Not sure where to kick things off this week? I think it is worth revisiting the statement made by South African FA vice president Chief Mwelo Nonkonyana and I paraphrase when he says “African footballers who won’t play for their country are selfish and egoistical”. This was in response to many quality African footballers plying their trade outside of Africa pulling out of the AFCON tournament and requesting that they be allowed to concentrate on their club duties. As some of you know, I have been talking about my up coming trip to South Africa in January 2013 when I will be live in the stadiums rooting and cheering on the Nigerian Football Federation as we seek to reclaim are much overdue dominance in African football during the AFCON tournament. The irony of Mr. Nonkonyana’s statement is that those same thoughts and emotions were recently relayed to me when I was having a conversation with my “Top Pop” as he so passionately shared in his bewilderment and incomprehension of how time and time again we as Nigerians, people of color bend over backwards to appease our European and Anglo-Saxon counterparts. This issue is not going away anytime soon unfortunately, it was something I experienced growing up in Nigeria and it is something I see everyday here in the United States.
Ok people; Let me get focused…
So I was all set to post a different blog this week until the last
minute when I was forced by my brother to check out an inspirational video. The
worst part of it too was that the footage was from one of those I have talent,
I believe I can sing/dance/etc reality television auditions. Ok for the sake of
full disclosure, the programming is X-Factor and I have never taking the time
of day to watch a single minute of it until Friday as I watched the Youtube
video. The clip profiled a young man and his love for music and typical me I
was quick to blow it off like this is a waste of my time until much later when
I got to see and experience this truly remarkable life and journey undertaken
by this young man who is in every sense of the word an INSPIRATION. (I choose to not disclose everything about “Emmanuel”
because I do believe my words will do him no justice unless you see it yourself
so please scroll down and take a look).
Every holiday season and anticipated New Year comes with its own wave
of emotions. Many a people are consumed and are thrilled about the opportunity
to spend time with family, others look forward to the end of year in hopes of
starting a new as we try to overcome the missteps taken over a twelve month
period. The qualities that continue to stay with me from the Emmanuel piece is
the power of the human spirit. His innocence, lack of pretense and ability to
triumph and truly LIVE life is so refreshing. So much of what we are in life or
strive to become is about first visualizing hence IMAGINING and so much of what we do not become is tied to us losing
our way that results in a damaged human spirit.
I find myself so blessed and fortunate because I never have to go
online and look up a Youtube clip to get inspired or remain committed to the
important life values because I get see it and have lived it first hand over
the years through the eyes of a special baby girl.
She is STRENGTH personified. 
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