John Mikel Obi: Our Captain, Our Role Model

Few years ago, John Mikel Obi and Osaze  Odewingie were tagged REBELS… accused of sabotaging Samson Siasia’s effort to qualify Nigeria for  the 2011 African Cup of Nations.

While Odewingie, in twilight of his career, still have the “Rebel and Unpatriotic” tag hanging on his neck, Mikel has since redeemed his image and is now displaying some rare quality of his true personality.

If Nigeria’s Super Eagles captain John Mikel Obi decided to run for a political office today, chances are that he will win by a landslide.

His huge popularity and millions aside, the former Chelsea midfielder has shown time and again that he bleeds green and white, bailing out the country from embarrassing situations on and off the pitch.

After the reconciliation, Siasia went ahead to appoint Mikel as captain of the 2016 Nigeria men soccer team for the Olympics game. Mikel put aside his personal interest to save national embarrassment. He used his own money to pay hotel of the entire team during their training camp in Atlanta USA, when the government virtually turned their back on the team.

 That team, against all odds, went on to win Bronze Medal.

We saw Mikel display such rare patriotism again at 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia…

 After the painful defeat to Argentina that saw the team kicked out of the World Cup, clips of the skipper trying to fight back tears quick went viral.

The initial conclusion was that he was trying to come to terms with the loss. But unknown to millions of fans watching that day, Mikel had another issue bothering him: hours before the match started, he was told he his father had been kidnapped and there was a sword of death dangling above him.

But he still led his team against Argentines and gave his all. It was his latest act of bravery and undiluted patriotism that Nigerians are appreciating. And they believe there is a possibility he will display such if he becomes a politician. What Buhari and other Nigerian leaders should emulate…To sweep aside personal interest for Nationality.