AFCON 2013: Preliminary Skirmishes over!

By Omoseye Bolaji

As the latest edition of the glitzy Afcon reached its crunch stages (quarter finals et al), the world marveled as SEVEN of the eight quarter finalists happened to be from west Africa. Facile comments that “west Africa is very much a powerhouse in African football” were spewed out; quite understandably, under the circumstances.

Hence South Africa, the host country (from Southern Africa) looked almost like the odd man out as the identities of the eight quarter finalists were unfurled: Ivory Coast, Mali, Burkina Faso, Togo, Nigeria, Cape Verde and Ghana.

Whilst this appears to be something of a “coup” for west Africa, on a personal note I would not like to read too much into this; for me it smirks of some co-incidence really. Why? We know the quirks and idiosyncracies of football, and anything can happen. For example, in their crucial third match of the tourney, Togo could well have been out if Tunisia had converted the penalty they were awarded in the second half.

Similarly, for the hosts Bafana Bafana, hearts were in the mouths of millions as Morocco took a 2-1 lead with much of the game gone. What if South Africa had not managed to equalize; which without being churlish could have well been the case in light of so many disappointing results in the wake of the Championship itself? In any event Morocco, exited the competition despite managing to draw all their games, and not losing any.

Ironically Angola (also from Southern Africa) found themselves bowing out of the tourney mainly after a damaging 2-0 loss to South Africa; a southern African team halting the progress of another southern African squad! We might also note that with TWO northern African teams, Algeria and Tunisia, placed in the same group – alongside mighty Ivory Coast, it was always on the cards that important casualties would fall by the wayside here. In this case two adroit northern African countries found themselves eliminated.

Another twist was added to the scenario with the unexpected progress of un-fancied Cape Verde and Togo (both part of west Africa, as it were). Few expected them to progress to the quarter finals, but that is what they went on to do. It appears there is always this subtle element of undermining teams supposed to be “minnows” – we recollect that even Ethiopia was rather underestimated in the beginning which could have had disastrous effects for the likes of Zambia and Nigeria.

Could have had? Indeed it can be argued that Zambia (also a southern African nation) – and defending champions to boot – exited the tournament early because of what seemed to be an insipid, shocking performance against Ethiopia (a draw in their opening game). Hence Zambia, and Angola found themselves out of Afcon after only the preliminary matches. The exhilarating thing is that hosts South Africa, buoyed by their progress into the quarter finals, found themselves dreaming of going all the way like they did so brilliantly in 1996 (when they also hosted the tournament)

Many South African fans found themselves reminiscing on the situation in 1996 when Bafana Bafana met Algeria at the quarter final stage; a match in which “Shoes” Moshoeu emerged the hero after scoring a superb second goal (SA won 2-1) But let it not be forgotten that Mark Fish, the fluid central defender had bagged the first goal for his country by venturing upfront against the wishes of his then coach Clive Barker!

At that time (1996), when South Africa met Ghana in the semi finals few expected the hosts to win as easily as they did (3-0). After all Ghana paraded greats like Abedi Pele and Tony Yeboah then. But with Moshoeu again playing out of his skin and scoring two excellent goals, and Shaun Bartlett almost like a battering ram netting an exquisite goal too. South Africa swept into the final where Tunisia was put to the sword 2-0.

Could Bafana replicate such thrilling progress in 2013? That is what the world wanted to see this time around. As hosts, and the only “non-west African” country left in the tourney the expectations were high – as South Africa got set to meet Mali in the quarter finals…

The Concupiscent Youth?

By Omoseye Bolaji

As a youngster, one of the books that fascinated me was H.G Wells’ An Outline of World History. A magnificent work that encapsulates so much of what is good about Eurocentric writing: an awareness of global history, trends, development; allied to fecund, imaginative yet economical writing.


Wells wrote the book around the time of the Second World War when the possibility of the extinction of mankind was not an outrageous prospect. Hence cynical undercurrents abound in the book, for example when he writes: “Strange as it may seem to students of history in the years to come – if there are any students in the world in the years to come…”

This blast from the past, as it were, came to my mind as I tried to ingest a particularly lurid news – or revelation – in South Africa that went on and on about how an extraordinarily large number of very young female students get pregnant in schools, especially secondary schools; this is compounded by the fact that a very high percentage of young girls in school are already hiv positive!

In simple terms, this essentially means that the life of many of these young ladies is over before it even starts! For how long have many pundits lamented the shocking levels of immorality, to wit sexual promiscuity that pervades all over the place. This is one of the terrible prices to be paid for our modern times of “democracy” “rights for all” “equality’ and so on. The ravages on poor young lives!

The powers that be, including the pertinent Ministers (of Education)) in the country are worried; so worried that they are seriously considering distributing things like condoms en masse in SA schools. As they have correctly and pragmatically pointed out: the reality is that so many youngsters are having sex, getting pregnant, contracting aids; and burying heads in the sand will not help the terrible scenario.

