ZAKUMI'S DIARY EPISODE FIVE
AFRICA UNITED: GHANA’S WIN, AFRICA’S WIN
It started out as the “African World Cup” the first of its kind on an African soil. For over 80 years, the World Cup had been to every other continent except Africa so when South Africa was awarded the rights to hold the 2010 FIFA World Cup, it was welcomed with great joy and expectation by every African. A “South Africa 2010” that was “supposed” to be riddled with rape, violence, theft, terrorist attacks and organizational failure hasn't been. The doom mongers have been proved wrong and so far South Africa 2010 has been successful. Minor problems pop up here and there, but that of course is characteristic of any major event such as a World Cup.
Right from the word go, the African identity of this World Cup was questioned. From the decision to use Shakira (the Colombian singer) as the “lead singer” in the official World Cup song, to weather conditions in South Africa, to the choice of ball for the tournament, in fact everything pertaining to the organization of “South Africa 2010” has been greeted by unfair amounts of criticism and cynicism. Admittedly in some instances the doubters (esp. Western media) have been right, some of their concerns have been legitimate but then again my beef with them is their overly negative reportage. Sometimes it gets boringly annoying.
Our portion of the blame is that, only a few Africans from outside the host country have been able to make the trip to South Africa. Just over 23% of ticket holding fans are Africans. That’s not good at all especially if we claim it’s an African World Cup. However let’s not forget that due to the exorbitant prices of the tickets and the high living standards in South Africa, most African fans have automatically been ruled out of the football festival by virtue of the high poverty rate in Africa. Putting all these factors together, you won’t be far from right in suggesting that this World Cup isn’t an African World Cup after all.
All of that might have been forgotten if the six African teams had performed creditably on the pitch, but so far that hasn’t exactly been the case. Already South Africa has been eliminated and that makes it the first time a host nation has failed to qualify from the group stages. The Bafana Bafana did very well against France but their win wasn’t enough to hand them qualification into the knock out stage. They shouldn’t be too hard done on themselves though. They’ve already covered themselves in glory by hosting such a fantastic World Cup, Africa is proud of them. However that’s no substitute for failing to progress into the next stage and that goes without saying.
In the case of Ivory Coast, a difficult group didn’t help. Les Elephants, who possess a wonderful collection of players any African side has assembled at a World Cup, are/were in the same group as Brazil, Portugal and a hard working Korea DPR. Ivory Coast look set to exit this tournament but I dare to suggest that even countries like England, Holland, and Germany would have struggled if not failed to make it out of such a group. But that’s no excuse for their lacklustre performance so far. Ivory Coast as we’ve come to know of them, always flatter to falter and I’m not in any way surprised by their poor showing.
Nigeria’s problems are numerous, but similarly man-made. A terrible pre-World Cup training period coupled with Shaibu Amodu’s bizarre dismissal didn’t help inspire the Super Eagles to soar high at this year’s tournament. They performed admirably well against Argentina, gifted the Greeks a win and lost their nerves against South Korea. Judging from the way they've played, I can confidently say that the Nigerians were their own opponents. They are responsible for their own troubles. That's the bottom line of Nigeria’s debacle. I don’t pity them one bit.
You would have expected more of Cameroon but in their France-like case, internal conflict rather than a lack of talent has been the main cause of their downfall. Common knowledge has it that, disharmony in the dressing room will ultimately give birth to poor results on the field of play. In the circumstances, it’s very easy to understand why the Indomitable Lions lost to average teams like Japan and Denmark. They are already out, in fact the first team to do so. Their game against Holland is only academic but I hope they bow out with something to cheer about.
Then there’s Algeria who having been impressive in their play, have failed to win a single match. In a group made up of USA, England and Slovenia, the Desert Foxes had a realistic chance of making it out of the group however in all the three matches they start so well only to run out of gas in the dying embers of the game. Interestingly most of the players in this Algerian squad are “foreigners” (particularly French) who have chosen to play for the country of their parents. This Algerian side is young and things can only go well for them in future tournaments. I wish them well.
As it stands 5 out of 6 of Africa’s representatives at the World Cup are out of the tournament. It’s very sad to see African teams struggling to get into the knock out stage of this World Cup. This will only lend credence to the school of thought that African football has got nothing to offer to World football and that shouldn’t be the case. There’s hope for Africa though, and that brings us to the main point of this blog, Africa United: Ghana’s win, Africa’s win. The Black Stars of Ghana are the only African side to have qualified out of the group stages. Instead of painting this achievement in nationalistic colours, I’d rather portray this feat as a continental success.
Prior to this year’s tournament MTN (Mobile Telecommunication Network)-headline sponsors of South Africa 2010-embarked on a smart advertising move by showing various African players in a “Africa United” team. This marketing stunt has to a large extent created a “Africa United” mentality in the minds of many African football fans. Whoever came up with that concept has done African football some good. Most African fans have been supporting African teams at this World Cup in ways that even the Europeans and South Americans will envy. Its very heart warming to see that after so many years of debating an elusive United Africa agenda, football has finally given Africans a platform to push the United Africa agenda. My prayer is that this bundle of love and commitment that we’ve shown towards each other will spill over into other areas of our lives. Over and above that, I hope our African leaders will realise that a United Africa is the only sustainable way of fighting neo colonialism and all other forms of modern colonial rule on the continent.
