February 13, (THEWILL) – Alex Iwobi has been subjected to a torrent of online abuse and criticism from Nigerians following the Super Eagles’ loss to Ivory Coast in the final of this year’s Africa Cup of Nations.
The abuse has been extremely personal, with the midfielder being called a “disgrace” and a “traitor.” He has also been accused of not being committed to the Nigerian team. The abuse has been so severe that Iwobi was forced to delete most of the content of his social media accounts.
Indeed, the abuse of Iwobi is a reflection of the deep disappointment that many Nigerians feel about the Super Eagles’ performance in the AFCON final. The team had been expected to win the tournament, but they were embarrassingly outplayed by Ivory Coast in the final.
It is also a reflection of a wider problem in Nigeria: the tendency to attack our sportsmen and women when they fail to meet our expectations on the one hand and bully others behind the protection of an electronic device.
Cyberbullying is a serious problem in Nigeria, and it can have a devastating impact on the victims. As Nigerians, we need to do better. We need to be more supportive of our sportsmen and women, even when they do not meet our expectations. We need to remember that they are human beings and that they deserve to be treated with respect.
We need to create a more positive and supportive online environment for our sportsmen and women. We need to be more forgiving of their mistakes, and we need to be more appreciative of their achievements. Our sportsmen and women are representing our country, and they deserve our support, even when they fall short.
We need to therefore learn to be more positive and supportive of these individuals of whom much is truly expected. We need to create an environment where they feel valued and appreciated. Only then will we be able to create a sporting culture that is truly world-class?
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
