Time to pray again

It is time to pray once again and the prayer points have become almost clichéd. No wonder God Almighty Himself said His people are destroyed for lack of knowledge and sincerely this is very true concerning the way and manner Nigerians pray before and during very crucial football matches like those coming up this week.

First,is the Flying Eagles quarter-final match against Germany on Wednesday, in the ongoingU-20 FIFA World Cup finals in Egypt. I make very bold to repeat that the players representing Nigeria in Egypt, do not belong to the U-20 category, U-30, yes. A few of them are 30+ and this is a fact.

Second, is the make or mar match to be played this weekend at the Abuja National Stadium between our own Super Eagles and the Mambas of Mozambique in the ongoing FIFA 2010 World Cup qualification matches.

God and prayers

"God, please give us victory". "God, please do not allow a tiny Country like Mozambique beat us". "Baba do everything you only can do - by fire by force, to make sure that the Super Eagles are in South Africa. Even if they are not currently very super, please Baba, overlook that, ignore their shortcomings and just let them make it to South Africa". A lot of football-loving Nigerians will fast once more and there will also be vigils.

Does God not answer prayers? He does. The truth is that we have been praying amiss. This is why I so much admire the way a respected general overseer of one of the largest churches in Nigeria led almost a million members of his congregation in prayers for Nigerian Sports last week Friday.

The prayer points were very simple, but I believe appropriate. "Lord, restore the last glory of Nigerian Sports", "Daddy (God) rescue Nigerian Sports from the grips of our enemies" and "Daddy (God) uproot all the enemies of Nigerian Sports - all those who are killing sports in Nigeria, deal with them by uprooting them from whatever positions they may be occupying now".

I am sure the man of God, acknowledges the fact that it is not of him that runs, or of him who wants to win, but of God who shows mercies. He also acknowledges the fact that there is no authority (leadership) except from God. The authorities (leaders) that exist are appointed and established by God.

I agree absolutely.

Football politics

Do we remember how Nigerians clamoured for the removal of the Galadima/Taiwo Ogunjobi's regime from the glass house? Do we also remember the outrage against Austin Eguavoen and Betty Vogts? They were seen as total misfits. We heaved a long and loud sigh of relief when they were replaced and believed that those taking over from them, the political appointees, will take Nigerian sports to the promised land, but the opposite is now the case.

Sack Bolaji Ojo-Oba the secretary general of Nigeria Football Federation, Sanni Lulu the Chairman, and all those in the glass house or the National Sports Commission? No problem! We may succeed in doing that, but I am afraid we lack the spiritual powers to appoint those who will transform sports in Nigeria.

Only God can this for us, very effectively and successfully too. Can we, the sports loving Nigerians, humble ourselves, seek the face of God, turn from our wicked ways, so that God can hear us, forgive our sins and heal sports in Nigeria? The only drawing board we must return to in Nigeria is God. Without the divine intervention of God Almighty, sports in this country will steadily and speedily continue to head for the rocks.

The need for redemption

In a country where there is age-falsification by players in age-grade competitions, fetishism, massive corruption, moral decadence, use of drugs and other vices, divine redemption becomes crucial.

The win-at-all-cost attitude possessed by many has also been responsible for bribery and match fixing by club owners and officials. Young athletes are being lured into occultism and witchcraft by some coaches, who assure themthat they can acquire super-natural powers to excel and become champions overnight. You only need to hear the gory experiences of some these athletes.

There is the urgent need for Nigeria to go back to God. As we pray this week, please remember to thank God for where we are in sports, confess our sins to God, ask him for forgiveness. Pray that he should please uproot all the enemies of Nigerian sports and replace them with his own candidates so that they can transform sports in this great country.

This is the truth and it is the truth that can liberate sports. No more, no less.