Tranquil at home, I was enjoying my dinner, a delicious hot “mutton biriyani” while watching the group draws for 2010 football World Cup, live, from Cape Town, South Africa last Friday night. As the show event advanced, I started to wonder why and how unfortunate the Ivory Coast football team is.
Ivory Cost (known as The Elephants), one of my favorite teams
in Africa, is placed in the “Group of Death”, which consists of Brazil,
Portugal and North Korea. Before the draw event started, Ivorian star Drogba
wished not to face England in the first round of the tournament. It was
granted, but that is where our wishes ended.
The journey is tough but not impossible. “The Elephants” has
the pedigree built around its powerful striker Drogba (Chelsea) with stars like
Kalou (Chelsea), Yaya (Barcelona), Kolo (M. City), Dindane (Portsmouth),
Gervinho (Lille)…etc. They can shake even the powerful Brazilians. In World Cup
2006, “The Elephants” played Argentina, Netherlands & Serbia on the way.
Consequently, a first round exit was just inevitable.
Now, probably, similar destiny may be trying to
befriend us, again. The world agrees that black Africans people can dance well.
So this time, let’s do it with the ball to win the prestigious trophy. Although
James Brown and Michael Jackson will be absent and Usher is uncertain; we can
still rely on some Congolese famous dancers such as Awilo Logomba, Aurlus
Mabele, Kanda Bongoman, and Yondo Syster…etc. But there is a problem.
If Congolese have the Dombolo dance ability in
their blood; Brazilians too, possess the Samba skills in their veins. Brazil is the nation
where football is like religion. So far, they have won the World Cup 5 times
and already seen as favorites to win the next one.
During the draw, Nelson Madiba Mandela –in a
recorded message on TV- said: “Ke Na To (It’s time)” as he dreamed -15 years
ago- to bring the world biggest tournament to his homeland. For African teams
(Algeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Ivory Cost, Nigeria and South Africa) it will not be
easy. How will they reach semi-finals? My answer is: “Ma-akolon” (I don’t
know!). Ma-akolon is an expression of Sosso language, widely spoken in Conakry,
Guinea. There, sometimes, when people get perplexed, they simply say: “Ma-akolon”. Ma-akolon is not the expected
reply but if circumstances oblige, it can be.
My advice to all African protagonists is what NBA
legend Michael Jordan said recently in his Hall of Fame speech: “Never say never. Because limits, like fears, are often just an
illusion. ”
And in any kind of sports nothing is or rather,
should ever be taken for granted. We will see. Until then, one thing is for
sure: “Ke Na To (It’s time)”. And time never waits.
/___.Moysekou.
#wakeup #coup #franc, #edito,
#sport, #football, #reveil #conscience, #mandela
