NAETO C NI BIG DEAL
He's cool,he's smart - his designer suits will make any corporate exec green with envy. More importantly he owns the song of the moment - 'kini big deal ?';and the album of the day - 'u know my P'.He's Naeto C.
We always knew it would take a gigantic effort to knock 9ice's 'gongo aso' off that prestigeous top spot.Big guns like Eidris Abdulkareem,Tu Face and Styl Plus have relased new songs since march,but none has given Mr.Abulore any run for his money.Naeto C just did that,with...wait for this....a rap song and album!
Despite all its associated controversies,never has a rap album managed to hit mainstream rave status in Nigeria.The likes of Freestyle,Ruggedman,Wierd MC and Mode 9 have all made impact as rappers,but still a wee bit short of that magic leap to the next level.The closest was Jimmy Jatt's album.But in 'u know my P' you find most of the ingredients that made Tu Face's debut such a massive hit.
'Ashewo' and 'kini big deal' are as commercial as any song can be,while rap fundamentalists will find 'gidi' and at least three other tracks irresistible.'E mara mma' on the other hand is vintage highlife,beautifully rederred;but what its relevance is on this album I cannot see:It only distorts the flow.That little flaw is however easily forgotten when you listen to 'I've been',a world class blues song that instantly creates a romantic feeling to the senses.
Naeto C's debut brings to Nigerian rap what MC Hammer's 'u can't touch this' did to the American rap community - opening the door a lot wider for greater acceptance and of course the big bucks.The song 'is built on a very strong melodious hook which grips the listener throughout,while the artiste kills it with such a clinical rap performance that even Jay Z will applaud;and to think I bought the CD with just N200....
THE ROT IN NIGERIA'S SPORTS
If anyone ever doubted the rotten state of sports administration in Nigeria,our performance at
the just concluded Olympic Games in China should erase such doubts once and for all.Our scorecard of 3 bronze and one silver medal is what Africa's most populous country with abundant human and natural resources could offer.What a shame!
When our sports 'super administrator' (not the Minister please) was asked after the football
final why such a poor haul,he retorted,'why not wait for the games to end;or has the paralympics
been held?' ! Very interesting!But to be fair,the guy and his colleagues have done their best,only that things have long moved beyond their generation and ideas.
Let's put the records straight:Nigeria attained the dominant place in Africa and also became a major force at world level in at least three sports since as far back as the 1980s.These sports were athetics,table tennis, and boxing.By the 1990s soccer ,weightlifting ,karate and basketball had been added to the list.We were also making steady progress in lawn tennis, volleyball,handball,swimming and badminton.Today all the afore-mentioned sports with the exception of soccer have become near extinct.Even soccer is surving only because of the motivation private 'agents' have to sell local talents to European,Asian and Middle Eastern clubsides (remember a top national goalkeeper died in Iraq or Iran some years ago while searching for a club).
There are no infrastructure,and definitely no conscious structure on ground to develop sports in the country.Rather than progressing we have been steadily retrogressing.At this point the
government has a duty to embark on a clean sweep of its Sports organ.The sports ministry needs young,learned and forthright administrators;preferrably former international sportsmen and women with hunger to achieve.A Samson Siasia kind of spirit.
Then a two-pronged plan should be articulated as follows:
Short Term - Operation Next Olympics (2008-2012,ie 4 years):
This should be restricted to those sports where some sort of structure for identifying national materials still exist,i.e soccer,athletics,basketball, and table tennis.A team of ex-international athtetes in each sport,including those with coaching credentials,should be constituted to serve as the planning and supervisory organ for the sport.Their mandate should be to scout for youths(age 16 - 24) with strong potential for world class performance in the next two years (2010).A 5-star camping village to accomodate and groom at least 100 of these athletes should be set up immediately.Apart from free feeding and training materials, a daily allowance should be paid to the selected athletes,while those in school should in addition be given full scholarship,with a clear academic/training time table worked out for them.Arrangement should be made to ensure that those playing for clubsides within or outside the country are properly intergrated with the rest of the group.
