Nigerian international John Ogu has apologised for urging Super Eagles players to boycott next month’s 2021 AFCON qualifiers against Sierra Leone.
Ogu advised the Eagles not to honour the games, following the death of 12 people who were reportedly killed by soldiers last week Tuesday night in Lagos, after weeks of protests across the country.
The protesters, were demanding the disbandment of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) who are no more in existence.
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Ogu believes boycotting the qualifiers would be a price worth paying even if the country failed to make it to 2021 AFCON in Cameroon.
“I feel like this is the best thing to do right now until they get back to their senses and listen to us.
“We want a good government, the police brutality to stop, we want the Sars to stop, we want the killings to stop, we want good laws, we want job opportunities. It’s just crazy.
“I believe most of my colleagues understand where I am coming from, I wish we can do this. There are games coming up and if we boycott these games I’m sure they will know we’ve made a statement.
“I haven’t really spoken to any of my team-mates about this. They feel for the people here, their loved ones, those that have died. I’m sure the players are aware.”
However, on Wednesday night Ogu in another statement published on his verified Twitter handle, apologised for his suggestions.
“I want to sincerely apologise to Nigerians, the Nigerian Football Federation and the players of the Super Eagles, both past and present and even those dreaming to wear the green and white jersey that I wore with great pride and honour.
“My comments about the Super Eagles boycotting the Afcon qualifiers, was said in the heat of the moment from a place of pain, frustration and anger for the shooting of harmless, flag carrying and national anthem singing Nigerians, at the Lekki toll gate. A national anthem and green and white flag that I have sang and carried all my life with joy and pride.
“I admit that I crossed the lines, by asking players to boycott the AFCON qualifiers. I have honoured all national team invitations with great joy and delight with a deep desire to be part of a team that give joy to Nigerians and make them happy, football is the strongest unifying force in Nigeria.
“I wish that my comments that were spoken out of anger and pain would not cause more division in our football and even at a time such as this that the nation needs to pull together. Thank you.”
By James Agberebi
13 Comments
so its now that you want to start reasoning from inside the brain #ogu
John Ogu You are forgiven. Sometimes you need to think before you air your views especially as you have somewhat of an influence.
That suggestion would have done more harm than good in the long run not just football wise but socially because Football the one thing that brings a sniff of Joy to most Nigerians in constant daily struggles to be taken way would be disastrous especially as we know this government will keep frustrating us and if football is not there to at least put some peoples minds at ease and a smile on their faces when frustrations arise then what will happen?.
so I am happy you have retracted the statement and apologised Kudos!!!
Cutting off the head is never the best way to cure a headache. Risking a 4 year ban in protest against the government is tantamount to setting your house with all your properties in it on fire just because you had a quarrel with your wife…..by the time you now settle the quarrel finish how do you recover all that you have set on fire….? If we pull out now and get banned by CAF for the next 4 years and then sometime later this year or next, the government approves all the request of the protests, brings the evil ones to justice and compensate families of the loved ones, are we now going to sit at home sobbing till 2025 while other nations are carrying on with their football..?
Omo9ja over to you o. We are waiting for you to quit your own job in protest against the government.
Next time take a pause before you take any action,that’s what wise people do and that would keep you out of trouble in the future because a word spoken can never be taken back.
Sometimes we can be apace with our actions and realise minutes later how awful they were,well don’t cry over a spilt milk Ogu,do not spend your time worrying you are forgiven.
But why shld u Ogu apologized? U voiced out ur mind and shld stand on it even if it will not happen.bcos u withdrawing ur statement means u never can’t stand in ur words duo ur tym has gone in Super Eagles but then u made ur mind known.
I think he apologised because, he is not part of the Super Eagles Set up any longer and his comment may be misconstrued as one coming from a place of bitterness.
At the end of the day you are not playing for the government but for the land and people. If Yugoslavia could still play ball when worse uprisings were happening in their country in the 80’s and late 90’s. then why must Nigeria mix sports and politics.
I personally think a better statement would be for all the players to wear white shirts depicting #POLICEBRUTALITYMUSTSTOP on them would be a more meaningful statement than boycotting the games as a whole. moreover boycotting the games will be another headline story on its own which will defeat the purpose of whatever statement they are trying to make by absconding.
P.s I also think the message has been made as the story has been carried world wide and the governor of Lagos has already been interviewed by CNN and has promised to hold those responsible accountable. if he fails to deliver on his promise he will be held accountable by the world media. So what more will boycotting the games bring?
Some time is not all about making your mind to be known but the most important thing is the impact of the message you are passing to the society, is it proper or not that is the most important thing to put into consideration, your apology is accepted but next time try to give your opinion second thought before airing it.
Soccer is the greatest unifying factor in Nigeria. Therefore the Super Eagles must come to Benin and play to show our governments how much they love and care for the masses. It would be a healing experience
For me, Ogu’s initial statement and the subsequent apology are both in order. It takes courage to come out and take a stand at the heat of the moment, and it also takes great sense of maturity to come out and apologies when tempers have cooled down. When confronted with situations as we experienced with the Lekki killings, humans turn to what they consider as their strongest weapon to get the attention of the authorities. For John Ogu, the only weapon he knew was football.
Football is one of the greatest unifying factors in Nigeria, but people have to be alive to stay unified. Even though he knew that such threats may not be carried out eventually, who says that such statements did not contribute in making the authorities to start taking some action. His initial statement and the apology thereafter shows his great sense of courage, maturity, patriotism and love for the country. On both counts, John Ogu has my respects.
John Ogu, you have lost any respect l have always reserved for you. You talk before you think. You realized that perhaps, you are no longer relevant in the Super Eagle line up, therefore, you wanted to pull the house down. Nigerians are smarter than that. Nigerians have not forgotten so soon when the late Gen. Abacher Administration removed Super Eagle from South Africa and it was banned for many years. That made Nigeria football have to start all over again. l know John Ogu would not talk so if he was still valued as much as Iwobi or Victor Osimhem or Iheanacho in the Super Eagle make up today. In my opinion, Ogu is done in the Super Eagle for life.
You don’t need to be sorry because you were not fighting for yourself but Nigerians.
You made a huge statement here Ogu. Ogu believes boycotting the qualifiers would be a price worth paying even if the country failed to make it to 2021 AFCON in Cameroon.
“I feel like this is the best thing to do right now until they get back to their senses and listen to us.
“We want a good government, the police brutality to stop, we want the Sars to stop, we want the killings to stop, we want good laws, we want job opportunities. It’s just crazy.
I believe most of my colleagues understand where I am coming from, I wish we can do this. There are games coming up and if we boycott these games I’m sure they will know we’ve made a statement”.
I hope they are not threatening your life Ogu?
I won’t say sorry to nobody because our government doesn’t care about our lives why sorry?
Boycotting the matches would have been better but this is Nigeria, they preferred football to our lives.
You wasn’t the only one that came out to challenged the government Ogu. Our government have no choice, they have to do the right thing at the right time. God bless Nigeria!!!
Hahahaha…we are still waiting for you to quit your own job. Bloody Hypocrite. LMAO.
Nigerians prefer football to lives…..so it is boycotting football that will bring back the dead. You why have you not quit your own job because you are protesting…? LMAO.
It is easier to send another man’s child on an errand in the middle of the night
U spoke your mind bro…I understand how u felt…
I know d so called NFF will never want u to play for the land of your birth anymore.
Kuz they feel u will be a bad omen to the rest of the team.
Nevertheless u spoke your mind and I respect you for that