After
series of spiraling events, postponements, dilly-dallying, and a host of other
stumbling blocks, I finally went to a Nigerian Professional Football League
game (NPFL).
Prior
to the formation of the League Management Committee (LMC) and reestablishment
of the league, the league experienced an unprecedented level of decline.
Although football is the country’s national sport, the domestic competitions
suffered neglect and obscurity from the people, mostly as a result of the
unsavory scenes that gritted match days. The situation grew even worse around
the early 2000s when cable TVs became a commonplace, heralding a total
development of Nigerians’ affinity for the European League, and most notably
the English Premier League.
In
the past, I have been to a national game, but the Shooting Stars vs. Plateau
United is the first Nigerian League match I had ever seen – though I have
watched numerous matches on TV. It was Sunday afternoon, and there wasn’t much
to do, so, I thought of hanging out. It then came to me in an epiphany that
there’d be an NPFL game. “No going back, the jinx of not seeing a game would be
broken today,” I thought to myself.
By
the time I arrived the stadium, it was about 20mins past kickoff. I saw people
thronging hurriedly towards the ticket office and some others into the arena.
Instantly, I was caught in the exciting frenzy, and I rushed along as if a step
slower would make me miss the entire match.
At
the ticket office, I saw people making frantic efforts to get tickets. There
were young, as well as old people, male and female alike. I saw haggard-looking
folks and something that describes poor – if not wretched, buying tickets to
see the game. I was taken aback. More often, I have interacted with friends who
are lovers of football but haven’t seen any sense watching a Nigerian League
game on TV, talk less of going to the stadium to see a game. “Nigerian what?”,
“It is a waste of time and money” they’d protest, with sullen and dismissive
countenances. But there I was, with folks
who epitomize the suffering Nigerians, yet for the craving and love of the
game, can still manage to buy tickets for a league match. I was overwhelmed.
In
the arena, the covered area ticket I got couldn’t get me a seat. Like many
others, I had to find a place to stand at the terrace behind the seats. Well,
it looked like there wasn’t a system to check if seats were still available for
a particular stand before selling more, and apparently, the number of tickets
printed for the match day exceeded the number of seats available. Nevertheless,
I shrugged it off. I should enjoy this ‘historic’ moment, I said to myself.
No
sooner have I entered that I noticed a trend. Both sides were apprehensive of
each other, trying to get the away from their goal as quick as possible. At the
brink of half-time whistle, the visiting team scored a goal from a throw,
courtesy of the casual defending by the home side. From that moment, things took a dramatic
plunge. Plateau United, the visiting team, started exhibiting antics.
By
the turn of the match and few minutes of the second half, Shooting Stars had
started to pile the pressure on the away side, looking for a way to turn things
around. The antics and time-wasting tactics of Plateau United became recurrent,
with their players suddenly dropping on the field, seeking medical attention,
and bringing the play to a halt. It became rampant, with the Centre Referee
failing to curb the excesses of the away side, and the fans having to endure a
halt-play-halt game.
Things
reached it peaked when a defender of Plateau United suddenly went down after
Shooting Stars had spurned a chance. The medical staff of Shooting Stars,
rushed in to attend to him, just as they’ve been doing throughout the match.
They tried to lift the player out of the pitch with their stretcher, but the
defender wouldn’t have any of it, deliberately refuting their attempts. The
situation led to a scuffle between the visiting players and the home team
medical staff. Eventually, the player was taken out of the pitch but was
dropped outside in a cavalier manner, causing some of the Plateau United
players to accost the medical staff leading to a push and shove confrontation.
A few moments later, the General Manager of the home side then rushed to the
touchline, angrily calling the attention of the referee, and saying something
which was inaudible from the stands.
After
a while, the skirmish started to die down, until the Coach of Plateau lunged
towards the 3SC General Manager in what looked like fisticuffs were about to ensue.
He was, however, held back by some members of his staff. This drew the ire of
the Shooting Stars fans, with some throwing plastic objects towards the team
members and staff of Plateau United. The pelting then fomented trouble among
the home fans themselves, as some angrily challenged others that threw the
objects towards the pitch, an action that seemingly meant to halt an action
that could lead to a ban for the home side. Eventually, normalcy returned and
the game was revived. Shooting Stars continued to pile the pressure, and they
got their equalizer from the spot when a player who wanted to strike a rebound
from an earlier shot was hacked down by an opposing defender. Tied at 1-1, the
away side held on, employing their time-wasting antic, albeit mildly, as
against their earlier actions. Finally, the Centre Referee blew the whistle,
signaling an end to the game, but there was a sour taste in the mouth of the
home team fans, while the away side shook themselves for a job ‘well done.’
As
a football lover, I felt disappointed with the events of the day. A league that
wants to grow, and willing to change the awful narratives around its
reputation, and increase its fan base would do everything to avoid any dent,
and ensure that such situations are dealt with to curb its reoccurrence.
However, it wasn’t all negatives. I saw a passion in the fans, albeit laced
with anger. I saw the capacity to check themselves even in the face of anger
and incitement. I saw the prospect of fans being the ones to end the hooliganism
in football. I see the possibility of the Nigerian League attaining greatness.
