Ghana!? Are you Cameroonian? No, I am a...

HOME. In 1961, in his treatise I Speak Freedom: A Statement of African Ideology, Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s founding father and the continent’s greatest proponent of Pan-Africanism wrote, 

‘So many blessings flow from our unity, so many disasters must follow our continued disunity, that our failures today will not be attributed by posterity only to faulty reasoning and lack of courage, but to our capitulation before the forces of neocolonialism and imperialism… with innate respect for human lives, the intense humanity that is our heritage, African unity will emerge not as a Great Power whose greatness is indestructible because it is build on fear, envy and suspicion, nor won at the expense of others, but founded on hope, trust, friendship and directed to the good of all mankind.’

For me as a non-national living in South Africa, the lowest point, (dare I say the darkest hour) were the xenophobic attacks of May 2008 directed primarily at non-South African Africans leaving many dead and injured and countless other displaced in makeshift refugee camps from Cape Town to Johannesburg. 

It is against this bleak backdrop that one reflects upon South Africa’s journey from post-apartheid liberation, national reconstruction and reconciliation, to hosting the 2010 World Cup. 

From 1976 to 2010, tomorrow, Soweto will again be the centre of the world!

Its amazing to drive around Johannesburg today and see the flags of the competing nations prominently displayed and sold by hawkers on virtually every street corner. Since I thirst for...

Since I thirst for African success in this World Cup, I decided to go for the Black Stars of Nkrumah’s Ghana (sadly without the great Michael Essien) and the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon as my two flags to fly from the back windows of my car. Yesterday, I was asked by passing motorist at a stop light ‘what is that flag?’ ‘Cameroon’, I said. He then asked me tongue in cheek – ‘are you Cameroonian?’ Not to be stumped by this clearly snide and sarcastic comment, my only reply was ‘I am a Pan-Africanist.’

While this World Cup will not reduce poverty, redistribute wealth or generally - beyond the temporary jobs and infrastructure boost it has provided - have any sustainable impact on the destitute lives of the masses of the people in South Africa and beyond in the continent , my small hope is that the positive energy and goodwill engendered from this footballing festival (bringing the nations of the world together for the first time in Africa) contributes towards restoring a spirit of humanism, Ubuntu, and unity which characterized the most aspirational aspects of Africa’s liberation struggles.

But can football really unite? From Glasgow to Istanbul to Buenos Aires, doesn’t our experience of football show us that it actually divides communities? The contradictions are rife for sure but the experience on the streets of Johannesburg are beginning to tell a different story. Yesterday close to 100,000 people – many of whom from the non-black community whose support soccer in the past as a community is at best questionable - showed incredible enthusiasm and support for Bafana Bafana’s open bus tour. Let’s hope this spirit is carried through into the tournament and beyond so that after the visitors have left and flags are removed we ensure that never again can xenophobia take hold and uproot the common humanity we all share.

Next stop, Soweto!!!