Nigerians who stayed up early this morning were treated to an entertaining goal-fest of a football match between the country’s Under-23 national team and their Japanese opponents. In the end, it was probably worth sacrificing two hours of sleep- the boys from Nigeria won the match by 5 goals to 4.
But there was a more suspense-filled prelude to this encounter; one featuring a football team stranded thousands of miles away from their destination; and an airline coming to their rescue, inspired by the story of a miracle from 20 years before present.
Only a few hours before the start of Nigeria’s Under-23 football team’s first match at the Rio Olympics, it was not certain that the team would make it to Manaus, Brazil, where the game was to be played. This was due to a mix-up in arrangements involving the Nigerian Ministry of Sports and a charter airline firm. Missing the game would have reduced Nigeria’s medal hopes. But then there was an intervention- from a most unlikely saviour.
Delta Airlines, an American carrier based in Atlanta in the United States, took it upon itself to convey the Nigerian team to Manaus. They had seen a video posted by the Nigerian Football Federation about Nigeria’s triumph in the football event at the Olympics 20 years before- in Atlanta, where the airline has its headquarters.
“Exactly 20 years ago, on this day, the Nigerian football team needed a miracle to beat Argentina to win the gold medal in Atlanta at the Olympics”, said Anthony Black, a spokesman for the airline. “Today, we are happy to help them with another miracle.”
A miracle inspired by memories and curious coincidences.
Thankfully, the U-23 team was able to make it to Brazil. Perhaps driven by the narrow escape from being knocked out without kicking a ball, the lads from Nigeria overcame the stress of a long air flight to defeat the Japanese. Without the help from Delta Airlines, this “miracle” may never have happened.
A misstep by the Ministry of Sports was, in fact, an opportunity for Nigerian sponsors to step up to the plate and demonstrate their allegiance to their country. But it was an American airline that picked up the gauntlet. Nevertheless, we should be grateful to them for keeping Nigeria in the hunt for a possible gold medal.