Sunday night saw the world transfixed on the happenings around a soccer ball in tiny Gabon capital city Libreville, in West Africa. A special day, indeed, not least because it was the closing ceremony of Africa’s biggest football extravaganza, but for a number of other reasons.
First was Zambia’s Chipolopolo’s remarkable feat of reaching the finals, flooring top guns Senegal, Ghana and finally Ivory Coast to lift the coveted trophy. Their dream arrival had a continent’s sympathy as their team died in a 1993 plane crash off the West African coast.
However, on hand to savour this win was the sole survivor Kalusha Bwalya — now a standing committee member at FIFA and the Confederation of African Football. During his tenure, African football has grown in leaps and bounds and it was fitting that he was in Gabon during the crowning moment for his countrymen.
The floral tribute the Chipolopolo made to their fallen and worthy predecessors was a tearjerker and the closest anyone has come to national closure on the plane tragedy.
In the stands were 16 Heads of State, former Zambia President Kenneth Kaunda, as well as footballer legend PelÈ, the man who paid tribute to the world’s most popular sport in his autobiography.
The epic battle on the pitch saw a full two hours of solid football, complete with misses, heartbreak, and hard tackling, but produced no winner. The extra time and penalty shootout that left Zambia victorious was a sight to behold.
Pride of nations
Of note is that adversity and anxiety trigger retreat to prayer for succour. In Libreville, fervent prayer and chants from both sides kept a watching world on the edge of the seat, providing an emotional roller coaster that will take some time to wear off. Prayers were heard and answered, and for many other coaches, players and federation chiefs, it is back to the training ground.
Beyond the tears, excellence in sporting is the pride of nations, the window into farflung states and carrier of national ambassadors of culture. And when a sport engages a substantial world population for any length of time, like the just-concluded football has managed, then sport is good for the soul. Congratulations to all that took part.
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