The camping should commence latest by January 2009 ,while the government should create a special fund for this purpose.It's a national duty.
Long Term (beyond 2012)
i.Build and maintain at least one multi-purpose stadium in each state capital,with facilities for our regular popular sports,i.e soccer,athletics,table tennis,basketball,swimming,boxing,weightlifting,handball,martial arts,volleyball and badminton.These should be made freely available to schools and grassroots sports bodies for competions.
ii.Establish and passionately encourage inter-school competitions (primary and secondary),and grant scholarships to the winning students.In my estimation this is the most vital of all.Kids of age 10 - 16 must have all the facilities and competitions they need to actualise and develop their talents if they are to make any meaningful progress as sportsmen and women.
iii.Retain the special camp for extraordinarily gifted athletes.The government must take over their living,schooling and training expenses up till when they attain the age of ,say 22,by which time they must have started their professional carreers.
iv.Government must encourage the private sector to invest in sports,by granting all the necessary incentives.
v.Zero tolerance for age cheating/use of overraged athletes in age-grade competitions locally and internationally.Age cheating creates serious distortions in sports planning and administration,and makes a huge mess of whatever developmental efforts on ground.
Funnily,none of what I've written above is new.The problem is always the WILL to act.Will President Yar'Adua be different?Nigerians are watching.
BIG BROTHER AFRICA 3
Why did I have to go through these hasles just to get a channel that I legimately paid for activated on my TV ? Channel 198 has always been active on my DSTV;in fact much of the Beijing Olympics was shown on that channel.Olympics ends,and a text message hits my phone.I'm required to text 'yes' if I want to watch BBA 3.What do they expect me to do - say No? When my subscription supposedly covers the entire bouquet - the good,the bad and even the ugly?
OK,I text 'yes' as requested,only to be inundated with the same text message again.I drive to Multichoice the next day for clarifications.I'm subjected to a baseless interview, and still given a form to fill.All correct ?Sorry I was wrong.I return home on time to catch the much dreaded ( which I've since discoverred means 'much loved' ) shower hour -which by the way is now strangely but very conveniently timed.Channel 198 is blank !!!!!!!!!!!!!
My babe was outraged,given the kind of high expectations that we created in our preamble gossips.She actually went back to the company herself during her office hours,only to be sent back with instructions to put the channel on and call customer service on phone for activation.All these for Big Brother !
Good news however is that we're finally watching BBA 3.More good news (well,bad news really for the critics) is that,if the first 3 days are anything to go by,then this will be the wildest and most scandal-infested BBA yet.For starters the girls in this edition are simply out of this world - wild!Yet they look stunningly beautiful and innocent from the outside.And the boys are no less crazy either.
Now I'm waiting to read from the critics of the show.They will need to explain to me if they went through all the rigours I went through above,stay awake till late in the night,switch from good ol' NTA, Silverbird, and the popular Channels TV News at 10, just to 'observe' BBA 3 and criticise!
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Friday, July 18, 2008
STATIONERY STORES RETURNS !, JAY JAY AND THE THRILLING NO. 10s
RETURN OF STATIONERY STORES FC
If not for the fact that the news appeared in the Guardian newspaper I would have found it difficult to beleive.But for the first time in a real long while I felt the adrenaline surge through my veins like it used to many many years ago - the darling club of Lagos, Stationery Stores F.C.(a.k.a Super Stores,Stationary Stores,Adebajo Babes,Flaming Flamingoes,etc etc) would return to the Nigerian soccer scene TODAY ! Ol' boy wahala dey oh !!!!!!!!
I felt the tragedy of Stores' long sabatical when I observed most of the young chaps in my office just staring at me worriedly as I lept all over the place with pages of the newspaper in my hand and shouting 'up super,up super, up flaming !'.Abi oga don kolo !
