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.