I would like to think that my groupie tendencies are in control. It tends to behave these days. The first time it sprang out of nowhere was in 2011. I had just seen renowned photographer Peter Magubane in Melville.
I told my friends and they helped me master enough courage to speak with him. The old man was gracious and friendly. I helped put his groceries in his car and fortunate enough to score a picture with him. He joked that the smartphone I used to take that picture was putting him out of work because now everyone suddenly thinks they are masters of photography.
That groupie side jumped out again last week when I arrived in Libreville for the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon).
Our flight had to delay landing because a VIP was arriving the same time as us. We weren’t the only ones in that situation, though. Two more flights were delayed which caused chaos after we all landed.
But that chaos helped me bump into the great Roger Milla. I quickly mastered enough courage to take a picture with him. I didn’t even bother to look at Gervinho, a reigning African champion with Ivory Coast, as he was mobbed by adoring fans.
My attention was on Milla, who must have taken a hundred pictures that day. But he still had a smile and allowed me to take picture No101 with him. Even though I didn’t watch him play, because my age didn’t allow me, Cameroon are my second favourite national team after Bafana Bafana.
I fell in love with them because of their enterprising football and fashion sense. The vests they wore in the 2002 Afcon were a thing of beauty and their kit for the 2014 Fifa World Cup was a work of art.
I remember not just their vests but the 2002 Afcon because that’s the first continental showpiece I watched from start to finish. I watched the 1998 edition here and there because then I was a nine-year-old kid who was more pre-occupied by important things, like playing with my mates.
Now that “kid” has paid me visits here and there in Gabon. The responsible journalist who is here to work tries to take control. Sport has that effect, bringing out the kid in us. I wouldn’t be doing this if I wasn’t a football fan first.
Essam El-Hadary rolled back the years when he kitted up for Egypt to replace the injured Ahmed El-Shenawy against Uganda in Port-Gentil.
El-Hadary made history as the oldest person to play in the Afcon at 44, two days after his birthday. Those 44 years were only in his identity book as he sprang into action with the kid in him popping up.
It was great to be a part of history as I sat in the media stand in Port-Gentil. This experience has been invaluable as I continue to see our beautiful continent and all its colourful stories.
I doubt that Algeria will have many good things to say about this tournament. They look to be on their way out without much of an impact despite being tipped as one of the tournament favourites.
Senegal were among the favourites in Equatorial Guinea two years ago and they crashed out in the first round.
You see, just because you have star players doing well in Europe doesn’t mean that will translate to success on the continent.
Gervinho and his Ivory Coast team know that well because they had to wait long enough to be African champions.
Winning the Afcon is more about mental strength. Talent is secondary. Ghana have mental strength in abundance, which is why I believe they will meet Senegal in the final.
Andre Ayew laughed when he was asked how he adjusts from playing in pristine conditions in England and then having to play on a pitch that’s more sand than grass in Port-Gentil. The son of the great Abedi Pele said he is an African, after all. He added that he grew up playing in conditions worse than the pitch at Stade de Port-Gentil, so why should he look at it anyway.
I was expecting him to be a diva after he snubbed most of the media in the mixed zone, but he walked back when Ghanaian journalists called him.
Algeria were great in the World Cup and they could have even beaten eventual champions Germany. But the Afcon is completely different because a lot of factors come into play. So far, this generation of the Desert Foxes have not made much of an impact on the continent.