For the benefit of the under-25s, let me explain it this way:The frenzy around the Nigerian league in the 1970s and 80s could be likened to that of the English Premiership today. Rangers International F.C. of Enugu was the forerunner of today's Chelsea.Their football was direct,business-like (trust the Ibos) and devoid of fantasies.With a 'chairman' like Christian Chukwu who could spray precise through balls 40 yards across the field, what did they need midfielders for?Dribblers like Stanley Okoronkwo,Ogidi Ibeabuchi and Okechuckwu Obiora ('agarimojo') were pure nuisance to the fold ! As you would expect,Rangers won so many trophies both locally and on the African scene.
IICC Shooting Stars of Ibadan on the other hand were like Man U. They had a little bit of everything; flair (Segun Odegbami,Kunle Awesu),Steel (Taiwo Ogunjobi,Ademola Adeshina) and precision (Muda Lawal with passes,Moses Otolorin with long throws).They won the first continental trophy for Nigeria.
Now you would ask, what of 'Arsenal' ? Which team provided Nigerian soccer fans with 100% guaranteed entertainment;no fakes,no pretensions ? For the answer you only need come to lagos - aka las gidi- and meet the great team with the cross-striped yelow/maroon shirt and white hankerchiefs flying everywhere :Super Stores, the legacy of the late Israel Adebajo,the pride of Lagos !
Now, unlike Rangers and Sooting (sorry,Shooting), Stores didn't win that many national trophies after dominating the late 60s,but their reputation for 'good football' just kept soaring.Only very few teams achieved their mastery of the smooth 'Brazilian' flair,and these were all temporary:Ismaila Mabo's Mighty Jets of Jos and Josiah Dobraye's Sharks of Port Harcourt in the 70s,the massive Felix Agbonifo - led Bendel Insurance of Benin, Isong Isang - marshalled Calabar Rovers team between 1983 - 87,and of course more recently the star-studded Leventis United where Wole Odegbami and James Etokebe knew no rules or restrictions when it came to dribbling.
Stores was not a rich club,but she produced many of the most gifted and reknowned flair players in Nigerian football.Haruna Ilerika of course remains the most popular,but Sani Mohammed,Yakubu Mabo,Olumide Banjo,Tarila Okoronwanta,Yisa Alabi,Arthur Moses and so many others were household names.In fact the reputation of Stores was such that even average talents became overnight superstars when they played for Stores:Remember Godwin Obiyan and the funny-looking lad called Idi-Isho ('yansh like nail') ?!
Unfortunately a long-arranged engagement will not permit me go to Onikan today,but I'm sure with a soccer-loving Governor like Babatunde Fashola (BRF) and unity among the Adebajo family,the long-elusive dream of reviving the Stores brand and by implication the glory days of football in Lagos will soon be realised.
JAY JAY AND THE THRILLING NO. 10s
Shame on the NFA.I say shame on you NFA.After serving this country meritoriously for so many years ,mid-field maestro Austin 'Jay Jay' Okocha announced his intention to retire from international football since about four years ago and eventually hanged his boots two years later.All the NFA did was to keep prodding the guy to continue playing as if his body is a machine,and till date they didn't deem it worthwhile to honour the man who raised the profile of Nigerian football through his individual displays in the top leaques across Europe - Germany,Turkey,France and England.It had to take the efforts of a Nollywood actress,Tricia Esiegbe to bring world class footballers to Nigeria to honour Jay Jay;and even at that, the NFA top brass did not deem it fit to attend.Shame on you NFA:Shame on you !!!
Well my own way of honouring Jay Jay is to recap on some of the other 'Jay Jay's we've had in Nigerian football.In my opinion and based on observation over the years,I think any team aspiring to be 'great' should have the following ;an instinctive and ruthless striker, a good goalkeeper,an intelligent central defender who can organise the rest of the team,and most importantly a skillful midfielder with immaculate dribbling skills,vision and passing ability - the ultimate crowd pleaser,the one worthy of the special jersey no. 10 - Pele's number.Unfortunately that last quality is what most 'good' teams lack,and which stands between them and greatness:Greatness meaning Brazil with Pele,Holland with Gullit,Man U with C.Ronaldo,and Arsenal with Fabregas.
