Goalkeeper Nwabali’s moment in the sun

Without a doubt, the story of the improved performance of the Super Eagles at the just concluded Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cote d’Ivoire will not be complete without a mention of the enormous contribution of Stanley Nwabali, who manned the posts for the team in their seven matches at the tournament. Although it was a collective effort, the Chippa United man stole the hearts of millions of Nigerians with his outstanding goalkeeping.

Although not many people gave him a chance, Nwabali quickly slotted himself into the team and behaved as if he had been with the squad for years. There was no sign of inferiority complex even as he was the least rated among the first eleven of the team. In fact, he was the only member of the starting 11 who plies his trade on the continent. The rest came in from Europe, where they are playing for big clubs like Napoli, Atlanta, AC Milan, Fulham, FC Porto, Brentford, Royal Antwerp, and so on. So, going by the profile of the players, he was the smallest of the big boys, but Nwabali became the most mentioned and admired of the pack.

Nwabali deserved the special attention he got because in no time, he was able to save Nigerian football fans from their biggest nightmare, which was the goalkeeping crisis. The fans had suffered emotionally and psychologically due to the abysmal goalkeeping of the former number one, Francis Uzoho. Therefore, when it was time for the AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire and a solution to the looming disaster wasn’t in sight, the worry and tension among the fans of the Super Eagles became palpable. But graciously, Nwabali appeared on the scene to save them from more heartache. From his AFCON debut to the final match against the Elephants, the former Go Round FC, Wikki Tourists, Lobi Stars, and Katsina United goalkeeper didn’t disappoint Nigerians.

In fact, he became so popular that when he sustained that knee injury in the Round of 16 battle with the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon, the bulky goalkeeper became everyone’s prayer point. Nigerians unanimously prayed for him to recover quickly to man the post in the quarter-final against the Plancas Negras of Angola. It was, therefore, a huge relief for most of the fans when the news broke that he would be the one to keep against Angola. Having proved in the past four matches that he was the messiah the country was praying for, nobody wanted Uzoho close to the posts again. This was evident when the lanky goaltender was called upon to replace the injured Nwabali in the concluding part of the battle with the Lions of Cameroon.

Although Nwabali eventually conceded two goals when it mattered most, that didn’t dent his brilliant performances in the previous matches. In the final, the team simply bowed to the pressure from over 50,000 Ivorian fans. The pressure was so intense that the Super Eagles that kept soaring from the group matches to the knock-out stage became like chickens that were

too weak to fly over the elephants. The defence that once proved to be impregnable caved in, and there was little or nothing Nwabali could do to stop the defeat. Indeed, it was the first and only loss for the Super Eagles in Cote d’Ivoire.

Well, except for a few who misbehaved by cyberbulling the players after the AFCON failure, Nigerians must be commended for showing love to the silver-winning team. The federal government did the most noble thing by conferring on the players and their official national honours. They are now proud Members of the Order of the Niger (MON). Although monetary reward was downplayed at the Presidential reception hosted by President Ahmed Tinubu himself, each member of the team was gifted a flat and plot of land in Abuja. Some well-to-do Nigerians and corporate organisations also patronised the success achieved by the team.

Certainly, the big boys in the Super Eagles, like Victor Osimhen may not feel the impact of the AFCON bonuses and camp allowances but for the duo of Nwabali and the only homebased member of the team, Ojo Olorunleke, the largesse from the tournament is a life changer. They have joined the league of millionaires, and their lives won’t be the same again. Even as most Nigerians are wallowing in abject poverty, the two Eagles will continue to smile to the banks. Only recently, Olorunleke reportedly gifted some of the goalkeepers in the NPFL N500,000. It is doubtful if he would have shown this magnanimity without the AFCON windfall.

Apart from the money he made from the AFCON, Nwabali was hosted by his state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, who showered a state honour and a whopping N20m for being a worthy ambassador of Rivers State. Spurred by His Excellency’s generosity towards their son, the traditional ruler of Mgbede Community in Egbema Kingdom, Rivers State, organised a grand reception for Nwabali and conferred on him a chieftaincy title. He is now the ‘Ugo Egbema’ (The Pride of Egbema kingdom). It was a glorious homecoming for the hero of Egbema as the whole community came to a standstill.

The story of the Chippa United goalkeeper, who is now the interest of big clubs in Europe and Asia, is intriguing because a few months ago, he was still in obscurity despite his exploits in the NPFL. So, except for those who have been following the South African topflight, Nwabali’s emergence and 5-star performance at the AFCON was a big surprise. As a matter of fact, when he was being prepared to take over from Uzoho, many felt Nigeria was going from frying pan to fire. Some even said the devil they knew was far better than the new angel that was coming. But in the end, Nwabali grabbed the golden opportunity with both hands and the rest as they say is history. Now he has the fame and money he was dreaming of for decades as a professional footballer.

However, as he savours his moment in the sun, Nwabali shouldn’t get carried away. Getting to the top is one thing and remaining there for long is a different thing entirely. He has succeeded in taking the number one shirt from Uzoho but how he manages his newly acquired status will determine how long he will be the Super Eagles’ first choice in goal. The same people singing his praises today will crucify him tomorrow if he breaks their hearts. Nigerian fans hardly forget or forgive those who hurt them, especially at very critical moments. Even the hugely successful stars like Jay Jay Okocha, Kanu Nwankwo, Victor Ikpeba, Austin Eguavoen, Peter Rufai, Mikel Obi, Ahmed Musa, Yakubu Aiyegbeni and a host of others, suffered vicious verbal attacks by the same fans who once adored them.

Moreover, a goalkeeper is not remembered for his saves but the goals he conceded. To date, Nigerians are still talking about Uzoho’s howler in Abuja, which denied the Super Eagles the ticket to Qatar 2022. So, Nwabali shouldn’t even contemplate any form of complacency. He has wet the appetite of Nigerian football fans, so from now on, they won’t take it lightly with him if he decides to treat them to the Uzoho show