I promised to write this piece during the week when a journalist prompted me to comment on recent developments in Nigerian football. I had nothing to say and told him so. Suddenly the words came to my mouth, and I voiced them out – God is a footballer! I liked the caption. I immediately knew I was expected to make sense of it and write about it! God is a footballer. What am I supposed to write that would not appear as if I am either blaspheming or a bigot? The last time I encountered that caption was some time ago during one of my ‘spiritual’ visits to Sam.

Sam is my friend that lives in Newberry, South Carolina. I mean Sam Okpodu.

This morning we are in Sam’s car driving from Newberry to Columbia. It is a few minutes to 4 O’clock. The highway is almost empty. Only a few cars are on the road at that time. The road ahead lies beautiful against the rays of light from the reflectors that separate the dual lanes of traffic, like an airport runway. Almost every highway here has cat-eyes separating the lanes. These are great alternatives to street or road lights. We are listening to some spirit-lifting gospel music as we chat along.

Sam is my friend in the real sense of the word. I am always so happy being with him. The simplicity of his way of life is a tonic for my soul. This morning, seating next to him in the beauty of the surrounding dark trees and landscape, and chatting about life and its innumerable blessings in our lives, make me feel good and cool.

Here I am in God’s own country, far away from home, with my friend, driving peacefully and happily, with good conversation and good thoughts as our companion. Sam says we must celebrate life and all the good that it has offered us through our lives. I agree.

Sam goes very philosophical. He reminds me our lives have been charted by our experiences as footballers; that football is what the elements gave us through which we shall  experience all the life has to offer us; that through football we have learnt to embrace our ‘fate’ and to still find a way to excel; that the universe should come now and see how well we have done against the odds of what it meant in our time to be a ‘footballer’.

Sam asks: ‘Do you know my legacy for the world?’ I remain silent.

‘I leave something with every body I encounter along the path of my life, Thats my legacy,’ Sam says. ‘I may not have money or material things to give all the time, but what I have in over abundance, instilled in me by the game that shaped the experiences of my life, I freely give. I give people words that elevate, that bless, that encourage, that show love, that give hope, that beautify, that show compassion, humility and friendship. I never get angry over anything any more in my life. I just laugh over them. I thank God for my health even when I know that as I am ageing parts of my body are naturally falling apart. I thank him for my children. I thank him for my family and friends and for the work I do that gives me an opportunity to touch the lives of the students that come to work with me in search of their dream in football. What is there to worry about? All these things are bequeathed to me through football!’.

I look at him and feel good about the moment. We worry over things that really do not matter, Sam reminds me. ‘Big Seg’, he says, ‘do not worry about the things you can do nothing about. Leave it to God, for He is a footballer! If you doubt me think of what the game of football means to the world!’.

I think.

Football is the single most followed sport in the world. Conservatively, it has over 2 billion committed fans in the world, greater than the number in any single religious group. The passion with which football is followed defies ordinary understanding. Nations have gone to war over the result of a football match. Wars have been temporarily halted so that the warriors can follow the proceedings of a football match. The last World Cup in South Africa was watched by a cumulative total of close to 5 billion people.   Football attracts followership that cuts across all cultural, religious, economic, ethnic and racial divides. It is the one sport in the world whose leadership may at this time even be more influential than the leadership of the United Nations.  So strong has FIFA’s control over football being that governments have been rendered impotent against its directives and laws. That’s the game that shaped us and gave our lives a meaning.

To excel in it we had to start young, we had to be disciplined, we had to be committed to it in every way, we had to live a regimented life, we had to inculcate the practice of fair play, healthy competition, hard work, team work, and a winning attitude. We had to learn to celebrate victories and to accept and even be gracious in defeat. We had to learn to be a part of a team joining with the strength and contributions of others to succeed. We had to learn great moral values! Friendship was our underlying philosophy. In the course of all this we travelled the world. We made everlasting friends. We became famous and sometimes materially rich. In all this we were tested all of the way – stretched to the limit by the demand for patience, perseverance, stamina, strength, flexibility, and luck! Finally, we had to learn to lean on the elements, so we learned to pray hard and to call on divine intervention all the time. Watch every team before a match and you will understand what I mean. God means everything to us as footballers!

Football is the people’s game. If the proper rules are followed it is the most beautiful game in the world. Thats why it should not be desecrated in any way by the activities of those with low morals and values!

Sam reminds me how often when we played that we felt the powerful presence of God with us on the field of play. I think about it. We were only vehicles, tools in God’s hands, gifted specially by God to light up the world with the magic of football. Today it has become a global weapon to emancipate the poor, to reduce poverty, to eradicate illiteracy, to engage the young in a happy pastime, to provide employment for millions, and to bring joy to the hearts of a vast ocean of people around the world.

God must truly be a footballer!

Maurice and the book of Psalms

I have a great friend from Calabar. His name is Maurice. He is a pastor.  Four weeks ago he called me up one morning on the eve of my journey abroad. We hardly ever talk about religion. He is that kind of a pastor that never shoves his religion in your face, yet he wins you ever with his conduct and simple ways!

He called me that morning and instructed me rather unusually to read a particular passage in the book of Psalms.  He told me it was a message for the world of football that shall come to pass! He insisted that I read it!

I decided to heed his word. I picked up the bible and read. The passage was indeed a peep into the future – almost every line of it! I want to share that passage with all those that have eyes that can see and ears that can hear! let them read so that they can be ministered to as I, so blessedly, was!

Psalm 37.