*Photo: Pele*
I play tennis to keep fit. I am not a football fan. I was an athlete, Nigeria’s No. 5 fastest runner, by the Declaration of the National Sports Festival at Ilorin in 1985.
However, I mourn the transition of Edson Arantes do Nascimento, simply known as Pelé, a Brazilian professional footballer, who became the nation’s Minister of Sports but globally notable as the round-leather sport’s best player of all times.
His records are out there for all to see, so there’s no need for a re-storying from me. My friends and brothers, even sisters, from Simbo Olorunfemi to Sola Fanawopo (who reminded us of how Pele’s visit to Nigeria halted, even if momentarily, the Nigerian Civil War), to Tolu Akindolire and Sam Ogabidu and even many more, including Chiedu Ezeanah who has amplified the voices of others in contexts that give greater meanings, have captured the essence of the man. I’m waiting to read Chris Adetayo’s perspective later, as well as those of my bestman, Ayanlola Wale, Professors Olayide Lawal, Seun Kolade and others, who regularly ‘disturbed our peace’ at Tafawa Balewa Hall, University of Ibadan, for the sake of football.
Pele, as Simbo noted is a global citizen, his name having become synonymous with soccer, and his records being the most sterling of all actors in that sphere, yet his home nation, Brazil, stood still as usual in his honour to celebrate his times.
Monuments, including Christ The Redeemer (Christ’s landmark statue at the heart of Rio de Janeiro), stadia and other centres are lit up in Pele’s honour, who finally succumbed to death at the Albert Einstein Isrealite Hospital in Sao Paulo, to the devastating ravages of cancer of the colon after a prolonged battle.
By the world’s reckoning, Pele remains immortal, iconic and legendary. I celebrate him too, very sincerely.
May the unity, which his expression of the art and mastery of soccer brought to mankind (irrespective of bodily pigmentation), begins to resonate in other spheres of human relations. May God forgive his imperfections and rest his soul.