Nigeria's football folklore is replete with stories of Peter 'Baby' Anieke,but I've never watched
him play.With Haruna Ilerika however I was luckier.Barely out of secondary school,he anchored The National Team,Green Eagles to victory in the All Africa Games in 1972. A very tiny frame,he had a magical left foot and popularised several tricks such as 'window' which was the act of putting the ball in between the marker's two legs and invariably leaving the marker sprawling shamefully on the turf, and 'heighting' ,where the ball is knocked over the marker's head and controlled !Josiah Dombraye who played for Port Harcourt's Sharks was very similar in style but sometimes played to the gallery.
Ilerika was a product of the highly coveted Principal's Cup in lagos which produced so many stars for Nigeria.One of the most astonishing dribblers out of that competition was Adokie Amesiamaka.He was well-read and intelligent,and that made him even more dangerous on the field.He would dribble his markers,calmly take his time to review the situation and then dribble them again and again until he was sure that his striker was properly positioned to score.Adokie didn't waste passes at all.
The most popular product of the Principal's Cup however was Henry Nwosu,one of the rare players who could dribble perfectly with both legs.His unique quality was the overhead kick ('zangalo'),and with Taiwo Afinih,Stephen Keshi et al he made St Finbarrs College the team of the early 80s.
John Mastoroudes built a very efficient team in Leventis United of Ibadan.But for the fans they will always remember the team's wingers who dribbled almost with reckless abandon .Wole Odegbami operated from the right,while James Etokebe had the left wing.Both also played for the Green Eagles.They were dribblers per excellence and always had the stadia packed full
of ecstatic supporters.
Despite the direct style of Rangers,they still produced some very exciting players. Stanley Okoronkwo was one.Johnny Egbuonu was another.Christian Madu was Rangers' most exciting player of all time.
Very few teams can boast of having no less than three dribbling masters at the same time.We know Brazil of 1970 and 1982.We also know of the great Bendel Insurance when Felix Agbonifo,Sam Okpodu,Henry Ogboe,Lawrence Akpokona,and the Egharevba brothers raved in the 80s.Calabar Rovers also matched that feat a few years later when Isong Isang,Uwem Ikono and James Etokebe propelled a scintillating display of champaigne soccer in 1983 - 86.Isong Isang was the terror-in chief,but Rovers' greatest ever player was an Oron Boys High School product named Etim Esin.Many that watched him in Nigeria and Europe saw in him the same qualities in Diego Maradona.Not surprisingly Etim was a multi millionaire long before his 20th birthday,but unfortunately the rest of his story,riddled with gunshots,rape framing,drug allegations,etc is history.
Etim however inspired a lot of Nigerian footballers,one of which was a junior brother to one of his international teammates Emma 'Jay Jay' Okocha.That kid was Austin Okocha,who not only adopted his senior brother's nickname,but also the skills and style of his idol,Etim.Little wonder then that football scouts in Europe quickly spotted him and ferried him to Europe even before Nigerians knew about him.
Local scouts however did not miss the preceous talent in Nwankwo Kanu.The gangling teenager,about 15 years old announced his arrival with a man-of-the match performance for Iwuanyanwu Nationale at the Onikan Stadium in Lagos.The rest of his story you all know more than I do.
Female football has also produced some exciting players since it officially became a national
vocation in the 90s.Florence Omagbemi is undoubtedly Nigeria's most accomplished,but when it comes to raw skill,giving the fans what they want to see ,the lady to watch was Nkiru Okosieme.She obviously took after her brother Ndubuisi who,together with Mike Obiku,Samson Siasia et al made Warri's Flash Flamengoes a delight to watch.
