Early this week, CSKA Moscow and Super Falcons star Francisca Mlumun Ordega was justifiably upset by the story that some people were forcing her on Coach Randy Waldrum for the Olympics in Paris. According to the report published by the Punch, two top officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) were fighting to ‘smuggle’ the veteran forward into the list that eventually came out without her name.
Expectedly, the news which went viral on social media hit Ordega in far away Moscow and left her in severe pain. So, when the player announced that she was going live to clear her name, my heart began to beat fast because of what Victor Osimhen had just done to his former coach, George Finidi. Many of us are still shocked by the way the Napoli man verbally attacked his former international.
However, Ordega’s response to the story that had generated so much interest was more dignifying. Instead of ranting the way Osimhen did, she took time to narrate how much sacrifice she has made to represent Nigeria beginning with the Flamingos in 2010. Ordega stated unequivocally that in all her life as a football player, she has neither bribed nor induced anyone to be given a chance to play.
Therefore, permit me to share with you a part of Ordega’s calm and calculated reaction to the claim that some powerful forces inside the NFF were forcing her on Waldrum.
I have been with the national team since 2010, and nobody has ever come out to publicly say anything evil or bad about me. I have always been there since 2010. I played the national U-17, and from there, I joined the Super Falcons immediately by merit. Me, Okobi and Loveth, we were three, and we joined from U17.
Since then, I have been doing well for myself and the national team. So, I don’t know where this is coming from. From Rivers Angels where I started, I have never ever, you will never hear that I bribed or did anything to get to the lineup, never. Or any of the officials, standing for me to get to where I am today, never.
Even when I had a lot of challenges coming from the U17 to the Super Falcons, I was the youngest among them, but I believed in my ability, and I knew where I was going. I know where I come from. I was the only person from my state and I wanted to prove to a lot of girls out there that even if you don’t have no one to support you, you can be who you wanna be.
I chose that route, and I chose that path for myself, and I stood tall in the face of everything to get to where I am today. And I have never for once bribed any coach. So, it is surprising why and where this is coming from to start with.
I was worried yesterday. I was sad in the sense that my parents get to see this. I don’t care about whatever they say about me, but imagine my team where I am playing now, the league itself, and my teammates and my coaches saw what they are posting about me. What would they say of me? Despite my hard work? I might disappoint a lot of people from the past, maybe the previous national team or whatever, but you can’t discredit me, my ability, all that I have done just because of one tournament or an issue which I can’t say now because it is not why I am here.
I have satisfied myself. I have done what I wanted to. I have gotten to where I wanted to get to. I have nothing to prove to anyone anymore. So, why should I be in this kind of negative news? It should be positive news. I want to retire in a way that I will be proud of myself. I will come out tomorrow and declare to everyone that I have retired just the way Desire did. I don’t want to retire because a coach came and just wants to retire me. No, that was not my plan. I want to retire when I want.
The above was how Ordega responded calmly to the demeaning story, which she said was targeted at her hard earned reputation. Her professional handling of the vexatious issue has no doubt shown that even when we are unduly provoked, we can stay calm to disarm our adversaries.
In Osimhen’s case, the Super Eagles star missed the mark completely when he failed to deploy emotional intelligence as deployed by Ordega. Instead, he screamed to the roof top in an uncouth language.
Maybe Ordega has got better handlers who advised her against any harsh and abusive language. If that was the case, she has been helped a great deal to retain her place in the hearts of Nigerian football fans. Many people have praised the CSKA Moscow winger for maintaining her composure even as she was sorely tempted.
I agree with Ordega, who said that nobody has the right to force her out of the national team. Although when the final list for the Paris Olympic was released on Wednesday, her name was conspicuously missing, there is nothing to suggest that she is unfit to continue to play for the Super Falcons. Those who want her out of the team should exercise a little patience. The time will surely come when her body will ‘phone’ her. Then, she will voluntarily announce her retirement.
So, this is an appeal to all who are in the habit of hurrying off our stars to exercise some restraint. In the past, we paid dearly for such hasty behaviour. It took the Super Eagles a long time to recover from the sudden exit of influential players like Austin Jay Okocha, Victor Moses, Vincent Enyeama, and John Mikel Obi.
Despite her accomplishments, which include appearances at the FIFA World Cup and Africa Women’s Cup of Nations (AWCON), Ordega, has said she still has so much in her tank. Therefore, no one should chase her off the stage. Let’s allow her to retire the way she desires.
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