The Village Walk is a neighbourhood shopping mall in the centre of Sandton in Johannesburg. It is a stones throw from the very popular Nelson Mandela Square that has become the hub of social activity for most people that chose Johannesburg as their base for the duration of the World Cup. What most people do is stay in a particular town,  commute to the different venues on match days and return to their base after the match. Most of the Nigerians that are around for the World Cup have chosen to stay in the Johannesburg area and in the Sandton area in particular because of its social facilities and its relative proximity to the two stadia in Johannesburg.  There are several others using the picturesque environment of the most beautiful city in South Africa, Cape Town, as their base. That was where the footballer-governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Raji, chose to stay when he was in South Africa during the early part of the championship. Trust Nigerians they will do everything possible to make sure they feel at home wherever they are. Little wonder that inside The Village Walk shopping mall is an African restaurant called Homebaze that serves some Nigerian food. In time, this restaurant became the ‘joint’ of Nigerians who congregate there at different times of everyday to eat Nigerian food, drink and, generally, just hangout!

Occasionally, I join the ‘party’.

One afternoon, Jay Jay and I decide to go for lunch at Homebaze. We get there and meet a large number of Nigerian football officials and journalists. Some of us decide to join tables so that we can eat together and banter.  Over mounds of pounded yam with egusi or bitter leaf soup, catfish pepper soup, bottled palm wine, good South African Red wine and chilled Lager, we talk about our experiences of the World Cup and Nigeria’s place in it.  We also talk about how hosting the World Cup has impacted on South Africa and on the lives of South Africans.

It is a very refreshing conversation. Generally, no visitor can fail to appreciate that South Africa, infrastructurally, is as advanced as most developed countries of the First World. The World Cup appears to have provided them the additional fillip to take the country to an even higher level compared with other African countries. Challenged by the requirements of hosting the most glamourous and prestigious sports event in the world, South Africa has spent over $4 billion Dollars to improve their facilities and infrastructure, and organise a championship to meet the highest standards demanded by the organisers.  The two most challenging issues are security and transportation, and in these, so far, the country has recorded a resounding success. We all observe that apart from minor misdemeanours no major security incidents or breaches have been reported in almost 4 weeks of the championship throughout South Africa.  Night life generally in the South African cities we have visited have been very safe and very lively! On transportation several people at the table talk about their 6-hour and 4-hour road trips to Durban and Bloemfontein respectively with relish. They talk about great experiences driving on hundreds of kilometres of roads without a single bump or pothole. They also talk of beautiful restaurants, shops and rest rooms along the way to break the monotony of driving! In Johannesburg, a new monorail transport system, an engineering feat by all standards, built just in time to run before the championship, is actually now functional and running smoothly. Its impact on commuter life around Johannesburg is so profound that it must rank as one of greatest legacies of the 2010 World Cup.  The airports too have been improved in terms of their functionality and aesthetics.

This is my fourth personal World Cup experience. Even as I feel that it does not fully represent the African World Cup of my dreams, I can testify that the South African experience has been truly unique in the sense that it has been the most socially inclusive I have experienced. It is felt and reflected at every turn and everywhere in South Africa. Everywhere and in almost every conversation the topic and the issue is the World Cup. Every shop, every restaurant, every bus or train, everywhere, the colours of participating countries flood the eyes in all forms and shapes of clothes and souvenirs! The media coverage has been first class with the unique experiment and experience of using many ex-international football players from all over the World as pre- and post-match analysts. Even the football matches have come with their own drama, excitement, shocking results and surprises. The most open World Cup ever has thrown up two teams that have never won the World Cup before. As the world perches on the edge of history I cannot but long for the actualisation of my own dream, a truly African experience, that will involve 4 or 5 neighbouring countries and impact on the lives of hundreds of millions of Africans in ways now considered ‘impossible’.

Impossible? The conversation has been going on very smoothly until now. The food and drinks are also going down well. There is general laughter everywhere. Then I raise the issue of how Nigeria could have itself benefited from being the host of the 2010 event that South Africa is celebrating today, if only the country had not abandoned the idea in 2003 when it was mooted.  Sure, South Africa was better prepared in every way to be hosts, but the revolutionary idea of a 4 or 5 country joint-hosting in the sub-West African region could and should have created a championship unseen before in the world. There is silence developing now.  A ‘mad’ man is now ranting. I go on regardless. I am looking into the future with the benefit of what we are all experiencing in South Africa. Unlike every other international sporting event, hosting the World Cup offers a guarantee of tangible and intangible benefits to a host country with useful legacies for generations of its people to come.  All eyes are now riveted on me. I throw the final bombshell. Nigeria should start planning to host the next African World Cup in the year 2022 or even 2026!

I cannot still believe the reaction across the table. I am shocked to say the least. The ‘biggest’ man looks at me with incredulity written all over his face. He gets up from his seat. The others start to get up one by one.

‘I think its time to go’, the big man announces to his audience. Every one gets up except Jay Jay and I. There is no need to say anything more. The silence speaks for itself. I get the message, loud and clear!  I am looking like an alien from ouster space, like a fool!

I can’t believe it. Not one person amongst the 10 of us gathered at the Homebaze that afternoon believes that even in 12 or 16 years time Nigeria will be ready enough to host the World Cup. What a shame!