Early hours of this morning, the under-17 national soccer team of Nigeria
\nwon the world cup, for their age category!\u00a0 The victory was almost d\u00e9j\u00e0
\nvu, as we were along this same paths just 24 months or so, ago.<\/p>\n
The young lads left no one in doubt of their superiority, even after a
\nlittle fumble against Croatia, in the group stages.\u00a0 But the effortless
\nmanner by which they clinched the coveted trophy, left no one in doubt not
\njust of their superiority, but even affirmed their supremacy.<\/p>\n
It can easily be deduced by all discerning Nigerian, that we probably went
\nto this tournament with our best 18. And for the 5th time, our best 18 was
\nthe world’s best 18.<\/p>\n
Looking back to all the time we have earned global, glory, including few
\nhours ago, we have never used the principles of federal character. From
\nthe time we won first gold medal in commonwealth games in the 60’s through
\nthe first and second Olympic gold, through the Nduka Ugbade led global
\ntriumph of ’83 to the 4 others that followed, including today. These are
\nglobal contest were we needed to build teams. Teams to represent the
\nentire country, and bring glory!<\/p>\n
Glory! What the country is perennially denied in governance and economics.<\/p>\n
I imagine if coach Amuneke was required to use federal character in team
\nselection. Maybe Nwakali will not make this team. Maybe Akpan will have to
\nbe sacrificed. Possibly Bamgboye may have watched the tournament on TV,
\nVictor Osimhen may have to wait for ‘his turn’.\u00a0 We would have lost all
\nthese talents to the suffocating mediocrity of federal character. Likewise
\nplayers like KANU Nwankwo, Wilson Oruma, Finidi George, Iheanacho, Idah
\nPeterside, etc who rose through the youth merit selection, would all have
\nlanguished.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, millions of Nigeria’s talents are today languishing because
\nof institutional mediocrity and constitutional nepotism.\u00a0 Nigeria
\ncodified improper team selection for governance. In the quest to keep a
\nsection down, the country chained itself to moribund confusion. Instead of
\nselecting the best for governance, in all tiers of govt, it selected the
\nrest.\u00a0 And we wonder why glory eludes the land?<\/p>\n
In the place of federal character, we should institute NATIONAL
\nCHARACTER!\u00a0 This should entail setting a standard minimum merit level,
\nthat is the same across the 36 states and FCT.\u00a0 In tertiary admission,
\nmilitary admission, civil service admission etc. A common entry standard,
\nset in line with global benchmark. We just competed globally and won!!
\nSo we can domesticate global standards, for our youths, irrespective of
\ntribe and religion, and they will win.\u00a0 40 years of all manner of
\naffirmative actions have not helped the section of the country it was
\ndesigned for.\u00a0 It can’t work. It will only create two things. 1
\nEntitlement mindset for the beneficiaries.\u00a0 2. Resentment by the groups
\nthat are imperiled.<\/p>\n
This is the tragedy of federal character.\u00a0 National character picks the
\nbest from wherever they are. National character engenders the confidence
\nthat flows from ability. National character can build the youths of this
\ncountry, who this morning, conquered the world. National character is the
\nstarting point of restructuring this fractured house called Nigeria.<\/p>\n
Up Golden Eaglets!\u00a0 Down Federal Character!!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Early hours of this morning, the under-17 national soccer team of Nigeria won the world cup, for their age category!\u00a0 The victory was almost d\u00e9j\u00e0 vu, as we were along…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":39786,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-43571","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles-opinions","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n