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Soul Rebel Movement
Published in: Algemeen

FIFA 2010 WORLD CUP SOUTH AFRICA: Where Is The African Pride!?

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From June 11th to July 11th 2010, more than billion people all over the world are going to tune in to watch the FIFA World Cup Football in South Africa. The opening and the closing ceremony is a great moment for the host to demonstrate to the worldwide viewers an awe-inspiring presentation of the country in which the event will be held. Normally you can expect to see national pride through out the celebration, just as we recently witnessed at the Beijing Olympics opening and end ceremony. One will expect a spectacle by Africans, with Africans for Africans and the world to witness. Well negative, who did FIFA and Sony choose to represent us? A belly dancer! The organization and their commercialized partner Sony have chosen a belly dancer from Colombia to represent South Africa at the ceremony.
No disrespect to Shakira, but this is the rare opportunity a country on the African continent gets to show the world our tradition and culture. Music comes from Africa and we have the finest, natural God gifted voices of the world. Why are we passing them to go for an international artist who is not from Africa? As an African I’m upset by this decision. How is this possible? What is wrong with an African artist singing for the continent? Why can’t Africans do it ourselves? Imagine China letting any other than Chinese artists singing at the Olympics. It will be cold war. This is what I mean with national pride. In our finest hours we have a belly dancer, an exaggerate singer from Colombia on stage. And it is wrong.

I want to make an appeal to the organizers of this great event to put Africa’s interest at first, before commercial interest. If it turns out my call is too late for this round, hopefully next time my call will be taken into consideration. But remember, there is urgency in my call. Regrettably, due to the colonization of Africa there is a great low self-esteem among the population. One way to encourage self pride is to accomplish great things ourselves, on our own terms and strength. When an individual has self pride he will have national pride. And when the person has national pride he will automatically love his country. National pride can help solve the much infighting and civil wars on the continent. National pride means we are all one. We should no longer doubt our ability, we should no longer question our credentials. We are extraordinary people and our spirit is unparalleled.

To my fellow African people, the time has come for us to be proud of ourselves and our heritage, just as once upon a time our ancestors were. Africa has so many beautiful things and has contributed to the world more than any other continent. I say to you as an African; you can be very proud of your history and your contribution to the world. We don’t do much or get much done for ourselves but we have helped the world go around and it is time we take credit for it. Yearly millions of tourism from all over the world comes to witness our beautiful continent. Although we are plagued by many struggles, we have many things to be proud of. At all times we should encourage our people, and the youth in general, to take pride in our culture. I was so happy and proud when the FIFA chose South Africa to hold the biggest sport event in the world. Football is by far the most popular sport in the world and it is nowhere in the world as popular as in Africa. In Africa football brings people together. People will die literally if you take football out of their life. So it was long overdue for an African country to hold this worldly event. This is our moment, let Africa rise to the occasion to our full ability and beyond.

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