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| Prophet Ngozi Akuwuogu |
Prophet Ngozi Akuwuogu who claimed to have helped Super Eagles of Nigeria win AFCON 2013, has come out to say Nigeria will also win Championship for African Nations (CHAN), if he is allowed to give the team such spiritual guidiance again.
“I am ready
to go with Super Eagles to South Africa to offer prayers and give the team such
spiritual guidiance needed to win each match.” said Prophet Akuwuogu
But will
Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) allow the Prophet be among the National team’s
crew to South Africa after the media rout last year? Does Super Eagles need
such spiritual envocations to win CHAN?
Stephen Keshi,
Super Eagles coach, in responding to the questions said: “I am not a Pastor or
a Prophet. I am just a coach and my job is to select the right mix of players
and put them in their best physical and mental condition to win the
championship. I guide the team based on my tactical knowledge of the game.”
He further explained:
“The boys I have selected may be as good as the team that won AFCON. Though, I
agree there’s an element of luck required to win, but I am not in the position
to decide if the Prophet should be among the team back staff. We shouldn’t win
at all cost, so I wonder if a Prophet is necessary.”
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List of
Super Eagles Players For CHAN
GOALKEEPERS: Chigozie Agbim (Enugu Rangers);
Daniel Akpeyi (Heartland FC); Dele Alampasu (Abuja Football College)DEFENDERS: Solomon Kwambe (Sunshine Stars); Francis Benjamin (Heartland FC); Azubuike Egwuekwe (Warri Wolves); Kunle Odunlami (Sunshine Stars); Ikechukwu Gabriel (Bayelsa United); Umar Zango (Kano Pillars); Bright Esieme (Enyimba FC); Erhun Obanor (Insurance FC)
MIDFIELDERS: Ugonna Uzochukwu (Enugu Rangers); Rabiu Ali (Kano Pillars); Christian Pyagbara (Sharks FC); Ikenna Hilary (Sunshine Stars); Abdullahi Shehu (Kano Pillars); Joshua Obaje (Warri Wolves)
FORWARDS: Ejike Uzoenyi (Enugu Rangers); Gbolahan Salami (Shooting Stars); Barnabas Imenger (Lobi Stars); Aliyu Ibrahim (Nasarawa United); Christian Obiozor (Enugu Rangers); Ifeanyi Ede (Enyimba FC)
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Another
opinion from the Chairman Nigeria football Supporters Club, Rafiu Ladipo
explains that spiritual preparation is part of the entire conditioning of a team that intend to win a major
championship.
“A team that
must win should prepare both physically, pychologically and spiritually; and if
Prophet Ngozi is the right man to help condition Super Eagles spiritually so be
it. He can be part of the support team to South Africa.” Ladipo concluded.
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| Prophet Ngozi picture above claim his Spiritual power to Win |
Well. Many football
followers in Nigeria have questioned the effecacy of such spiritual means and
wondered why any African team hasn’t won the world cup using such diabolicals.
Indeed, global football commentators have also played
down on any such claim of spiritual influence on the game of football – “It doesn’t matter because spirits don’t
play football.”
You can say
that again, but not in Africa! The strong fetish belief in the continent drive most teams to go
diabolical. It’s just part of life here, the belief that the spiritual control
everything physical. There’s also the phenomenon called ‘god of soccer’ and the
need to evoke it’s power in favor of a team. Over the years, it has taken various
demension and means in African football.
There’s ‘Black
Magic’ which envolves some rituals like envoking the dead, use of images to
charm the game or use of spiriual mirror or pot of fire by some voodoo or Juju
Priest.
There’s also
White Magic’ the reading of palm, gazing of stars or crystal ball by some
Astrologists. Then, ‘Jewish or Arabic prayers’ where some Prophets or Imam use
Bible Psalms or Koran to evoke powers. These things happen in African football.
