Early hours of this morning, the under-17 national soccer team of Nigeria
won the world cup, for their age category! The victory was almost déjà
vu, as we were along this same paths just 24 months or so, ago.
The young lads left no one in doubt of their superiority, even after a
little fumble against Croatia, in the group stages. But the effortless
manner by which they clinched the coveted trophy, left no one in doubt not
just of their superiority, but even affirmed their supremacy.
It can easily be deduced by all discerning Nigerian, that we probably went
to this tournament with our best 18. And for the 5th time, our best 18 was
the world’s best 18.
Looking back to all the time we have earned global, glory, including few
hours ago, we have never used the principles of federal character. From
the time we won first gold medal in commonwealth games in the 60’s through
the first and second Olympic gold, through the Nduka Ugbade led global
triumph of ’83 to the 4 others that followed, including today. These are
global contest were we needed to build teams. Teams to represent the
entire country, and bring glory!
Glory! What the country is perennially denied in governance and economics.
I imagine if coach Amuneke was required to use federal character in team
selection. Maybe Nwakali will not make this team. Maybe Akpan will have to
be sacrificed. Possibly Bamgboye may have watched the tournament on TV,
Victor Osimhen may have to wait for ‘his turn’. We would have lost all
these talents to the suffocating mediocrity of federal character. Likewise
players like KANU Nwankwo, Wilson Oruma, Finidi George, Iheanacho, Idah
Peterside, etc who rose through the youth merit selection, would all have
languished.
Unfortunately, millions of Nigeria’s talents are today languishing because
of institutional mediocrity and constitutional nepotism. Nigeria
codified improper team selection for governance. In the quest to keep a
section down, the country chained itself to moribund confusion. Instead of
selecting the best for governance, in all tiers of govt, it selected the
rest. And we wonder why glory eludes the land?
In the place of federal character, we should institute NATIONAL
CHARACTER! This should entail setting a standard minimum merit level,
that is the same across the 36 states and FCT. In tertiary admission,
military admission, civil service admission etc. A common entry standard,
set in line with global benchmark. We just competed globally and won!!
So we can domesticate global standards, for our youths, irrespective of
tribe and religion, and they will win. 40 years of all manner of
affirmative actions have not helped the section of the country it was
designed for. It can’t work. It will only create two things. 1
Entitlement mindset for the beneficiaries. 2. Resentment by the groups
that are imperiled.
This is the tragedy of federal character. National character picks the
best from wherever they are. National character engenders the confidence
that flows from ability. National character can build the youths of this
country, who this morning, conquered the world. National character is the
starting point of restructuring this fractured house called Nigeria.
Up Golden Eaglets! Down Federal Character!!