Many have however been asking for the knew Jay Jay.Well, there will not be another Jay Jay,just like Jay Jay himself did not replicate an Etim or Ilerika.But I see an Ikechukwu Uche already displaying the qualities of a great no. 10.I see Emmanuel Ekpo with plenty of skills to offer;and I still see in John Mikel Obi the potential to be a truly great no. 10.
If not for the fact that the news appeared in the Guardian newspaper I would have found it difficult to beleive.But for the first time in a real long while I felt the adrenaline surge through my veins like it used to many many years ago - the darling club of Lagos, Stationery Stores F.C.(a.k.a Super Stores,Stationary Stores,Adebajo Babes,Flaming Flamingoes,etc etc) would return to the Nigerian soccer scene TODAY ! Ol' boy wahala dey oh !!!!!!!!
I felt the tragedy of Stores' long sabatical when I observed most of the young chaps in my office just staring at me worriedly as I lept all over the place with pages of the newspaper in my hand and shouting 'up super,up super, up flaming !'.Abi oga don kolo !
For the benefit of the under-25s, let me explain it this way:The frenzy around the Nigerian league in the 1970s and 80s could be likened to that of the English Premiership today. Rangers International F.C. of Enugu was the forerunner of today's Chelsea.Their football was direct,business-like (trust the Ibos) and devoid of fantasies.With a 'chairman' like Christian Chukwu who could spray precise through balls 40 yards across the field, what did they need midfielders for?Dribblers like Stanley Okoronkwo,Ogidi Ibeabuchi and Okechuckwu Obiora ('agarimojo') were pure nuisance to the fold ! As you would expect,Rangers won so many trophies both locally and on the African scene.
IICC Shooting Stars of Ibadan on the other hand were like Man U. They had a little bit of everything; flair (Segun Odegbami,Kunle Awesu),Steel (Taiwo Ogunjobi,Ademola Adeshina) and precision (Muda Lawal with passes,Moses Otolorin with long throws).They won the first continental trophy for Nigeria.
Now you would ask, what of 'Arsenal' ? Which team provided Nigerian soccer fans with 100% guaranteed entertainment;no fakes,no pretensions ? For the answer you only need come to lagos - aka las gidi- and meet the great team with the cross-striped yelow/maroon shirt and white hankerchiefs flying everywhere :Super Stores, the legacy of the late Israel Adebajo,the pride of Lagos !
Now, unlike Rangers and Sooting (sorry,Shooting), Stores didn't win that many national trophies after dominating the late 60s,but their reputation for 'good football' just kept soaring.Only very few teams achieved their mastery of the smooth 'Brazilian' flair,and these were all temporary:Ismaila Mabo's Mighty Jets of Jos and Josiah Dobraye's Sharks of Port Harcourt in the 70s,the massive Felix Agbonifo - led Bendel Insurance of Benin, Isong Isang - marshalled Calabar Rovers team between 1983 - 87,and of course more recently the star-studded Leventis United where Wole Odegbami and James Etokebe knew no rules or restrictions when it came to dribbling.
Stores was not a rich club,but she produced many of the most gifted and reknowned flair players in Nigerian football.Haruna Ilerika of course remains the most popular,but Sani Mohammed,Yakubu Mabo,Olumide Banjo,Tarila Okoronwanta,Yisa Alabi,Arthur Moses and so many others were household names.In fact the reputation of Stores was such that even average talents became overnight superstars when they played for Stores:Remember Godwin Obiyan and the funny-looking lad called Idi-Isho ('yansh like nail') ?!
Unfortunately a long-arranged engagement will not permit me go to Onikan today,but I'm sure with a soccer-loving Governor like Babatunde Fashola (BRF) and unity among the Adebajo family,the long-elusive dream of reviving the Stores brand and by implication the glory days of football in Lagos will soon be realised.
