Trust Nigerians, wherever they go, they attract attention! No sooner had referee P O’Leary blown the final whistle of the Nigeria –Bosnia/Herzegovina match on June 21 than Nigerians in the Arena Pantanal (Stadium), Cuiaba, Brazil go wild in jubilation.
Led by members of the Nigeria Football Supporters Club, they danced to the music provided by the club in celebration of the Super Eagles 1-0 victory over Bosnia/Herzegovina. It was a carnival like atmosphere, as the Nigerians were soon joined by many Brazilians, men and women, boys and girls, in dancing, cheering and hailing the Eagle’s triumph. In doing this, they caused traffic jam in some of the streets leading to the stadium, as the group took over an entire road. Many Brazilians, apart from requesting for autographs from some Nigerian fans and supporters, took photographs with them also, while others stood in front of their houses to have a glimpse of the moving parade.
For members of the supporters club, the Super Eagles victory was indeed a relieve as they finally got the chance of doing what they could not do inside the Arena Pantanal that day as, for the second time, they were prevented by security officials from going into the stadium with their musical instruments. The first happened in Curitiba on June 16, venue of Nigeria’s first world cup match against Iran.
Steve Oluwale Bello, a member of Nigeria football supporters club, said he was happy the Super Eagles won the match and that the victory dance was a celebration of hardwork and success. “We have just sent a signal to the whole world that we are capable of delivering.” he said adding that drumming and dancing was synonymous with the supporters club. “This has been the tradition of Nigeria Football Supporters Club. We are role models and good ambassadors of Nigeria. I could remember Atlanta 96, France 98, Korea/Japan 2002 and South Africa 2010; it was the same situation. Nigerian people are a loving and happy people. We have shown the world how to celebrate,” he said
Sao Paolo’s Chilling Weather
By Anthony Akaeze
Sao Paolo, Brazil’s most populous city, is cold, really cold! That’s for me, a Nigerian, as the weather reminds me of the biting cold weather of Jos, Plateau State that I experienced in the 80s.
The same complaint had been made by many Nigerian journalists who, as antidote to the weather, choose to wear three or more clothes at once. But the weather condition of Curitiba, the venue of Super Eagles first match against Iran, and Cuiaba, where the Nigerians filed out against Bosnia/Herzegovina, were the opposite of Sao Paulo’s as both cities had relatively mild or high temperature on the days the Super Eagles played their first and second World Cup matches. Indeed, the media guide for Brazil 2014 describes Cuiaba as a city “known for its high temperatures.”
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