The practice of juju and witchcraft in football is particularly rife in this clime, as we have at some point, heard stories of African teams visiting sorcerers and witch-doctors for help; to enable them succeed in tournaments, while others make do of talismans for protection from injuries. But, the question is, does voodoo really work in the round leather game?
Former Gabon international who played for Nantes and Reims, Shiva N’Zigou caused an outrage when he revealed the unimaginable steps he took just to prolong his footballing career which included being involved in incest and the link between his mother’s death and his football career.
“I had [sexual] relations with my aunt. These relations happened again with my sister. I slept with my sister. I slept with a Man and I had another long-term relationship also with a man,” he said.
Former Technical Director of Nigeria Football Association (NFA), Kashimowo Laloko who before the start of the 2000 African Cup of Nations quarter-final between Nigeria and Senegal was sent off for removing what he believed to be a talisman that was near Senegal’s goal, which he said could have favoured the opposition team.
However, ex international Emeka Ezeugo had dismissed talks about the potency of talisman in football, claiming that ‘if Juju really worked, India would have won the World Cup with ease’.
The controversial issue of juju in football has surfaced again as former Super Eagles goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama recounts he was asked to wear a talisman before the game against Ethiopia at the AFCON 2013 tournament.
Recall that the Super Eagles got off to a stuttering start at the tournament, having drawn matches against Burkina Faso and Zambia.
Thus, before the final group game against Ethiopia, there was a slim chance the Super Eagles would progress to the quarter-final and only a win could have seen them progress to the next phase of the competition.
“It was a team that was unified. there’s a culture in the Eagles at the time, we fasted and did night prayers. This was the first team I played for that every teammate turns up when you asked them to come for prayers,’ Enyeama told Brila.net.
“Even though many didn’t give us a chance; really we were lucky our group wasn’t so difficult and it helped our journey through to the quarter-finals.”
Enyeama continued: ‘Someone very prominent came to me, he said Vincent you’re the captain of the team, “I wan give you something make you put for cloth enter this Ethiopia match.
I told him I won’t and if I didn’t believe we could win fair; if I didn’t believe we could win against Ethiopia, I would have gone back and go home.”
However, Super Eagles wrapped up their group game as two late penalties from Victor Moses secured passage to the next round but as runners up and Nigeria would meet Ivory Coast in the last 8.
Eight years today, the Super Eagles went on to be crowned champions – their third in the competition – following a 1 – 0 win over Burkina Faso in Johannesburg.
