Pele died: the day the Brazilian star stopped (or not) a civil war in Africa

One of the most emblematic feats of which Santos boasts dates back to 1969, when the “Immortal Squad”then directed by Pele, stopped the civil war in nigeria and provided brief moments of peace for the population of the strategic city of Benin.

On that historic February 4, 1969, Santos, his page of historical memories tells us, accomplished the feat of paralyzing the Nigerian civil war, also called Biafran waran ethnic, political and economic conflict that has caused more than a million deaths.

Santos says he planned to play a match with the Midwest region team in a friendly held at the invitation of the local government, but it only materialized after the Brazilian team received “guarantees” that their stay on Nigerian territory would “total security” provided by local authorities.

Thus Lieutenant Colonel Samuel Ogbemudia, then governor of the region, decreed a holiday on the same day that the Santos landed in Benin City, the regional capital.

Santos, citing the stories of former players, such as exporter Gilmar, points out that, after the match and as soon as the Brazilian club embarked for the Congo, “hostilities resumed in the area”.

Peace mission or war propaganda?

Although it is considered a widely publicized historical event, the researcher Jose Paulo Florenzanoprofessor at the Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of São Paulo (USP) and sports anthropologist, he questioned the official version throughout his career.

More than stopping the war, Santos, he argues, “was used as war propaganda”.

To reach this conclusion, after more than a decade of research, the anthropologist compared the chronology of Santos’ journey through Africa with the chronology of the war in Nigeria, as well as consulting various sources, including maps, war correspondents of the New York Times and other newspapers, as well as the only Brazilian journalist who accompanied the Santos delegation on the trip.

“It is clear that the city was then completely under the control of the federal government of Nigeria there was no need to cease fire“He explained in an interview with EFE.

At the time, he says, “the war was a long way from Benin” and the revolutionary forces were surrounded by federal troops, so the government was in complete control of the region.

Thus, according to Florenzano, the largest football club in the world at that time it was used “as a piece of propaganda in the war”as his presence in Benin demonstrated that the government controlled a key region of the conflict.

“Santos did not carry out a peacekeeping mission, but was used as war propaganda”points out.

While acknowledging the importance and strength of Pelé and the albinegro club in those years, Florenzano claims to be “very difficult” for a football team to paralyze one of the biggest and bloodiest conflicts in historythat shocked the world of the twentieth century and on which accusations of genocide weigh.

Historical reconstruction

According to the anthropologist’s research, it wasn’t until at least two years after Santos’ trip across the African continent that reports of an alleged disruption of the Nigerian Civil War began to take hold.

The first testimony of the enterprise in the Brazilian press, notes Florenzano, was published in October 1970, in an article in the prestigious Brazil newspaperciting a report published by an American newspaper but describing the information as “folklore and exaggeration”.

Despite this, the narrative has begun to be told by journalists, former players – including Pelé himself – or club managers, albeit with various inaccuracies and contradictions.

“The story was propagated, broadcast and accepted as historical truth and no one ever bothered to verify the facts.. Because by checking, you realize all the contradictions and weaknesses of the narrative,” said Florenzano, who then also interviewed the Santos players themselves.

“It was a historical reconstruction that became official history and no one wanted to contradict or question the official version“, complete.

The tribute of the Brazilian army

On his Twitter account, @exercitooficial, the Brazilian military fired Pelé, who died on Thursday at the age of 82.

“You defended our colors like a great fighter. Rest in peace king of football,” they posted on social media alongside a photo of Pele dressed as a soldier.

Source: EFE