JAY JAY AND THE THRILLING NO. 10s
Shame on the NFA.I say shame on you NFA.After serving this country meritoriously for so many years ,mid-field maestro Austin 'Jay Jay' Okocha announced his intention to retire from international football since about four years ago and eventually hanged his boots two years later.All the NFA did was to keep prodding the guy to continue playing as if his body is a machine,and till date they didn't deem it worthwhile to honour the man who raised the profile of Nigerian football through his individual displays in the top leaques across Europe - Germany,Turkey,France and England.It had to take the efforts of a Nollywood actress,Tricia Esiegbe to bring world class footballers to Nigeria to honour Jay Jay;and even at that, the NFA top brass did not deem it fit to attend.Shame on you NFA:Shame on you !!!
Well my own way of honouring Jay Jay is to recap on some of the other 'Jay Jay's we've had in Nigerian football.In my opinion and based on observation over the years,I think any team aspiring to be 'great' should have the following ;an instinctive and ruthless striker, a good goalkeeper,an intelligent central defender who can organise the rest of the team,and most importantly a skillful midfielder with immaculate dribbling skills,vision and passing ability - the ultimate crowd pleaser,the one worthy of the special jersey no. 10 - Pele's number.Unfortunately that last quality is what most 'good' teams lack,and which stands between them and greatness:Greatness meaning Brazil with Pele,Holland with Gullit,Man U with C.Ronaldo,and Arsenal with Fabregas.
Nigeria's football folklore is replete with stories of Peter 'Baby' Anieke,but I've never watched
him play.With Haruna Ilerika however I was luckier.Barely out of secondary school,he anchored The National Team,Green Eagles to victory in the All Africa Games in 1972. A very tiny frame,he had a magical left foot and popularised several tricks such as 'window' which was the act of putting the ball in between the marker's two legs and invariably leaving the marker sprawling shamefully on the turf, and 'heighting' ,where the ball is knocked over the marker's head and controlled !Josiah Dombraye who played for Port Harcourt's Sharks was very similar in style but sometimes played to the gallery.
Ilerika was a product of the highly coveted Principal's Cup in lagos which produced so many stars for Nigeria.One of the most astonishing dribblers out of that competition was Adokie Amesiamaka.He was well-read and intelligent,and that made him even more dangerous on the field.He would dribble his markers,calmly take his time to review the situation and then dribble them again and again until he was sure that his striker was properly positioned to score.Adokie didn't waste passes at all.
The most popular product of the Principal's Cup however was Henry Nwosu,one of the rare players who could dribble perfectly with both legs.His unique quality was the overhead kick ('zangalo'),and with Taiwo Afinih,Stephen Keshi et al he made St Finbarrs College the team of the early 80s.
John Mastoroudes built a very efficient team in Leventis United of Ibadan.But for the fans they will always remember the team's wingers who dribbled almost with reckless abandon .Wole Odegbami operated from the right,while James Etokebe had the left wing.Both also played for the Green Eagles.They were dribblers per excellence and always had the stadia packed full
of ecstatic supporters.
Despite the direct style of Rangers,they still produced some very exciting players. Stanley Okoronkwo was one.Johnny Egbuonu was another.Christian Madu was Rangers' most exciting player of all time.
Very few teams can boast of having no less than three dribbling masters at the same time.We know Brazil of 1970 and 1982.We also know of the great Bendel Insurance when Felix Agbonifo,Sam Okpodu,Henry Ogboe,Lawrence Akpokona,and the Egharevba brothers raved in the 80s.Calabar Rovers also matched that feat a few years later when Isong Isang,Uwem Ikono and James Etokebe propelled a scintillating display of champaigne soccer in 1983 - 86.Isong Isang was the terror-in chief,but Rovers' greatest ever player was an Oron Boys High School product named Etim Esin.Many that watched him in Nigeria and Europe saw in him the same qualities in Diego Maradona.Not surprisingly Etim was a multi millionaire long before his 20th birthday,but unfortunately the rest of his story,riddled with gunshots,rape framing,drug allegations,etc is history.
