Nigeria’s forward Odion Jude Ighalo reacts following his teams loss during the Russia 2018 World Cup Group D football match between Nigeria and Argentina at the Saint Petersburg Stadium in Saint Petersburg on June 26, 2018. / AFP PHOTO

By Osa Amadi

It was all weeping, gnashing of teeth and banging of heads on the wall after Nigeria’s Super Eagles lost to Argentina in their 3rd match in Group D of the 2018 FIFA World Cup holding in Russia.

In the Arts & Culture section of the Nigeria delegation to Russia, many refused to be consoled even as Otunba Segun Runsewe tried to persuade them not to “think too much about it”, in spite of his own heaviness of heart.

Following the defeat, many Nigerian supporters of Super Eagles packed their luggage ready to go home. For those in the arts and culture corps, Otunba Segun Runsewe reminded them that “we are not in Russia strictly for football”, although the council leveraged on the FIFA 2018 World Cup tournament to sell Nigeria to the world.

Runsewe who acknowledged that the Super Eagles tried, also observed that “the boys were not really together” as a team.

In spite of the gloom created by the loss to Argentina, the arts and culture troupe returned to Gostinitsa Numera, Moscow and from there to Gagari, venue of the hugely successful NCAC Nigerian arts and cultural exhibitions where the promotion of Nigerian arts, culture, and values continued fervently.

NAFEST 2018 in Russia

The state of Rivers in Nigeria should indeed be indebted to Otunba Segun Runsewe and the National Council for Arts and Culture for the extensive mileage and branding it garnered in Russia, through publicizing of the 31st Edition of the National Festival of Arts & Culture (NAFEST) tagged Rivers 2018.

Details of Rivers 2018 were not only printed on a large banner and conspicuously displayed at Gagari Moscow, but also discussed before the international audience. Details of the Rivers 2018 as it was promoted in Russia included the theme (Our Festival, Our Heritage), date (Saturday 21st – Sat Oct 2018), venue (Port Harcourt, Nigeria), and the slogan (NAFEST, the festival that unites the nation).