It’s never a good idea to speak too soon. I will anyway, for, it will be the eight wonder of the world if it turns out that I was wrong and I have to take my words back.
As I type, there’s barely 20 minutes left in the last world cup qualifying games for Africa’s Group II. Ghana is up 3-0 thanks to Sulley Muntari and Asamoah Gyan. South Africa and DRC are battling for the second and third spots respectively.
If you are a soccer fanatic and from Ghana, then, like me, today feels more like the eve of March 6, 1957 when we attained independence. (Granted, I have no idea how that felt. My parents were not even teenagers then).
When a jinx is broken; when finally you’re able to do that which you have never been successful at, there’s a feeling that takes over you. Today, I can only imagine the scenary in townships of Ghana. The colors, the honking, the drumming, the dancing, the drinking, and above all the post game and pre-world cup analysis.
When you put together a group of young guys, entrust them with a responsibility which all their predecessors have failed to handle, and they do it with committment, enthusiasm and discipline, it just makes you feel good, especially when it starts with a hiccup. The Black Stars lost their first game, and never tasted defeat afterwards. Germany 2006 will be richer and more enjoyable for the soccer world, for, somewhere in one of the many cities of Deutschland will be a group of supporters and team players from that country that has never made it to soccer’s center stage.
Folks, that sleeping giant, that giant who’s younger siblings used to cause havoc at world youth tournaments, that giant that slept through a 6-1 sweep by Klinnsman’s Germany in the early ’90’s just woke up. It will be a hell of a job to put it back to sleep.
From a distance, I had a brief chat with that Giant. It wouldn’t say much. In fact it wouldn’t utter more than one word. Curious as to why it finally woke up, I asked where it’s off to after such a long sleep. It’s emphatic response: “GERMANY!”