A don, Prof. Douglas Anele, has urged the Super Eagles Manager, players and football fans to ignore the comments by the Libyan national team coach on Nigeria and voodoo.
The Libyan coach, Adel Amrouche, had said in Durban, South Africa on Sept. 8 that Nigeria relied on voodoo (Juju) to win their matches, while they (Libya) rely on God to win.
Anele, a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Lagos, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday that such comments made Africa a laughing stock among the comity of nations.
“I think that it is evidence of lack of deep and critical thinking in all facets of life in the African continent, and I presume that the coach is a Libyan or an African.
“That kind of comment tends to make Africa a laughing stock in the comity of other continents because if you look at the teams that have won the World Cup, I am not sure that any of their coaches relied on juju to win,” he said.
Anele said that when Africans make comments like this, the reaction of an average westerner or European would be that of shock and disbelief.
“It tends to give credence and ammunition to some people that Africa is underdeveloped because Africans themselves are underdeveloped,’’ he said.
According to the don, if the Libyan coach wants to use the comment to play a mind game against the Nigerian team, it will back fire because no coach or player will take him serious.
“If I am a footballer, I will do the talking in the pitch. Indeed, I urge the Super Eagles players to beat the Libyan team mercilessly with goals and shut the coach up.
“If the coach thinks that such comments will lead to psychological distractions, then he has failed because as professional players, the Super Eagles players know what to do in the field,’’ he said.
Anele said that skill, talent and hard work are key to the success of any team and urged the Eagles to blend these qualities for good results.