source
Hello hive learners, how are you today? Happy Christmas to all of you, we will celebrate more of it on the earth.
When i read an article of @actordontee, I remembered when I was very a kid, whenever my uncle came home to celebrate Christmas and New year, he would measure our leg with a broomstick; take them back to city.
As a kid, i was very expectant when the year was about to end; there was a time when Christmas was about two months. I started calling my brother to remember buying the shoes and clothes when coming.
I understood a few years ago that they really want to get those materials for me every year, but some of them also have responsibilities which made them forget some of those things.
When I was in the village some years ago, the Christmas was so special because the four communities that do not like to do things together organized Christmas football competition to all youths in the village
The purpose of this competition was to unite the four communities together because for the past 25 years, they have been fighting, and killing themselves because of the land. This purpose was not known to me until I grew up and my mother told me the story.
My village is divided into four communities- mika, yira, menu, and yara. These four communities provided 16 players for the competitions. The organizers paired the communities 2 by 2 together; the two winners play the final while the two losers compete for the third place.
I was very skillful in football but too small compared to other players. Some of these players, their age is twice and thrice my own age, they were all my senior brothers. Therefore, I was like their second or third brother.
When it comes to strength, I can’t compete with any of them. I don’t have the strength to compete with them; they have the strength; I have the skills to play football.
These skills singled me out when playing football. I was in mika community, and we were paired with yara. There was no way they could select players without me; the only what they did was to put me in number 8 position; and the reason was that I was very skillful to create chances, dribble, controlling ball and score. Therefore, there was no child of my age in my community that was good as me in football.
I was in the children's football team; yet, I played street football with my uncles and brothers. They knew how skillful I was at playing football.
On our first match, I scored two goals and made one assist. The match ended 3-2: I was the talk of the village, some of the people that came for Christmas gave me money without letting other players and coach aware.
I was really hyped to the extent I felt like I had achieved something great; I was very happy that particular day. That was how we qualified for the final match.
The final match was held on the 25th December, around 4:30pm. I never knew it was a big event until I saw the king and chiefs sitting down to watch the match.
Multitudes from different villages came to watch the final match, one of the big men that came for Christmas bought sport wears- we used that very day for all the players. Both players in my village and the other village qualified for the final.
By 3:30pm, they told all of us to be in the stadium, preparing for the match. I was in the stadium by 3:20pm waiting for the other players to come, a man walked to me and said ‘I have gift for you’.
What is the gift? He bought a pair of boots and boots for me; the boots and boots were so beautiful and good.
He realized that I did not have boots and hosts. I never knew how he got my size; I prostrated and greeted him. One of my best Chiasmas memories I can never forget.
By 3:40pm, all the players were already in the stadium, and I saw my coach sharing jerseys and shorts for all the players, both the bench and first eleven.
Quess my jersey number? I was given number 10. The iconic jersey number for every club. I don’t know why jersey number 10 is so unique.
One of my uncles that was also among the players said, “this number 10 should be mine not yours”.
I could not disrespect him because there was about 12 years difference of age between me and him.
I like the number 10 jersey, but he wanted it so badly; there was nothing I could do than to give him. When my coach saw that I was about to give him, he said to me, “Chris, don’t you like the jersey?”
I could not reply to him, he said to me that, “the jersey is the only small size of all the jerseys, it was like the manufacturer knew that there would be a player like me in the team. You cannot wear that of your uncle because it is too big for me”.
That was how my uncle did not ask me for jersey number 10 again.
We all entered the stadium by 4:00pm for warm-up; I was never sure that the coach would select me because all the players wanted to play, and I was the smallest player in terms of age, height, stamina, and strength.
When it was 4:20pm, we all gathered together, and the coach selected players for the match. Could you imagine I was among the 11 players? I was anxious and happy to be selected.
source
The king, chiefs, and other dignitaries were in the stadium: and I saw the richest man in my village who contested for the governorship election on the seat.
The King made a speech, advising us that, “football is a sign of love and unity. Today, the four communities are united on the platform of this football competition; let us see it as a sign of love and Unity among us. Let there be no more fight and war among us anymore”.
The match started exactly at 4:40pm. Whenever I held or touched the ball with my leg, the spectators chanted my name. My confidence grew stronger, I heard some of the spectator saying, “you can do it, you can dribble this man, don’t let fear come over you”.
I never knew what came upon me; I was everywhere on the pitch, distributing passes, intercepting and creating chances. I was the most fouled player on the pitch.
The match ended 5-3, and I scored three goals in the match. It was one of my best matches.
After 90 minutes, I was given the man of the match.
That was Christmas I received the highest gifts: we were given about $1,000 in conversions to us dollar. I received Christmas clothes from different people, some of them came to my home and gave me money and other gifts. I received a gift of 3 pairs of boots and different jerseys.
The richest man in my village invited us to come to his house the next day, that was my first time entering his house, we ate and drank; he also gave us money.
On 27th, another rich man invited us to a hotel; thank God I don’t drink alcohol. Even if I was longing for it, I could not drink it because my brother and uncle were among the players. Some of the players drank to stupor and slept in the hotel till the next day.
SIGN OF LOVE AND UNITY
source
Before the match, when the king of the village was talking, I never understood what he was saying until I grew up when my mother told me a story about the four communities fighting and killing themselves because of the land. It was the Charismas football competition that I became the best player that ended the fighting and killing for 25 years.
The king said during his speech, football is a sign of love and unity. Football has Power of conflict resolutions; If there is a country where there is no peace, if there's football competition, the whole issue will be resolved.
"Today, which is 25th December, the four communities are united together. No more fight, no more war. We are now living together as father, mother, and children".
That was how 25 years of war and fighting over the land ended.
I was the best player of the tournament, I scored 5 goals in two matches and created two assists.
My Mummy told me that I am very special to the king and to the villagers because of that competition. God used the football competition to settle the problem; there was never any event held together in these four communities for the past 30 years.
Today, the four communities are father, mother and children. Peace, love and unity is their motor now.
The four communities are doing every event together, hosting this football competition every year as a remembrance of signs of peace, unity, and love.
THIS CHRISTMAS MEMORY CAN NEVER BE FORGOTTEN.
I stand up for success, and success is not achieved by merely making mouth, No room for laziness, no room for idleness.
Thank you for reading my post.