I hate the fact that once you question a Nigerianโs intellect their automatic response is to start comparing how much money they have to you. So because youโre rich you think you canโt be stupid?
The first and only time my father ever came to watch me play football was during a December League semi-final against a neighboring village.
I was having one of those games where everything seemed to be working. Every touch felt right, every pass connected, and my confidence was sky-high. Then, midway through the match, I looked to the side of the pitch and saw my father standing there with one of his friends.
Immediately, something changed.
The pressure hit me out of nowhere. The same game that had felt so easy suddenly became difficult. I started overthinking every touch and misplacing passes I would normally complete with my eyes closed.
Then came the moment Iโll never forget.
Deep into the second half, we conceded a corner. The ball was whipped into our box and I rose to clear it. Instead of making clean contact with my head, it struck my shoulder and looped into our own net.
Own goal. Omo I wan die
I can still remember the feeling. My legs were shaking. My chest was beating gbim gbim. We lost 1-0 and missed out on the final because of that goal.
That night, I cried more than I had ever cried over football.
I spent the entire year training with one thing on my mind: December. I wanted another shot. I wanted to win the league. More importantly, I wanted my father to see me redeem myself.
But life had other plans.
My father died in October of that year.
To this day, one of my biggest regrets is that the only football match he ever watched me play ended that way. I never got the chance to show him that football dey my body.
That one still hurts like mad!!!๐ค
One thing you should admire about the Igbos:
If non-Igbos go to the East and start making it big,
many Igbos will try to befriend them, learn from them, and emulate their success.
As Igbo kids, we grew up without knowing what tribalism meant.
The only thing we knew were 'THE TRIBES OF NIGERIA'.
Unlike you Yoruba kids, NOBODY taught us to hate any tribe or to avoid our fellow kids who are not Igbo.
Summary:
If you live in Owerri, NOBODY will notice you.