Happy Saturday Arsenal family, I wish you all a happy new dawn at Arsenal. I am just so excited today and I can’t explain why. Funny, right?
On Friday morning, on my way to work, I passed through a street where we have the office of the official Arsenal fans in Lagos, and while walking through, I overheard so much noise from the office. Curiosity took over me and I found myself walking into the office building to find out what the noise of celebration was all about. On getting there, I was asked by one fan “have you not read the news that Arsenal has finally sacked Emery?” Wow! “Is that what all this noise is about?” I found myself asking.
Nigerians fell in love with Arsenal during Wenger’s earliest days at Arsenal. The signing of the Arsenal legend, Kanu Nwankwo then, meant a whole lot of Nigerians were bound to support one of their heroes; and by default, support the club he played for. Arsenal FC benefitted from such love for Kanu Nwankwo and before anybody knew what was happening, Arsenal started gaining ground in Nigeria. Official Nigerian Arsenal fans offices started springing up at almost every nooks and crannies, then in the West African nation. It was a period where Arsenal found a home among Nigerians; a home they still own in Nigeria.
Football, being a unifying game, unites a lot of Arsenal fans here in my home country. I have met important people just because I was supporting Arsenal. My first job, was given to me by a friend’s father, who just fell in love with me because of my passion for Arsenal. So, When Arsenal plays, Nigerians watch.
Things however started taking a bad turn during the last ten years, as Arsenal began falling apart. Many addicted Nigerian Arsenal fans started becoming emotionally and mentally ill, due to Arsenal’s decline. The next coach after Wenger was supposed to bring back the smiles on their faces, but as soon as the smile came, it disappeared. Arsenal was becoming less appealing to them and it was starting to make them lose interest in supporting Arsenal. So, I was not surprised when I saw the joy on their faces as they celebrated the departure of Emery. What a sad way of sending a coach forth.
One can only pray that now that Emery has been relieved of his duty, Nigerian Arsenal fans will start looking forward to a new dawn at Arsenal that will bring about smiles on every Arsenal’s fans’ face.
Sylvester Kwentua