IT is almost a daily occurrence in the Kingdom that whenever I mention my country of origin, what often first comes to the mind of the Saudi national asking me is football. “Nigeria? What about Amokashi, Okosha, Rasheed Yekini, Kanu?,” they often say, mispronouncing the popular Nigerian names. The interest Saudis have in Nigerian football never ceases to amaze me. Over two years of my sojourn in the Kingdom, the names of Nigerian soccer stars continue to form a major part of my discussion with my Saudi patients. “We were all in favor of Nigeria as they beat Brazil and Argentina at the 1996 Olympics. We went out to the streets and celebrated as if it were our own country,” said Abdullah, an undergraduate student of Riyadh College of Dentistry and Pharmacy. The exploits of Nigeria's Super Eagles in the 1994 African Nations Cup and the USA 94 World Cup will never be easily forgotten by Nigerian soccer lovers. Even the gold winning Under 23 squad of the 1996 Olympics are still adored. Interestingly, these football stars are equally admired in Saudi Arabia up till this day. However, I am often faced with the question: “What is wrong with Nigerian football; is it not as good as it was before?” My joy knew no bounds as I watched the Super Eagles of Nigeria beat mighty France by a lone goal in an international friendly just a few days ago. Had I been in Saudi Arabia at that moment; I would have walked on the streets of Riyadh feeling like a prince. Even though the distance from the Nigerian capital of Abuja to Riyadh runs into thousands of kilometers, the influence and impact of technology via mobile phones and the Internet has enabled me to keep in touch with my fellow soccer enthusiasts in the Kingdom. Like Saudi Arabia, football is the number one sport in Nigeria. The roads are less busy as traffic is heavily reduced when the Saudi national team has a game. Most people, especially young men, stay indoors to watch the game on television or go to the stadium if the soccer game is being played in the Kingdom. It is not unusual to see soccer enthusiasts displaying the blue colors of the Riyadh-based Al-Hilal Club on the streets. The roads are jam-packed on such days as the youths, popularly known as shebab, drive in convoys, seated on car doors, waving their hands or flags as they support themselves on the windows, displaying their club's colors and other paraphernalia as they chant in support of their club. Jeddah-based Al-Itihad club has its major supporters in Jeddah. The club's yellow and black colors also form a dominant part of celebrations on their good days. The same goes for other clubs in Saudi Arabia, such as, Al-Naser Football Club, Al-Ahli Football Club, etc. However, unlike Saudi Arabia, the local clubs in Nigeria cannot boast of such support from Nigerian soccer lovers. Most of the stadia are almost empty during club games. Even when such clubs excel in local and international games, the enthusiasm and joy in the streets cannot be compared to that of Saudi Arabia, except for a few clubs, such as, Enyimba Football Club and Kano Pillars Football Club which enjoy impressive support from some Nigerians. One the wonders why Nigeria should be called a soccer loving country when the soccer enthusiasts do not show much support for their local clubs. The answer lies in the fact that the influence of the English Premier League which is being shown on Satellite TV across the nation has made most Nigerians focus on English football as opposed to Nigerian football. The passion Nigerians show for the English Premier League is unprecedented. English club football is also loved in Saudi Arabia. The coffee shops where most young men go to watch such games on high resolution TV sets are often full on major match days. It is obvious that Saudi Arabia and Nigeria with the influence of the governments of both countries and the private sector are doing what they can to attract the best of soccer to their countries. I often feel at home when I am in the midst of a group of Saudis discussing soccer. I feel a bond. I feel a connection. Saudi Arabia and Nigeria share the green and white colors in their national flags. While most Saudi footballers ply their trade in their home country, the majority of Nigeria's soccer stars play in Europe. Football is indeed a good source of employment for youths in both countries. Just as Kanu Nwankwo of Nigeria adorns billboards in major Nigerian cities in product endorsement advertisements, the same can be said of Yasser Al-Qhatani of the Saudi national team. At the moment, Nigerian-born Razak Omotoyossi, a member of the Beninese national team plays for Al-Nasr Football Club in Saudi Arabia. Kelechi Osunwa, a Nigeria striker who displayed a great deal of soccer artistry in his days at Al-Hilal Football club in Sudan, played for Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom and Nigeria are major stake holders in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). The fact that both countries export crude oil to other parts of the world is one thing the countries have in common but there is no denying the fact that both countries speak the language of football. This underscores the fact that football can play an important role in the bilateral relation of both countries.
