THE TOTTERING EDIFICE

BY OMOSEYE BOLAJI



“All our gods are weeping. Idemili is weeping.Ogwugwu is weeping. Agbala is weeping, and all the others. Our dead fathers are weeping because of the shameful sacril;ege..."

Chinua Achebe from his classic, Things fall apart


Yes, it does appear that things have been falling apart – big time – with our African representatives at the current football World Cup finals taking place here in South Africa. Things have been bursting apart at the seams as it were with our representatives, even to farcical proportions.

It is almost like a sort of melancholy procession, with concomitant elegy and dirge as our football takes a pummelling and battering at the highest levels. The omens were haunting enough when the fancied Cameroon became the first of our sides to be shown the doorway at this edition of the finals.

Some pundits have since claimed that there was no real reason why Cameroon should have been expected to pull up trees in the tournament. Tosh, says I. Cameroon have always been a formidable African side playing with pride, purpose, determination, élan and no small amount of skill. Who can forget Cameroon’s thrilling displays during the 1982 World Cup finals when they looked as good – even better – than any top world side (including Italy that they drew 0-0 with); refusing to lose even one of their matches at that finals?

Oh and by the way, yes we all know that Cameroon were superb and mesmerising during the 1990 finals; not only because of Roger Milla’s goals and creative play that prodded the country to the quarter finals; but also because of the titanic 1-0 win over Diego Maradona’s Argentina, when Oman Biyick secured victory with an incredible header. What remains of Cameroon’s pride and pedigree as they went out tamely this time – even losing to Japan!

Then it was the turn of Bafana Bafana, the hosts to depart the 2010 finals, happily with a win over beleaguered France. Many tried to put a brave face on it but it was still a tragedy; South Africa becoming the first hosts ever to depart at the group stages. So much more was expected from the team and its eloquent coach Carlos Alberto Parreira.

As South African writer and sports journalist, Pule Lechesa, told me in Bloemfontein (where Bafana’s last game was played, and just after the match with France): “It is a pity we are ousted now. It is like orchestrating a prodigious, mammoth banquet (hosting the finals) and just when the real course of the repast looms, the host is politely told to watch the revellers from just outside the door!” How piquant!

Ah, well. The same night South Africa went out (June 22) Nigeria also bowed out – very unceremoniously, as far as I am concerned. The most difficult part was done when Argentina (who had already qualified) did the Eagles a favour by beating Greece 2-0. So all that was needed was a Nigerian win against South Korea. Oh, what a horror story! From calamitous defending to cataclysmic misses in front of the net…the 2-2 draw seemed very much like a good thrashing for the Eagles (note I refuse to use the word “Super” which would be farcical under the circumstances)

So, would Algeria or Ghana (by this time most Africans’ favourites to do well despite facing a massive clash with Germany) salvage Africa’s pride? Could they somehow make it to the next round? Their fates were decided on June 23. Algeria went out to a late American goal; Ghana lost to Germany, but were reprieved thanks to Australia's unexpected win. But it was hardly heart-warming.

The punctilious ones out there would holler now: “Hey, what about Ivory Coast? They are now out yet. They drew with mighty Portugal” But that’s precisely the sad point here. “Mighty” Portugal hammered seven goals past North Korea. Ivory Coast will likely have to do as much to go through hosane (tomorrow). Oh, Mother Africa and its gods! How many of you out there really believe Cote d’Ivoire will score so many goals tomorrow?!…