Welcome to Canada, the land where Nigeria’s first Commonwealth gold medal was achieved by Arinze Ifeajuna at Vancouver 1954. Daniel Igali won Olympic gold for the North Americans and also captained the team. Joe Ehizode, like many Nigerians, has found home in Surrey, British Columbia.
He was a sports journalist before relocating nearly three decades ago. What has come to stay is a middle way out, with malice towards none. He wrote : “I owe my undiluted allegiance to Canada first, and my country of birth Nigeria, second.
But because Nigeria did not qualify for this World Cup, I found myself in a sea of match ups, swinging my support from one nation to another as the tournament progressed. It became a master class in modern identity.” I did not find this strange at all. Ehizode was my colleague at Champion House, Lagos.
He could claim Esan or Igbo identity. His town of origin, Ekpon, is a border town between Edo and Delta States. Founded by Ijie who migrated from Ekpoma, the people are making the best of two worlds without dropping their Esan background.
For now, what matters most is the Marple Leaf. And in defending Canada, Ehizode does not spare anyone who hurts his identity. When Mexico damaged South Africa, it was sweet music.
“I could not bring myself to backing a nation whose recent History has been married by the Xenophobic actions of goons targeting fellow Africans,” he posited. America received the same treatment before the game with Paraguay. “I cannot in good conscience, support a country that habours political factions or rhetoric wanting to annex Canada.
Summary from source