The invitation of Yakubu Ayegbeni and Sani Kaita by Super Eagles Chief Coach, Stephen Keshi, into the Eagles fold for Rwanda is in the right direction, reasons being that the duo are Nigerians, despite the fact that they fell out of Nigerian grace, based on their misdeeds. Does not make them less Nigerians.
It would be recalled that Ayegbeni wasted a vital goal that would have made the country progress to the next stage of the competition during the last FIFA organized South Africa 2010 world cup, thereby attracting the anger of the rest of Nigerians. He (Yak) is playing to represent at the world cup.
Sani Kaita on his part bagged a red card in the most annoying manner which reduced the Nigerian players to 10 players. Sad enough, Nigeria lost that match. Since then, the totality of Nigeria football followers and lovers have never wanted to see Sani Kaita play for the Nigeria Super Eagles, even when the player is in form and having regular play time in his club side in Europe.
The big boss as he is fondly called in his playing days, Keshi has done well as expected of an elderly statesman in the Nigerian soccer circle by inviting the duo to serve their father land.
The duo are all bona fide members of Nigeria and are in form, having splendid time with their club sides in Europe where they play their football trade.
For Yak he has become the terror many defenders wish he should not play anytime their team is playing his side. He has become so consistent in banging in the goals that no week will pass without the once rejected player’s name being mentioned on the lips of Nigerians who are European football addicts.
Why Keshi has done well is because, Nigeria is building a new team that could stand the test of time in both Africa and world football, at such only the best players that come out from the shore of Nigeria alone are supposed to be assembled to constitute that formidable team that would threaten every team in the football world.
If that is so, Yak and Kaita, as Nigerians, have equal right just, like any other performing Nigerian player to be in the Super Eagles squad. ##
Veteran Sports Men Should Sustain Sports
Veteran sports men and women should have a better reason to sustain the particular sports that had made them veteran sports men and women. This is because no other person outside that sport could understand the worth of that particular sport that they have passed through to make their fame.
Where the money is there, they could go into partnership with government, organization and even well-to-do individuals, after all they will still have publicity. And above all they would have given talented souls to have excelled to make a living with such sports.
Sports today is a career, that is why the veterans should as a matter of seriousness create an enabling environment for companies, well-to-do individuals and the government to understand what sports mean to the lives of the youths. No other person outside sports could champion a course for the various sporting events available for the youths to exploit.
Today we hear about great sports men like King Pele of Brazil, Mohammed Ali, Serena Williams, Rashidi Yekini, Jackson Bidei, just to mention a few. These men did not originate the very particular sports that they did excel in their times. People started the sports and they keyed into them and excelled because the sports were sustained. Besides, the talents for the sports are there. Hence they key in and become heroes and heroines in their right. ###
Allanso Jonathan Allanso
