South Africa – Still Not Free

What’s really good people?

Happy Valentines Day to all the lovers; especially to my wife “Mrs. P”. Onto more important things, Nigeria “We did it” and it sure feels good to feel like a winner again and just like that life as we know it is back to normal in my very maddening country. Not even 24 hrs into the jubilation in a country longing for some good positive news for a change, Stephen Keshi had the audacity to cast a dark cloud and promote his own selfish agenda before the world and shame Nigeria all the same. My rebuttal to all the shenanigans is this, coaches coach and players and play. I give Keshi credit and respect for sticking to his principles in hopes of changing the culture that only six figure salary footballers are worthy of representing Nigeria in international competition. However; he is no Jose Mourinho, the self proclaimed “Special One”. So the same way you Mr. Keshi attempted to humble Peter Odemwingie by reminding him that he is no Lionel Messi of Nigeria, adhere to the same tune as you still have more work to do. Nigeria did not win the AFCON2013 solely based on your coaching; Nigeria won the tournament because of talent, spirit, and share good-luck. Oh btw; “It was Written”.

Ok people; let me get focused…

I conclude my mini three part series on a prevailing issue that I saw time and time again in my two weeks while visiting the country of South Africa. Not only was there a strong presence of a colonial complex evident everywhere but more troubling or disturbing was the psychological damage years of oppression and apartheid continues to hold over the people of color there. As a very brash, supremely confident Nigerian descent this is something I have yet to come across in my country and find very ugly to encounter still playing out in Africa of all places.  

I liken it to the present day trauma that people of color in the United States still have yet to overcome after the end of 100 plus years of slavery. If apartheid so called ended in 90-91 why do blacks there today look like they have yet to receive this bit of critical information? By no means do you just wash away or undo something that egregious and painful simply over political unrest and global economic pressure.

Until I arrived in Johannesburg for the AFCON tournament, I did not know that there were over 20 official and unofficial languages spoken. Add to that the country is heavily populated by whites, Indians, Asians and many other African immigrants. Clearly the richness in diversity is a strength but could it also possibly contribute to its impediment?

During my stay there, whenever I would engage in a conversation with someone of color, the first thing they made sure of was to clearly make it known what ethnic group they belonged to for some reason. I remember one lady went out of her way and swore up and down that she was LIGHT SKINNED. Am like huh? WTF is that ethnic group?

Someone please help to educate our South African brothers and sisters that self respect is not only about color, language or the ethnic group you identify with and no matter how good you think you may have it better now as opposed to 20 years ago, you can not settle for being a slave to the access of comfort.

It is a state of mind.
 

It’s Not Easy Being Nigerian

What’s really good people?

My peoples the energy and spirit is at an all time high here at the MY OMO NAIJA camp right about now. How long have I been telling you all that the best programming on television in the past three years is HOMELAND, HOMELAND & HOMELAND. So what do you know, I wake up mid-week preparing for my workday when I get a BBM text from my big homie in classic Abu Nazir fashion and who does he run into at a local department store looking all in-cog-negro and took a picture with? “BROOOOOOOOOODY”aka Damien Lewis the biggest actor in the number one show on cable television. Hit the cut below for the Kool Keedz pix of the week to see the “Boss of All Bosses” with Brody hanging out. 

Ok people; let me get focused…

This is it people AFCON 2013 final weekend is here and who is playing on Sunday again? Oh yes; the Super Eagles of Nigeria. UP NIGERIA & UP NAIJA! What a FANTASTIC ride these past three weeks have been personally and for our country. It is just really disturbing at times to see how simple minded and superficial many of my fellow countrymen can be when it comes to supporting one another and showing true Patriotism. Football or not; one shall never waiver and become indifferent about the well being of our nation. I really found it troubling to see no evidence of any pre AFCON tournament chatter of support, encouragement, belief in the National team until the shocking upset of Didier Drogba’s Ivory Coast and the scintillating performance of brilliance against Mali this past Wednesday. Now that Nigeria has advance into the finals all the social media talk via Facebook, Twitter, Blogs are all bout how proud to be Nigerian, Naija this, Nigeria that, etc. SMH!

Rather than continuing to drink the white man’s Kool-Aid and look down on your own kind down because of a colonial complex that remains unresolved take heed to the lessons thought to us all by one of the Super Eagles player Victor Moses in this year’s tournament whose parents was murdered due to acts of senseless religious violence but chose to come back to his fatherland rather than represent England to dawn the GREEN/WHITE/GREEN all in the hopes of bringing back smiles and joy to the people that once ruined his innocence as a pre-adolescent, love for family and country. It is these same qualities embodied by the young Moses that should always lure us to unite, fight and celebrate all of our representatives on a national stage WIN, LOSE or DRAW.

