By Dafe Ivwurie
Will it be right to say that we are in a season of good luck? If we are, I think it is in order to wish our own super Eagles of Nigeria luck as they participate in this year’s FIFA World Cup tournament taking place for the first time on the African continent.
I must confess that I am particularly not expecting anything spectacular from the men and boys that Lars Lagerback has drafted to the team. There is, to say the truth, no discovery in the team to cause any excitement, the kind that the merciless Messi of Argentina, the ruthless Rooney of England, the ageless Ribery of France, the calculating Kaka of Brazil and of course the capricious Ronaldo of Portugal would cause any back line.
But it is not that bad. The name of our president is Goodluck and we can just hope that the cosmic powers will use that to our favour. I do not expect that we will beat Argetina in our first outing. But with some good fortune, we can expect that after trailing 0-3 fifteen minutes to the end of the game, Maradona’s team will lose focus and capitulate forcing them to make errors like own goal, handling the ball in the 18 yard box and under a lucky, cheeky one from the never-say-die Kanu Nwakwo.
I predict that the only team that we will beat fair and square will be the Republic of Korea by one goal. I expect us to draw with Greece. That will leave us with five points from the possible nine. That should take us through behind Argetina who will have 7 points. Once we qualify, we would need the services of Baba Eleran of IICC fame (is Baba still alive) or at least get someone who has learnt his trade of balubalu. Or we go to Warri to seek Rev. Gbejero, the pastor and emergency sports analyst who insists that the mere fact that he is invited to analyse matches means good luck and victory for Nigeria. See, we need all the good luck in the world.
I suspect that we might play England either in semi finals or the finals. I know this will annoy my friends who are Manchester United and Chelsea fans, but I am sorry to say that it is likely that Rooney’s injury might resurface and John Terry marital wahala might take a new twist that will force him to pull out of the competition. We will qualify for the final play either England or Brazil. Once we do, President, Goodluck Jonathan will lead a powerful delegation of men in government and eminent Nigerians to go and see and give the players moral support as well as to impart some goodluck anointing to them. We will win by a 'hand of God' goal which the referee will not see of course and bring the trophy home to Nigeria and to Africa for the first time.
Please be informed that this analysis is not based on any informed knowledge or understanding of the game, only on the fact that I choose to guard my heart against anything that will cause undue palpitations. I just want to enjoy this World Cup and I hope you do, too.
Nigerian Music, popular culture and politics
Monday, June 07, 2010
IBB’s ‘imoratlise Abiola’ heresy
By Dafe Ivwurie
The dictionary defines the word heresy as unorthodox religious opinion or the holding of an unorthodox religious opinion; one that is inconsistent with and contradicts established religious teaching, especially one that is officially condemned by a religious authority.
Permit me to remove the word heresy from its original contextual habitat and place it in an environment that is also as delicate, organized and subject to a lot of human abuses like religion - democracy. The simplest definition of democracy is “the government of the people, by the people and for the people”. The setting up this government and its powers is derived from the constitution agreed upon by the people. So it irks me when men who have raped, battered, refused and rejected the thriving of democracy in the history of Nigeria come out and mouth words about democracy; words that in my own opinion amount to profanities.
Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida and whatever he does or says does not excite me. But it is important that just in case there is somebody writing a script for him on national issues, the Minna-born general should consider firing the person because the fellow is a bad script writer. And if some of his recent pronouncements are a product of his thought processes, therefore his considered opinion, then he has completely lost the battle to redeem himself.
It is utter heresy, down right profane, for General Ibrahim Babangida, former military head of state, military president and democracy batterer to state that MKO Abiola should be immortalized. IBB’s statement is an insult on the sensibilities of many Nigerians who fought for civil rule and democracy and who are still alive to tell the story today. I am also sure that it will make those who died in the struggle to turn in their grave when they hear him pontificate on a matter that you do not ‘have a mouth in’.
Abiola or any other person who died or suffered while fighting for democracy to be instituted in the country, do not need the government to immortalize them; they do not need a political proclamation that only seeks to keep the like of IIB on the front pages of newspapers. Abiola is already immortalized in the hearts of members of his family, in the thousands of newspaper stories and millions of words that have been written about him and his overwhelming victory at the polls that General Ibrahim Babangida annulled to his shame.
Whatever General Babangida’s achievement as head of state for 8 years pales in comparison to the impact his annulling the June 12 1993 elections has had on the nation. I think the general should take his words back.
The dictionary defines the word heresy as unorthodox religious opinion or the holding of an unorthodox religious opinion; one that is inconsistent with and contradicts established religious teaching, especially one that is officially condemned by a religious authority.
Permit me to remove the word heresy from its original contextual habitat and place it in an environment that is also as delicate, organized and subject to a lot of human abuses like religion - democracy. The simplest definition of democracy is “the government of the people, by the people and for the people”. The setting up this government and its powers is derived from the constitution agreed upon by the people. So it irks me when men who have raped, battered, refused and rejected the thriving of democracy in the history of Nigeria come out and mouth words about democracy; words that in my own opinion amount to profanities.
Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida and whatever he does or says does not excite me. But it is important that just in case there is somebody writing a script for him on national issues, the Minna-born general should consider firing the person because the fellow is a bad script writer. And if some of his recent pronouncements are a product of his thought processes, therefore his considered opinion, then he has completely lost the battle to redeem himself.
It is utter heresy, down right profane, for General Ibrahim Babangida, former military head of state, military president and democracy batterer to state that MKO Abiola should be immortalized. IBB’s statement is an insult on the sensibilities of many Nigerians who fought for civil rule and democracy and who are still alive to tell the story today. I am also sure that it will make those who died in the struggle to turn in their grave when they hear him pontificate on a matter that you do not ‘have a mouth in’.
Abiola or any other person who died or suffered while fighting for democracy to be instituted in the country, do not need the government to immortalize them; they do not need a political proclamation that only seeks to keep the like of IIB on the front pages of newspapers. Abiola is already immortalized in the hearts of members of his family, in the thousands of newspaper stories and millions of words that have been written about him and his overwhelming victory at the polls that General Ibrahim Babangida annulled to his shame.
Whatever General Babangida’s achievement as head of state for 8 years pales in comparison to the impact his annulling the June 12 1993 elections has had on the nation. I think the general should take his words back.
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