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!
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