Mikel may play at AFCON 2019

The wait was long at the media centre of the Saint Petersburg Stadium in Russia on Tuesday night.
Nigeria had lost 2-1 to Argentina, with the media waiting for both teams to educate them on what
transpired.

Traditionally, it is the losers that come to face the media first. And the lot, this time fell on
Nigeria, unlike a few days before where eagles beat Iceland in Volgograd.

Soon, the team’s manager Gernot Rohr, Captain John Mikel Obi and the team’s media man Toyin Ibitoye
sauntered into the hall. There was pin-drop silence, expectedly so, because there were more Nigerians
seated.

The first set of questions went to Rohr and Mikel about their views on the game. They acquitted
themselves well. The follow up questions on their views of the officiating and how they hoped the
country could gain from the fallouts of the botched Russia 2018 World Cup lit up their faces and their
suggestions were top notched. We only hope that the NFF chiefs and the government officials can take
the right decisions.

Then the moment of truth came for Mikel. You needed to be here to watch Mikel countenance and how he
struggled to speak. In fact, words failed Mikel for close to 50 seconds. No hyperbole.

Pointedly, Mikel was asked if this was his last World Cup appearance for Nigeria. Silence, then
movement on the chair, Mikel behaved like a baby and you won’t blame him. Playing football for Nigeria
made him to achieve everything he is today. So, the question if he would leave the game ought to have
shaken him. Take a bow, Mikel.

Then he raised his head and kept it inside his cupped hands. All this while, his head was shaking. At
the opposite end where the media sat, there was grave yard silence. It was a difficult question. We all
pitied Mikel.

Suddenly, Mikel looked up. He quickly put his face down. You could touch his pain as he kept biting his
lips like a kid. All this while, Mikel had not opened his mouth to ask this diabolical question.
Believe me, Mikel lost his confidence. You won’t blame him as he kept looking at the ceiling as if the
answer would come from there.

Then Mikel broke his silence and said, ‘‘I hope I can still be around. We have a fantastic team with
good young boys. It is always nice to be with them. We have a group of boys who listen.’’
Did mikel answer the question? Yes, he did when he said, ‘‘I hope I can still be around.’’ Was it a
convincing answer? Read Mikel’s lips, please.