Condoms in schools for youngsters? My own particular generation will wince with trenchant shock if such is also the case in places like Nigeria. But what can be done to nip the situation in the bud? Is it too much to expect very young females just to go to school, face their studies en route to a tertiary education as was the wont in the past? On a personal level, I have always regarded teen-age pregnancy as an anathema. Poor old-fashioned me!

Some years ago a friend of mine started a small magazine in South Africa; that was some 6 years ago. He invited me to come on board and generate, edit stories which I did whilst the magazine was in existence for a couple of years. I remember he had a quiet 11 year old daughter at the time. A few months ago (after a long absence) I met this friend of mine again and over lunch I asked in cursory fashion about his daughter. “She’ll be around 17 years old now eh?” I quipped. “She’s getting to be a big girl now,”

The gentleman gulped. “Ja. So big that she, my little daughter, is a mother herself now!”

I flinched.

Need we start to examine the reasons why young girls are getting pregnant these days? Unwholesome peer pressure; having boyfriends, both young and old from a very early age; the insidious effects of modern technology and awareness; sugar daddies and the dubious gifts they dangle (eg trendy ‘smart’ cellphones); girls’ desire for the “good” things of life; the ironical cynical effects of early rapes, or early introduction to sex…

By a strange co-incidence, as I am typing this now I glance at my TV screen – South African television news; and emblazoned there is the headline: 17 pupils pregnant in one school! The details are as gory as ever; including midwives on standby for female kids about to deliver babies! One cannot but be filled with despair, especially when it is further revealed that a shocking amount of girls in the same school are already infected with the deadly hiv/aids disease.

What is the way forward then? At the moment, one has to come back to the reality that condoms have to be part of the situation, as it is clear that no facile words or messages will nip in the bud rampant, illicit, dangerous, sexual activities among the young. But in a way, it is a universal problem…isn’t it?

The Soggy Affair

By OMOSEYE BOLAJI

The New Year had swung into orbit and I was now back in Bloemfontein city, the festive season holidays a thing of the past. I had quite a number of things to do – but I needed a meal first! But alas it was raining quite heavily; luckily enough I had an umbrella and I made my way sturdily to a certain eatery I loved.


I was not far from the restaurant but the rain suddenly intensified as I saw a woman to my right making her way under the rain, quite drenched. I moved close to her and said: “Let’s use this umbrella together; at least you can make it over to that building there where you can have some shelter,”

She smiled. “Thanks Ntate; but I am already drenched by the rain. You need not bother with me – “ But I insisted; and together, under the so-called umbrella we made it to the other side. Now for the restaurant! The lady thanked me and added: “Happy new year anyway,”

At the modest restaurant my eyes were focused on the lady dishing out the food and I made a beeline towards her. But I was temporarily thwarted. A young man threw his arms around me and gushed: “Happy new year Mr Bolaji!” In truth I did not know, or rather did not recognize him but he was in jocose spirits as he added: “It’s a new year and something great has happened to me! I have got my driving license!” he announced.

He was so thrilled by this piece of news that I beamed with him and congratulated him. Food, food…Well, at long last the savoury food was in front of me and I ate the same in ravenous fashion. And it was still raining cats and dogs outside. We could hear the reverberations clearly from where we (the diners) were seated. And then occurred a rather heart-breaking sight.

A white man, drenched in rain carrying a baby (somewhat wrapped up) entered where we were. He was quite bedraggled and most of the people here, especially the women, stared at him; no doubt because of the baby. It became evident that the man was not here to buy food – he cut a disconsolate, impoverished figure. He brought out a small radio and went around telling people he wanted to sell the radio.

"Can you believe that?" a woman near me said. "That white man wants to sell this fine radio for a paltry R20...he must really be suffering. And with a baby too! And nobody seems to want to help him by buying the radio...shame"

"It would be nice if YOU can buy the radio from him," I pointed out, my food more or less finished now. "As you say it is such a bargain!"

The woman bridled. "Where would I get the money from; just after the festive season? But it is rather sad seeing such a poor white with a baby to boot...I wonder about the mother…"

My mind went briefly to a passage from Nelson Mandela's memoir, Long Walk to Freedom where he states that somehow, seeing poor whites seems to upset many black people. Strangely enough that appears to be the case till date!

And so when the white man came, baby in tow, with the radio asking whether I (and those beside me) would buy the radio, I found myself "buying" the radio from him, though I did not need any radio!

People around stared at me, and as is my wont I felt a bit embarrassed. I had finished eating anyway and what I wanted to do next I’d rather do outside, rain or no rain; as I had no wish to play to the gallery. The white man and the child were huddled together just outside and I noticed that the rain had temporarily ceased, though the terrain was soggy.

Quickly I gave the radio back to the astonished white man “I really don’t need it” I said to him rather curtly before he could protest. “Do not worry about the R20 I gave you, and here’s a ten rand note extra for the baby,” I brandished another (R10) note and gave it to him,” I did not want to stare at him, nor receive any thanks. I felt quite depressed really; it seemed to me that the whole thing, just like the weather, was a rather soggy affair!

I moved on swiftly.