If I told you all the jokes my ears have picked up in the past month about Nigeria, Nigerians and our fate it can be truly depressing. So dispirited that all you can do is laugh, laugh and starting punching folks in their chest for living. These were some of my favorites though; “Nigerians do not eat draw soup today o because if you eat draw soup our chances of winning AFCON match is highly unlikely”. The next one was so fitting; somebody on Twitter compared watching a Nigerian football match in the AFCON tournament to waiting on the results of an HIV test”. NWO! And then today’s joke sent to me by my brother goes; a plane carrying politicians crashed into a farm. When the police arrived, they found out that the farmer had already buried them. The following conversation ensued:

Police: Are you sure they were dead?

FARMER: Yes, I’m very sure, though I heard some screaming “Help me! I’m still alive o!” but you know these politicians, they lie a lot!

And there lies the problem. The fact that one of the first glimpses of Nigerian news on television when I arrived in Johannesburg was a broadcast of Christiane Amanpour on CNN roasting the incompetent fool that is Goodluck Jonathan did not help at all. I mean how can this Yahooooooo serve as a representative of for our country? This is so UNACCEPTABLE. While in Johannesburg taking in the AFCON tournament, I never saw so much dislike and hatred for Nigerians like the South Africans had towards my people. I mean I got along great with the Zambians, Ethiopians, Ghanians and other nationalities fine with no problems. The visitors in the country there to watch the tournament were full of positive energy, compliments and unity amongst other Africans except the native South Africans.

My reasons for blogging remain the same, working towards a common ground and gaining an understanding for people from different backgrounds, ethnicities and nationalities in hopes of highlighting our strengths and weaknesses towards a deeper understanding for one another. For three years now I have tried to present this subject matter in a positive and constructive manner but I am human and I believe I this warrants the opportunity to vent just a little so here it goes.

To every hating African out there I want you all to remember that Nigeria is your father FOREVER so continue with your jealousy. While we continue to deploy our armed forces all over Africa to help restore peace in your war torn countries we will continue to unleash HELL on pitch at your National teams.

In the words of Daddy J; “Show Me Someone that likes a LOSER”

AFCON 2013 - The Beat at Africa's Feet

What’s really good people?

Hope you all are well out there. I missed my peoples these past few weeks and am so glad to be back home here in the DMV that is for sure. So what has gone down since we last kicked it? Let me see I only got one of the GREATEST news ever, “those that know never tell”. I heard “Lying” Lance Armstrong gave one of the worst acting performances of the year during his sit down with Opera. Everybody’s favorite, Beyonce was caught lip singing the national anthem during the inauguration ceremony of the last Black president of the United States for a while. And my brother “Daddy J” regained his Ibra-hi-mo-vic status on the pitch by putting up goals like Nigeria’s Super Eagle striker Emmanuel Amunike on the pitch. Lyfe is Good!

Ok people; let me get focused…

The last time I spoke to you all I mentioned that I was headed to the AFCON 2013 tournament in South Africa. My two weeks away on vacation was an experience of a lifetime that will stay with me for eternity. My time spent in the cities and back roads of Johannesburg and Nelspruit South Africa with my junior brother and friends was the much needed respite to help recharge my juices, call to mind my thoughts and provide me clarity to execute and carryout my future plans.

South Africa in itself is one big trip LITERALLY. I mean there is so much to talk about that I am going to spread this piece out into a mini three part series. I want to focus this week’s post on the meaning of the African Cup of Nations (AFCON). One can easily simply dismiss it as just adult men playing and kicking a football around during a month long tournament but like many other sporting events celebrated worldwide i.e. the Super Bowl, Olympics and World Cup this is an event with an impetus on nationalism, brotherhood, a level playing field and the fighting spirit.  

By no means do I expect to mislead you all, the AFCON is also one major party as well people. I call it the biggest “Nasty Afrikan” party you will ever attend. When you don your countries colors on a match day, you become one in spirit with your fellow countrymen/women. The chants, music, food, euphoria of your country’s national anthem playing over the loud speakers right before kickoff sends a tingling sensation throughout the body. The whole thing is just so extremely poetic. To be frank, no other country in Africa embodies these qualities like my people of Nigeria. I mean to see it or to be told is one thing but to be in it and soak it all in with people of like minded ambitions is AWESOME. All my life I have grown to believe sports and music are two of the most powerful methods of therapy we are offered free of charge so why not take advantage of it whenever available.

This is still Africa after all and only during the AFCON tournament am I able to sustain a long enough tolerance for that very heavy body odor smell that I so dread when am amongst my people, standing in over 5 hours of heat, sweat and beer is all totally acceptable in anticipation of a match winning goal. Shouting “Inside the Net” when we have possession and “Over the Bar” at the opposition is one of many corky things I got to experience. Nigeria & Nigerian football lovers you have made me so proud.

So major kudos to the country of South Africa for hosting this magnificent extravaganza with very little to no hiccups from my observation. One can only marvel to see infrastructure, security, facilities and services the likes of the western world in the same Africa I grew up in over 20 years back. Your country can serve as a good example for the rest of Sub Saharan Africa to model itself after when it comes to development, economic stability and organization.

AFRICA the future is OURS if we choose to work together.

All we are saying is Give Naija more Goals!