25th June, 2010
Football is one sport that has become part of every household. Young (even my seven year old son) and old, rich and poor, everyone loves football. Nigeria is a nation with diverse culture. Different ethnic groups exist and every one of them tries as much as it can to protect its rights.
The recent PDP policy of zoning has been making headlines when it comes to political news. Every tribe wants the presidential ticket. Just like what happened few days back at the National Assembly in Abuja. People fight themselves so much for power and wealth.
We daily hear about inter-tribal clashes in different parts of the country. When you discuss religion, it leads to violence. Same goes for politics and race. But over time, football has proved itself to be one strong uniting force in the world.
It is surprising how football can make a white man who hates blacks with passion to forget about the hatred and unconsciously hug that same object of hatred in celebration of victory. I have always wondered how this same football can make a husband settle every difference with his wife during a match. Friends and colleagues have had to forget their differences while watching a match. Like my friends say, there is indeed a spirit behind that small round leather called football.
This is a time in the history of sports when nations of the world gather under the umbrella of FIFA for the ever popular world cup. This comes once in four years and so many look forward to it. We all know the game of football has done very well in bringing unity to the world. But it has also done well in destroying relationships.
This World Cup tournament is one that has left a lot of women in pain. So many men use this time to engage in all their escapades under the pretence of watching the World Cup. So many men have been lured into all these stupid acts by their friends who give them very good reasons for cheating on their partners.
I overheard a guy telling a friend in a supermarket that he was not going home that day. He planned telling the wife that he went with his colleagues to watch the World Cup and got so drunk that he couldn’t drive home. This is just one of the numerous lies men come up with at this time.
Have you visited the joints and club houses this period? You can give it a try to understand where I am coming from. The high class prostitutes (runs girls) all over town have made these places their homes until the World Cup is over. They intentionally hang out in all these places looking for easy prey for each night. The worst of it is that they no longer go to the local joints. You see them well dressed; some of them even come the corporate way pretending to have closed worked for the day. The truth is that they have a mission and they dress to attract the kind of man they want.
Recently, a woman I met in the salon was lamenting over the loss of her marriage. No, she was not talking to me, but she was loud enough for everybody’s ears. Trust me, as a weekly writer, I get interested in knowing what is obtainable in my environment.
To my utmost bewilderment, the so widely cherished game of soccer has become a stumbling block to so many. The poor woman’s home has been destroyed by our so much celebrated World Cup. The husband left to watch the World Cup with a female staff. Calling his phone late at night, the girl picked and told him the man was in the convenience. How the woman is taking it and how she intends handling the situation is left to our imagination.
Another young man got up and without any prior information, told the fiancé that he was on his way to South Africa for the World Cup. The guy spent months making up his mind to be in South Africa for this World Cup. But he didn’t deem it fit to tell a lady he has dated for about three years of his plans. Is this man justified? On arrival in South Africa, he called the lady who immediately told him to pick up his house key from his “malam†whenever he returns. This was the end of a two-year relationship.
Women are everywhere complaining about the change in their husband’s attitude since the inception of this World Cup. The children also are disappointed as they keep waiting endlessly for daddy to come back from the office and as usual, help out with their homework and read bedtime stories. But contrary to their wishes, daddy is nowhere to be found.
Some homes have the culture of eating out weekends, but the World Cup has disrupted everything. Women cook sumptuous meals for the man they love. Dinner time is usually 8pm for the man. Madam sets the table, takes her night bath, and wears a very good fragrance and a sexy nightwear all in the bid to get him more attracted to her. But here she is, her eyes filled with tears knowing she is all alone in this.
She tries to comfort herself believing the man will soon get home. But at 12 midnight, he is not back. The woman, in disappointment packs her food into the fridge and straight she goes into the bedroom, hating herself for loving a man who does not care how she feels.
Guys, I know you don’t know this before now. It hurts a woman so much when after spending her time cooking and waiting to make her man happy, she is left disappointed. The pain is so much that she feels deserted. This can make a woman walk out of a relationship. Even when she chooses to remain there due to so many circumstances beyond her control, she decides to ignore you and move on with her life. Sure you won’t like this.
A lady once received the slap of her life that led to the loss of a tooth when she ran out of the room in excitement to watch a series she was following on television. Without knowing the man was angry over his English club losing their match to their opponent, she picked the remote and there, a different programme came on air. The man, who couldn’t control himself got up, slapped her. It was only when she opened her hand with her tooth in it that the guy came to his senses.
The girl lost her tooth, the man grieved for weeks because he was trying to be a die-hard-fan for a club that doesn’t even know he exists. Isn’t that foolishness? When are we going to start supporting our local teams he way we support all those clubs we have no stake in?
A friend once exchanged words with a street hawker just for selling stuff that promote Chelsea. He is a fan of Manchester United. He started rendering curses on the poor boy for asking him to buy what is promoting Chelsea. Trust Nigerians, we don’t walk away from insults; the boy hit and broke his glass.
Men, the women folk are not happy at this time because of your addiction to this World Cup. Nigeria is out of the tournament so please try to balance things. Nothing is worth your time more than your relationship. You can watch that match at home with your woman. You can take her out to be with you in a decent place.
Some women have lost the man they love so much to an untimely death. The man goes into a bar and takes uncountable bottles of beer. On driving home, he ends up in a ditch and that’s the end of a young, active life. A woman once lost her husband just five days to the one year birthday party of her twins. The man left the house to watch a match with friends. He got drunk and on his way home, there was an armed robbery attack. People tried to stop him, but he was too drunk to hear anyone. He drove to the point of the attack and was killed.
Don’t lose that thing you value so much because of a tournament that lasts for few weeks and is forgotten almost immediately. Be wise in your decisions. We need your company more than any other thing .Please don’t let her lose your time and affection because of that little round leather. Remember, moderation is should be the watchword.