The other reason I have decided to break my silence is about football. In those days while growing up in Nigeria, we were being bombarded with everything American on our national and state television stations. Some called it cultural imperialism! More than 80 per cent of the entertainments on television were produced in America. But that is not what this piece is all about.
One of the most sports programmes featured wrestling: American wrestling. I recall watching one of the combatants in those series being interviewed before a wrestling contest. He told his audience that the ultimate price was to win the contest. "If you can't win honourably" he screamed, "Cheat!".
Well, this seemed the philosophy adopted by the French national captain Theiry Henry during their last encounter with Ireland last Wednesday in Paris. He may have succeeded as there are no sighs that FIFA will order a replay. But, he will have to live with the stain for the rest of his life. Just as Maradona will be remembered by the 'hand of god', Zidane by the 'head of Kwango', Henry will have to settle with the 'cheat' toga for the rest of his football career.
I can't wait to hear the boos that will reverberate in South Africa next summer whenever Henry's feet touch the ball during the World Cup.
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