The absolute top of the morning to you all!! I wasn’t going to write anything this week and then I logged on to read my daily new and then I read the first few lines of the main story which read “We Ghana win it”.

Man I don’t want to jump on the band wagon and pledge my unfailing and unquestionable allegiance to the land of my birth, because in all honesty if I had to decide between my Ghanaian citizenship or my South African one, I’d most probably bin my Ghanaian one. That being said, sheesh, words can not even describe the amount of pride I’m filled with as I lie here and type. Our ‘little’ country, with a football association that isn’t overflowing with resources, I don’t think the players are being paid bonuses or the like and yet the dedication and the will to succeed is there for all to see.

Those 23 players are not only representing Ghana (the name, which by the way means warrior King), but they are representing the whole continent. Country with a population of roughly 24million people of which around 30% live off $1.25 a day, is now on the map man. About 1billion Africans have put their hopes and wishes for success behind this our nation. I know I sound all emo and all but man the last few weeks in this country…on this continent have made me insanely chuffed to be a child of the soil. We have shown the whole world that we can, we are not the bunch of monkeys that they say we are or let us believe we are. Who would ever have thought that a simple activity of kicking a round ball between sticks would do so much to heal a nation, stop wars, reduce crime, give hope to many, even if its for 4 weeks. Julius has kept quiet, JZ isn’t marrying anyone, traffic isn’t an issue, who is Robert Mugabe, elections are going on without much fanfare. Yeah, I know little Busi and her 7 orphaned siblings, still don’t have much food to live on and this will still be the case after the world cup, but for 4 weeks, the continent kind of looks past its problems….

Who needs politicians I ask. All we need is a bunch of footballers and the world would be alright with us. If you, like me have ever doubted the credibility behind the assertion that soccer is the biggest and possibly the most influential game in the world, doubt no more because the last 2 or so weeks have cleared up whatever doubt that may exist in my mind. I have experienced a rugby world cup, which to its credit did wonders for South Africa, South Africans and our humanity in general, the cricket world cup was really a non event, but this my friends, this….wooow!! There is no where else id rather be!

After we (Bafana) lost, there was an email doing the rounds and shaiza I had to take a moment! Here is a transcript of that presentation, even if you have seen it before…

It does not matter that we did not qualify. What matters is our team inspired us all. What matters is they gave us hope. It does not matter that we were alone... because now we are together. What started as a game ... is becoming something more.
What matters is what we are creating ...
... the jobs ...
... the skills ...
... the infrastructure ...
... and our common future. It does not matter that we did not qualify. What matters is that we host the best World Cup ever. What matters is that we host the best World Cup ever. Let’s not stop now. We have opened our hearts to each other ...

... now let’s open them to the world.

* Starting now ...
* choose another country to support
* paint your face for that team
* fill the fan parks
* help a tourist
* say hello to new people
* fly the flags even higher
* and be proud of our country

K e n a k o ! This is our chance. Let’s keep it going.

I know many are all world cup fanfared out, but don’t be man, we have the rest of the year to be bleak, and angry and complain, but for the next week and a bit lets get lost in the silliness that is the first world cup on African soil. Lets not worry about the white elephants that may or may not remain. Lets be chuffed that we did it. Lets be chuffed that as Africans or just people in general there is nothing that is insurmountable if we put our minds to it and work together.

I am such a chuffed Ghanaian South African today…we are ok man, we are ok!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghana if u wanna read more about Ghana..

Birthdays
13th Fiifi
16th Abo, Simpiwe
17th Tasneem
18th Satish, Lebo Baloyi, sarah
20th Kgashane, Jake
21st Hamish
22nd Dakes, simone, Zulfiq Isaacs
23rd Pete
24th Gretchen Maree
25th Ofei
27th Gail, Minky, seanie
29th Simone
30th Dineo, Alun
1st Keith Magill
3rd Jen

Respect and have a wikkid weekend…
Y