Mustapha Kamara
“…The white man is very clever. He came quietly and peaceably ……. peacefully… We were amused at his foolishness… he has put a knife on the things that held us together and now we have fallen apart”
Like those white folks who Oberika in Chinua Achebe’s book “Things Fall Apart” mentioned in one of the most pathetic statements in the text, the same can be said of what the deadly Ebola virus has done to us fanatics of the beautiful game - football. It has come peaceably and killed a lot of innocent Sierra Leoneans. We, however, do not admire at the virus’s foolishness but we are rather worried in heart about the disaster the virus might cause before it would be finally eradicated from Sierra Leone.
The Ebola disease has put a knife on the thrilling sport that used to bring men, women, youth and old people together - football. Yes, that is what the dreadful hemorrhagic Ebola virus has done to die-hearted football fans, especially those gallant Manchester United fans, mouthy Arsenal fans, boastful Chelsea fans and fans of the glamorous Real Madrid and the Legendary Barcelona football Club.
It has taken away our joy, fun and enthusiasm of watching our lovely players and the beautiful game. The fun inside the Video Centre where we were used to and comfortable with watching matches in open colossal halls or closets with scores of people in attendance and the argumentativeness that accompanied that. The taunting, the jubilation. Those who know what I am saying can see and understand the angle I am coming from. They can feel what I am feeling as I write this article. The pain which I share with countless other football fans across the country today is a direct consequence of the government’s imposed state of emergency prohibiting all public gatherings in cinemas and other places.
I would not say l am happy that Ebola is in the country, but I am not happy about government’s strategies to stop the spread of the disease especially the ban on public football viewing. But I won’t go much into that for this piece.
“I am not happy because the joy, courage and enjoyment l used to have during the weekends watching Premiership games in cinemas, especially when team Arsenal are playing, has been taken away from me” Allusine Kamara, a die-hard football fan told me.
In my quiet moments, my mind usually runs back to the 2014 FIFA World Cup finals in Brazil. During that tournament, my friends and I decided to watch all matches at a cinema instead of the comfort of home as the games were also screening on SLBC.
Reason for clustering in cinemas during the heyday were to have fun, listen to different people's arguments and enjoy the sound effect from the loud sound system bellowing our eardrums. These are sounds that we enjoy so much despite the fact that it has a negative effect on our ears.
We hope and pray that the ban by government expires sooner or later so that we can have back our happy moments. Indeed, the ban has kept us away from colleagues and loved ones with whom we used to share fun moments. The absence of such has saddens us to the point that most people including intellectuals are degenerating into polemics.
Sitting at home, alone, on Saturdays and watching my team Manchester United being thrashed by a lowly side, Swansea FC in the first game in this year’s Premier League left me weak and frustrated. I wondered how it would have been like watching the game in a cinema with fans of other teams, especially Arsenal and Chelsea ones. Taunting galore! I can imagine the provocation and heated argument I would have been subjected to. But that is the beauty of it all.
Drawing back to the reference of those white folks that Oberika spoke about in “Things Fall Apart”, they didn’t only bring separation among the village people but were also the cause for the loss of so many innocent souls, and even the soul of a strong gallant man like Okonkwo himself.
The epidemic has not only taken our football joy away but has also taken away the lives of prominent and professional doctors like the late Doctor Sheik Umar Khan and Doctor Modupeh Cole, amongst many other health workers.
Even though they have departed this life for eternity, they are being considered as heroes of our great land. This great African nation, filled with diamond, gold, bauxite, iron ore and so many other rich minerals - Sierra Leone.
Thinking about the situation surrounding their death, it makes me reflect on the words of a great poet, A.E Houseman in his poem “To an athlete dying young”. Houseman writes: “it is better to die glorified than to die unrecognized". It was better they died in a situation in which their efforts in the fight against the disease was highly recognised by the country than to have died unrecognised.
Many other medical professionals, some even more professional than those doctors and nurses that lost their lives to Ebola have died before but how many of them were considered as national heroes like our new Hero of Sierra Leone, Late Dr. Shekh Umarr Khan? Don’t mind my interpretation; l was only trying to make clear the theme of the poem “To an athlete dying young”
However, I think the government, haven stopped us from watching football matches at the cinemas should endeavour to show the matches on the SLBC to at least appease or quench our football thirsts.
(C) Politico 28/08/14
