The Chairman House Committee on Youth and Sports in Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Hon Victor Nwoke has advised Nigerians especially the youths to eschew emotionalism in any sports games competition.
He stated this in a press release issued by his Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Theophilus Ifeanyichukwu Okpua on Friday.
According to the release, Nwoke, the member representing Abakaliki North Constituency in the State House Assembly was speaking at the heels of the recent loss of lives of over 5 persons due to the performance of the Nigerian team in the first half of the semi-final match between Nigeria and South Africa in the ongoing AFCON competitions.
The Lawmaker said, "99 per cent of harm and sometimes, even death is caused in the head by us and our thoughts.
"One per cent of the harm or death is caused by the reality of what actually happened and the outcome, most times, the problem is not even the problem but the way we think about it.
"The truth is that most problems are not solved with more thinking, we will find most of the solutions in silence, in time and with a clear mind, when you start criticising yourself for the disaster or challenge you see around every corner, ask yourself what to do to change and positively influence the future, take some actions, be at peace or let it go, else it's self-harm if not death."
He further said: "We should mind our thoughts, it might create scenarios in our mind that reflect our insecurities, fears and worries. So, it's very momentous to fast check our thoughts before accepting them, to avert ugly menace that might lead to, heart attack, cardiac arrest and even death. Because, in highly emotional situations, our thoughts might tell us stories that aren't true.
"One thing you must know is that no amount of emotion or anxiety can change the future which of uncertainties, not even the past that has been imperfect, always try to refocus and accept peace of mind."
He, however, charged all Nigerians especially the youths to desist from directly confronting the negativity in their thoughts, describing the act as an unhealthy one to human existence."
"It is because our health is not, and can never be measured on scales, by the size of our muscles or by the width of our waist, rather, by the quality of our thoughts and the peacefulness of our minds," Nwoke also observed.
