Football and National Identity: The Example of Super Eagles of Nigeria’s participation in the 2018 FIFA World
Abstract
On June 14, 2018, FIFA World Cup kicked-off in Russia. Fortunately, Nigeria qualified for the competition and had players of different ethnic nationalities to play under the national team, Super Eagles. The tournament was at a period of heightened tension caused by the secessionist agitations, under the leadership of Nnamdi Kanu, of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). The agitation was such that many Igbo people living in the Northern part of the country (dominated by the Hausa-Fulani ethnic group) were asked to return to Igboland. In the same manner, Northerners in Igboland faced several threats. But once the World Cup started, there was a shift from the status-quo-ante, as ethnic appendages were deemphasized. This paper relied on oral history method, social media posts and ethnographic survey to argue that the application of football is a potent tool for national cohesion. The study did not deny that the aforementioned national spirit was short-lived; instead, it maintained that same could be exploited in nation building attempts. The study therefore recommended a well planned application of football in national questions.
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