By Williams Charles Oluwatoyin.
In less than 72 hours, the 21st FIFA World Cup would take off in Russia from 14 June to 15 July 2018. It would host 32 national teams including the Nigeria Super Eagles.
The World Cup is known to be world’s most popular, colorful tournament and most watched game world over.
Kogi State government is capitalizing on effects and gains of the World Cup to build stronger ties across the state. It is setting up World Cup viewing centers across its 21 LGA’s.
In Nigeria today, the one and only proven tool for unity and peace is sport and football to be precise. Now that the World Cup is here, the government wants the games to be viewed all around the state.
In 1969 during the Nigeria civil war, both warring parties had a 48 hours ceasefire just to watch a football match between the Green Eagles and Santos FC of Brazil, that would be featuring world star Edson Arantis Do Nascemento popularly know as Pélé
They wanted to see the King of football and his mesmerizing moves, they wanted to see Pele. And they did. It’s something unfathomable. Football actually caused a ceasefire. That was greatness.
“It was strange because the whole country was divided and in conflict. But as soon as they found out the game was to take place that was put on hold. It was a tiny pitch, I remember it well, the people arrived carrying chairs on their heads in order to watch the game.” – Lima, his teammate
Football as a universal language is a powerful tool to promote peace, tolerance and understanding by bringing people together across boundaries, cultures and religions.
It is a fact that watching the greatest sport ever in viewing center can be very interesting. People forget about class or religion and become one. The cheers, the jibes, the jubilation, the hugs and the fun are elements for fostering peace and unity.
Hence the New Direction in its wisdom is bent in exploiting this option to bringing long lasting peace and unity to Kogi state and further strengthening existing cordiality between its people.
However, government needs to beef up security at each of these centers to forestall unforeseen circumstances.
