This is the 21st. Century.
As I write this, in a part of the Northern Hemisphere, for almost seven months, bombs and bullets have been raining down upon innocent humans in a senseless war. ‘Victory’ is measured in the toll of the dead and of destroyed structures. Global spirit is dampened by it all as no one can explain the rationale for such needless destruction that is impoverishing the rest of the world in different forms.
Yet, the crisis goes on with the real threat and possibility of an escalation that can ultimately destroy life on earth. Yet this is probably the most ‘advanced’ period in human history.
In this same period, in another part of the world closer home, a Nigerian football club, Kwara United FC, goes to Niamey, Niger Republic, to honour the second leg of an African continental Club competition. As the players are alighting from their coach at the Stadium of their hosts, a small group of men, with one dragging a small goat tied by the neck, openly starts to splash and sprinkle the fresh blood of some animal on their opponents, players and their officials, and chanting some incantations.
It was an unbelievable scene straight out of the dark ages, absolute barbarism. It was a distraction, fear, mental torture and trauma for the visiting players about to play a crucial continental football match.
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Shockingly, up till the time of writing this, there has been no reaction from the organisers of the championship, the Confederation of African football, CAF, probably because, even in the 21st Century the world still ‘quietly’ accepts these dark spiritual practises as a reality of life, practiced in different religious forms and shapes in different parts of the world despite the overwhelming evidence that it is all inefficacious. Otherwise, an African country would have won the World Cup by now, since that is the continent that is most portrayed as harbouring these dark practices.
#CAFCC HAPPENING NOW AT NIGER!
AS Douanes hired herbalists poured blood on @KwaraUnitedFC players as they are about entering the field. The 2 herbalists, 1 with keg of blood & the other with goat performed the act when the players are coming down from the bus. NO single policeman pic.twitter.com/jMt8FiEBrz— Kwara United F.C. (@KwaraUnitedFC) September 18, 2022
Despite the blood-sacrifice, the Nigerien team did not win the match. They did not qualify for the next round of the competition. Apparently, the gods did not accept their blood-sacrifice. Kwara United FC drew the match and have qualified for the next round.
This is the 21st Century.
Last weekend, in another part of the ‘advanced’ world, a player scores a beautiful goal during a football match. He temporarily goes ‘mad’. The ‘madness’ is allowed, of course. It is a celebration.
For a few seconds, he runs with a few of his team mates to a corner of the field and performs a dance routine, an entertaining ‘ritual’ made popular by Cameroon’s Roger Miller during the 1990 World Cup, and which has become common and acceptable practise since then.
But last week, was different.
Vinicius Junior, the young brilliant Brazilian forward who plays for Real Madrid FC in Spain, scores a beautiful goal and does the ‘madness’ routine with one of his colleagues. He celebrates by dancing in one corner of the field in front of supporters of the opposing team.
Everything should have been fine, except that this is the 21st Century, the most ‘advanced’ period in human history when a certain inexplicable madness is taking over the world. An army of football fans on the football field and on social media, could not hide their entrenched bigotry. They start monkey chants and racial slurs aimed at the innocent player, simply because (wait for it) he is Black!
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Vinicius Junior is a Black, absolutely brilliant football star. That’s his crime.
Racism, despite every feigned effort by the West, still lives deeply in the fibre of the average White person. It remains a very deep and very ugly scourge.
Even Prince Harry, younger son of new King Charles 11, fifth in line to the British Throne, expressed as much in a documentary on his relationship with his wife, Meghan, and why he chose to relinquish his Royal rights and roles for Love for his Black wife.
European leagues are replete with the ugly practise of racism in small and large doses, a shame that has lasted well over 500 years.
It is very clear that racism is not about to disappear any time soon. It is also clear that the solution does not lie with the rest of the world, but with the Black person himself, how it fights the fight and earns the respect of the rest of the world.
That fight has to be an articulated project, articulated, designed, strategized and fought.
This is the 21st Century.
Last week, I sat opposite Professor Eghosa Osaghae, the Director-General of The Nigeria Institute of International Affairs, NIIA, in his office. I listened to him in rapt attention as he shared his dream of a Return-to-Africa Movement, a project that will drive unification, collaboration, and a cultural, political and economic integration agenda for the Black Race scattered by ‘slavery’ all over the world.
The NIIA is the intellectual Think-tank of the Federal Government of Nigeria in the development of diplomatic and political policies that will impact the country and Africa, the centre-piece of its foreign policy. The NIIA is in ‘Thinking’ mode.
His plans are ringing in my head.
I start to ‘see’ a jig saw puzzle, components fitting groves, becoming a composite. A project eventually emerges that will mobilise and galvanise the Black race all over the world
By the time I left his office we were on the same page, set on clarity on what next needs to be done in designing the third in the series of Conversations, a project that shall ultimately weaponise the Return-to-Africa Movement whilst facilitating, catalysing and fast tracking the rapid integration and development of the continent for the benefit of all Black persons on earth.
The Conversation shall be a possible future, a most exciting journey in human history that will chart a path for the Black race to earn a rightful place and respect in the world, without which he will continue to be the ‘victim’.
It started in February 2022 with the first of the trilogy – The Power of Sports.
The second was the re-awakening of the spirit of FESTAC ’77 in a new concept called the FESTAC of Sports.
The third is here now, and shall be revealed in November 2022.
It will, probably, be the biggest and fastest development of Africa project in history, driven by ‘The Return to Africa’ project.
The plan is to deploy the most powerful ‘weapon’ in the world – sports – to change the fate of the Black person and change the world for good, forever!
Think about this: From 2026, the World Cup of Football will have 48 countries participating. The first in the series will be hosted by a whole continent – USA, Canada and Mexico.
It opens up a new chapter and new possibilities in the world.
From 2030, it will be Africa’s turn again to host the most lucrative and biggest sports event in the world.
Start to imagine the possibilities of aligning the Power of Sport, with the Spirit of FESTAC and the World Cup to drive a Return-to-Africa Movement that will birth a new place for Africa and the Black race on earth.
Those that have eyes, let them start to imagine!
1 Comment
Great analysis as always!
Pay no attention to this noodle-generation who are clueless regarding the struggles and sacrifices of our forefathers to liberate us from foreign rule.