True Vision Discourse: England Vs Italy, A Battle of Colonisers
The Euro 20 Finals between England and Italy had been the most anticipated football match in recent history, mainly because England had not qualified for the finals of a major competition since 1966. Many believed that it was poetic justice, that Nigeria’s curses have been the cause of this.
In 1966, six short years after independence, Nigeria witnessed its first military coup, which saw some notable political figures murdered in cold blood. This led to a counter-coup, a secession, a civil war, military dictatorships and socio-political upheavals, the results of which are still being felt today.
In the hours leading up to the match, Nigerian social media was replete with posts proclaiming, “God punish Lord Lugard”, “E no go better for England”, and “everything bad that hadhappened in the world was because of England”. Many cursed the British government, wishing them a resounding defeat in the hands of the Italians. These high emotions were not misplaced, especially when insecurity and brazen corruption are the order of the day and agitations for secession are the loudest, they’ve ever been in the country. If it weren’t for Britain’s meddling and their coupling of this forced marriage, there wouldn’t be a need to clamour for separation over a hundred years later.
Even though I shared these same sentiments with the group who wanted England to lose, I found myself subconsciously rooting for them after they scored their first goal. Like me, many people could not help supporting England even though we consider them the genesis of our present woes. Perhaps it is Stockholm syndrome, that trauma bonding that happens between an abductor and a captive, or in our case, a servant and a master. I speak, write and read English better than I do Yandang, my mother tongue, or Hausa, my first language. Like many of us, I believe that I even think in English most of the time. Therefore, it is only natural for a subconscious bias to bloom in my mind and to draw me towards supporting the familiar.
When it comes down to it, yes, Britain is the origin of our problems, and they are still the master puppets pulling political strings behind the scenes. But what roles have we played as Nigerian citizens to accelerate the decline of our country’s development? To move forward, we must put colonial blame games aside and take charge of our destiny.
Nearly every nation has been colonised in one way or the other at some point in its history. Human beings have always subjugated and dominated those they perceived as weaker.
If you were not supporting England because of their colonial past, I have news for you, Italy is a descendant of ancient Rome, the biggest coloniser the world has ever seen. As recently as 1936, when colonialism was nearing its much-needed end and nations were clamouring for independence, Italy occupied Ethiopia in a bid to colonise and restore ancient Rome’s glory. A few years ago, a British speaker was giving a talk, and the question of Britain’s role in Nigeria’s current tattered political sphere came up. The speaker proclaimed that if Nigeria sends them a bill asking for reparations and compensation, they will forward it to the Romans. Rome plundered and colonised England, and when they left, the citizens built their country and eventually became a superpower, becoming so strong that they also went pillaging and colonising a couple of centuries later.
Many in Nigeria and beyond celebrated England’s loss; however, does it change the fact that one pound equals upwards of 600 Naira? Despite England’s poor football performance over the years, the country has continued to progress in many other ways. Our colonisers officially left our shores in 1960, over 60 years ago. We have had enough time to make mistakes and to learn from them. It is now up to us to salvage our country from self-destruction. It is time to stop cursing and wishing death and destruction upon England, stop playing colonial blame games and start taking responsibility and playing our part in nation-building.
