SIR: Great Kenyans: On October 10, 2009, your National Football team otherwise known as the Harambee Stars will be going to battle with the Carthage Eagles of Tunisia. What is at stake is much more than a spot at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa or a spot at the 2010 Nations Cup in Angola.
Your reputation. Your integrity. Your character. Your sovereignty as an independent nation is equally at stake. I really do not have any doubt in my mind that you are equal to the task. I know you will match the Tunisians energy for energy and tactics for tactics. Please do not let the Tunisia do to you what they did to Nigeria on Nigerian soil.
You might wonder why I of all people - a Nigerian is writing this letter to you and urging you on in your forthcoming football match with Tunisia. In the first place the Bible tells us to be our brother's keeper. Apart from this, going down the memory lane, you will recall that we were both colonised by the British. While Kenya got independence in December 1963, Nigeria got independence in October 1960. We actually have a lot in common.
For example our economies are characterised by corruption and mismanagement. There is so much poverty in our land just like yours. From our antecedents of British colonisation, English Language is both our official language. Again while Kenya operates a semi-presidential system of Government, Nigeria operates a full Federal system of Government.
Your National Anthem Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu which is translated to mean O God of all creation is coincidentally the beginning of the second stanza of Nigeria's National Anthem. From the foregoing, it is quite obvious that Nigerians and Kenyans have much in common. However, for today, the importance of my letter to you Kenyans is to encourage you to do everything legal within your means to match the ambitious Tunisians in your all-important match with them come this Saturday, October 10, 2009.
Nigeria is solidly behind you in this monumental task. We believe you can do it. Tame the Lions in their own den. You can do it. Remember Barack Obama - "Yes We can." You definitely can. Let the irrepressible spirit of Obama propel you to greater heights. Forget the fact that you lost the first leg narrowly in Kenya by 1-2 margin. This is the time to move forward. Forget the fact that the Tunisians came to Nigeria and also secured a 2-2 draw.
We, Nigerians are not bothered by the Tunisia's bravado. We want other people to do our job for us. This is why we believe you can help us out of this tight position we have found ourselves. Remember that we once sent our former Skipper, Chairman Christian Chukwu to handle your National football team. This is the time to compensate us for all that we have done for you.
We are sure you will not disappoint us. We have actually walked this path before. You will remember that in the build up to 2002 Korea/Japan World Cup, Africa Qualifiers, Liberia was a three points ahead of us and it seemed we would not qualify for the World Cup until Ghana came to our rescue by bringing Liberia down 2-1 in Freetown.
The only time we failed to make it to the World Cup was in 2006 when we needed Rwanda to help us beat stubborn Angola, a task Rwanda could not accomplish. We are actually sorry to bring this request to you doorsteps but do not forget that we are the giant of Africa and as such we carry a lot Africa's burden for countries like yours.
We are in the forefront of Peace Keeping in war-torn Darfur. We are equally involved in quite a number of other humanitarian efforts across Africa and all over the world. In addition we have quite a number of pressing internal issues demanding urgent attention raging from militancy in the Niger Delta Region of the country to infrastructural development, unemployment and inflation. Ola Morakinyo Port Harcourt, Rivers State
Source -http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/
