Redemption Song: Let's Push for the Black Stars to Win in 2008

“emancipate yourself from mental slavery. None but ourselves can free our mind…”

 

So. Bob Marley would have turned 61 this month, and the Egyptians are bringing the cup –er—home. They did do well, winning on penalties of 4-II to Cote d’Ivoire.

 

Frankly, I was disappointed. I do not consider Egyptians Africans in the TRUEST sense So imbued have they been by the US’s influence and – dare I say it – Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s Western proclivities, coupled with their fairer colour that gives them an air of superiority over Black Africans, I have, for some time now, dismissed them.

 

Racist?

 

Maybe.

 

It is a shame really, because this is a country whose (historical) leader – Gamal Abdel Nasser – remains one of my heroes for the manner in which 50 years ago this October, he unwittingly exposed the duplicitous and perfidious actions of Britain and France  (and Israel) over the Suez Crisis of 1956. Watch out for more on this as October approaches.

 

To be fair, the Egyptians played a good game, and their player’s tactics – from a non-pundit perspective – appeared very well-executed. The Ivorians, undoubtedly, played a very strong game, also. To have sustained a score line of nil-nil up until the end, be given 12 minutes of over-time, yet still maintain the same score line (bar a very close goal by Egypt that was apparently disallowed) speaks volumes of the nail-biting intensity – not to mention drama – of this most auspicious game.

 

Speculation is not rife at all about our performance in 2008, but I am hoping over hope that since the Egyptians – as host of the CAN 2006 – won (let’s face it, the thousands of fans/supporters had some impact on the Egyptian player’s psyche and motivation) so will Ghana, also, as host of CAN 2008 win it for the country for its fifth time, as well.

 

Of course, the syllogism of this argument is hardly twenty-twenty, but since we are a nation that likes to pray for everything, why don’t we give this whimsical syllogism a run for its money?:-)

 

While the Black Star’s performance in CAN 2006 was frankly nothing to write home about, (I called it execrable in an earlier entry), I also believe with consistent training, coupled with single-mindedness, we can re-deem ourselves as the eponymous Black Stars of Africa.