In Africa, "with its density, variety, vivacity, open wounds, illusions, beliefs and battles," once wrote Heidi Hamel of African football magazine, "football is the only opium with which one can keep the withdrawal symptoms at bay. This painful dependency reflects an unavoidable need. Africans love their football to the point of desperation. To the point of madness."
African regimes have understood and appropriated this madness so well, which is why football is a potent tool that these unpopular regimes use not only to get a veneer of legitimacy which they would otherwise not have, but also to stifle opposition. I guess it is a two-way street after all; the people get their “opium” and the politicians get another day to plunder….
While Cameroonians are keeping an eye on Accra come Sunday,let the other eye be fixed on 'Ngola' lest our man unceremoniously modifies the constitution before our Lions return with the cup.
Posted by: Nga Adolph | February 08, 2008 at 07:10 AM