Despite the difficulties plus the elimination of 5 African teams at the group stages, I still believe this is Africa’s World Cup. This World Cup remains a great opportunity for Africans to change the way the rest of the world sees us. This tournament has the potential to chip away at those old images of what Africa is, if a continent that for so long has been labelled as the Dark Continent, can come out of the dark into the light then it is at this year’s World Cup. It doesn’t necessarily mean that wars and famine or corrupt leaders and dictators – which have long darkened Africa’s image with clichéd stereotypes – will suddenly disappear. NO!!! But in my opinion a win for Africa-whether on the pitch or off it-will not only enhance the image of African football, but will also advertise Africa as a continent that's coming out of a dark period.
That’s where the Black Star’s achievement comes in. That’s where I firmly endorse the Africa United agenda. It would have been pathetic if not calamitous for a single African team to have failed to make it out of the group stages. Thankfully the Black Stars of Ghana-like the name suggests-are the HOPE of Africa in this tournament. That’s where I ask myself this question: what’s in a name? The answer is in the question. A name should inspire hope especially on such a superstitious continent. Probably if the rest of the African teams have chosen a more inspiring name, they could have enjoyed similar good fortunes but that’s an oversimplification of the issues at hand.
Speaking of fortunes, a team that can afford to lose its last group stage match and still qualify for the knock out stages is indeed a fortunate team. No wonder some are suggesting that God is a Ghanaian. I have my doubts about that assertion but judging from the way things have turned out for the Black Stars in this competition and in previous competitions, I’m forced to go with that line of thought. Can you blame moi.
The Black Stars qualification is a good thing for African football. It’s the 'saving grace' for the faltering fortunes of all the other African teams. Africa is as yet to leave a mark on World football in international competitions at the senior level. After the under 20 side of Ghana won the Youth World Cup in Egypt last year, you’d have expected the African teams to build on that achievement at the Senior World Cup. As fate would have it once again it’s the Black Stars of Ghana who are blazing the trial for Africa.
The expectation of a whole continent is resting on the shoulders of Black Stars of Ghana.
No African side has gone further than the quarter-finals, a stage which Cameroon reached in 1990 and Senegal achieved in 2002. It was hoped that Africa’s first World Cup might be the stage for Africa’s first semi-finalist but, once again, it looks unlikely (if you ask the pessimists) or likely if you ask the Black Stars players themselves. I’ve never been excited about a loss as I’ve been and still am about the Black Stars loss to Germany. Coupled with Australia’s 2-1 win over Serbia, Ghana’s “heaven-sent” loss to Germany handed us the second qualification slot in group D.
That means that Ghana will face USA is the round of 16 and if we’re able to scale that hurdle there’s a potential Ghana-Uruguay or Ghana – South Korea quarterfinal match up. That’s relatively easier than passing through the England route, if you ask me. Sometimes progress through a competition depends on the weakness of the opponents you meet rather than your own strength (remember Germany in the 2002 World Cup? That’s not to suggest that we’ve been handed a cheap route into the semi-finals but what that means is that our work has been cut out for us. It’s up to us to take advantage of the opportunity to make history.
Moments after the Black Stars qualification into the next round was confirmed, the ruling party in South Africa-the African National Congress-sent out congratulatory messages to the team. That goes to affirm my believe that the whole of Africa is solidly behind the “hope of Africa”. The Black Stars should know that they carry the dreams of a whole continent and not just Ghana. I have come to discover that football has played a big role in shaping this continent. Just to mention a few, football has helped to prop up an authoritarian regime in Egypt, strengthened a budding democracy in Ghana, it has helped to end a conflict in Ivory Coast, and has provided ray of hope in war-torn Somalia. Africa’s love for football is most often understated but events at this World Cup have gone a long way to position Africa as a football crazy continent just like any other continent.
In conclusion, with regards to the USA-Ghana game, if for nothing at all, the Black Stars should reward the faith that Africans have shown in them. They must do well to live up to the tag as “Africa’s Hope”.
The Americans have a solid team but they are beatable. At least we proved that in the last World Cup. Across the continent, there's a belief that the “Black Stars of Africa” can make it into the semi-finals. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: Hope has got nothing to do with facts and figures rather it’s got everything to do with believe and determination. I’m hopeful the Black Stars will make Africa proud. Akin to that MTN commercial, it’s time for the Black Stars to play for Africa. The game is calling, they must answer with an emphatic YES!!!! I’m waiting patiently and I know they won’t let us down. I know they will give us something to celebrate.
Like the South Africans say, Ke Nako!!!! Indeed it’s our time, it’s Africa’s time.
JUDE ANIM
