomacy and the prestige it emphatically confers on any successful country.
To many Nigerians, that victory was to their spirit, what a shower of rain is to a parched land. Some have gone ahead to dub it a breath of fresh air into many Nigerian space.
Unarguably, the Nigerian space is choking with sour news of corruption and of violence of various hues – strife, hunger and starvation, among many ills that can draw tears from the eyes of even one with a heart of stone.
The WAFCON victory was one that brought cheers to many Nigerians reeling from the ruinous leadership currently in all spheres of government and governance.
Many Nigerians giving up hope hold that they no longer listen to news of politicians acting with so much impudence and impunity.
Therefore, the victory of the girls turned out to be an opium of some sort – or a breather to many sick and tired of seeing the current crop of politicians trudging through the land acting unhinged, unrestrained, unbridled.
Even President Bola Tinubu is obviously concerned about hearing real good news echoing across the land. That explains why he has thus far given so much reward to the victorious Falcons team, a gesture his political opponents have described as “milking the moment.”
But if only Nigerians are listening, the victory of the Super Falcons speaks to everyone in a manner louder than voice, a lesson that cannot be written on a marker board. And that is that Nigerian can still triumph – and even surpass expectations in spite of the odds – if only the right team is mounted and if only there is unity of purpose and cohesion in the polity. And what is more, Nigeria will experience organic development if only there is a stellar display of quality leadership that grows dividends.
A grateful nation thanks Coach Madugu for bringing enormous cheer and sunshine to Nigerians at a time there is paucity of the two in the lives of the generality of the people.
Some analysts have come out to suggest that Coach Madugu, by his performance, clearly invites all and sundry to reflect on his formula for success. Some persons have gone as far as tasking Management and Psychology experts to study the manner of pep talks he gave his girls right in their dressing room which inflamed them and enabled them to switch the pressure button on their opponents.
Madugu, a seasoned football player, was born on January 19, 1964 in Adamawa State. Although he was said to have been a part of the women’s football team since 2012, he was seemingly in the shadows, known only to those who follow his game. He was once the team’s head coach before the arrival of the expatriate coach Waldrum.
Well-read with multiple master’s degree certificates, Madugu also holds Confederation of Africa Football (CAF’s) A and B coaching licences. He is said to have a wealth of experience coaching various local club sides teams in the country. For instance, he has variously coached local sides like Flying Makwada FC, Numan, Adamawa United FC, FC Taraba, Makwada Warriors and Makwada Queens as well as Plateau United.
Madugu’s victory at WAFCON has ushered him to the big stage. It has also opened eyes to the possibilities many might not have thought existed and which could be realised with the right resolve and intention.
Now, some persons conversant with the dynamics of success have warned Coach Madugu not to either rest on his oars or continue to over-savour his successes. They urge that the victory he has thus far achieved should propel him to a greater height, while appealing to him to stand ready to accept greater responsibilities.
Madugu is further urged to put some icing on his cake by seeking out and developing real raw talents which abound in every nook and cranny of the country, rather than waiting to use talents which have been refined and cleaned up by other systems where a lot of things work as planned.
Similar calls have also gone to the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), urging that appropriate support needs to be given not only to Madugu but also to every personnel in its employ, coaches and players alike, to enable them to excel. After all, success does not come by mere happenstance. It is planned!
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