Etim however inspired a lot of Nigerian footballers,one of which was a junior brother to one of his international teammates Emma 'Jay Jay' Okocha.That kid was Austin Okocha,who not only adopted his senior brother's nickname,but also the skills and style of his idol,Etim.Little wonder then that football scouts in Europe quickly spotted him and ferried him to Europe even before Nigerians knew about him.
Local scouts however did not miss the preceous talent in Nwankwo Kanu.The gangling teenager,about 15 years old announced his arrival with a man-of-the match performance for Iwuanyanwu Nationale at the Onikan Stadium in Lagos.The rest of his story you all know more than I do.
Female football has also produced some exciting players since it officially became a national
vocation in the 90s.Florence Omagbemi is undoubtedly Nigeria's most accomplished,but when it comes to raw skill,giving the fans what they want to see ,the lady to watch was Nkiru Okosieme.She obviously took after her brother Ndubuisi who,together with Mike Obiku,Samson Siasia et al made Warri's Flash Flamengoes a delight to watch.
Many have however been asking for the knew Jay Jay.Well, there will not be another Jay Jay,just like Jay Jay himself did not replicate an Etim or Ilerika.But I see an Ikechukwu Uche already displaying the qualities of a great no. 10.I see Emmanuel Ekpo with plenty of skills to offer;and I still see in John Mikel Obi the potential to be a truly great no. 10.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
ARE STYL PLUS THAT BAD?,TU FACE DEBUTS ON HYPERTEK!,OTHER STORIES
ARE STYL PLUS THAT BAD ?
A few years ago frontline galala/ragga artiste and member of the defunct pop group Plantashun Boyz,Blackface, was so pissed off with a negative review of his debut album by a hip hop magazine that he couldn't resist baring his mind in his own unique way:He tore the magazine to shreds right before the cameras in his video.I couldn't blame him at all.
It's usually very easy and tempting to sit cossy and write damning reviews of creative/artistic works,but we must always be mindful of the economic effects of such comments on the artist vis a vis the effort,time and resources that he/she must have expended in creating the work.It is even more pertinent to always bare in mind that one's own view may not necessarily represent others',therefore being privileged to have access of a mass medium should always be utilised with caution.I find very little justification in the extremely negative reviews of Styl Plus' latest album,Back and Better,by some writers,which tends to portray the work as sub-standard.
Out of curiousity I went out to search for and buy the CD.I was stunned.What I heard was by far better than most of the other CDs released into the market recently.From their first work,Olufunmi,Styl Plus chose a different and more difficult path to tread.They tried to blend the r&b vocal style with vintage techno (something only the Plantashun Boyz had dared to try) and they did it perfectly.Olufunmi was a runaway smash,but like all other first time hits,was always going to pose a problem for the group:How will they produce a bigger hit without sounding like olufunmi?
And that probably explains why the follow-up album did not create as much buzz,eventhough Iya Basira would have been a big big hit for any other group.Back and Better is a fine album ,and for me Four Years has already caught on.I would be surprised if any Naija teeny boppy fan does not go crazy over I Don Tire.I even think a massive US/European tour is overdue for the group,given the high-tech dance flavour in their music.
Someone also suggested that the group should leave Abuja for Lagos.Why ?I think the lagos scene is already over-saturated with hip hop/pop acts,even when there is an enormous market begging to be tapped in Abuja,Kaduna,Port Harcourt,Jos,Onitsha,etc.I discoverred recently that Faze is larger than life in the east,while the sengemenge duo are so massive in Uyo.I think it's in the interest of the industry for the market to expand into the other parts of the country.
To my friends in the entertainment press,I'm not saying you shouldn't criticise;just balance what you write,and don't entirely write off any work - no matter what your personal opinion.I remember many years ago in the 80s,there was a massive blockbusting hit in the country, Atomic Bomb by William Onyeabor(not too sure of the name really).To me then,just a cheap repetition of 1 or 2 lines of verse and bass for over 5 odd minutes;but it sold massively and was the street anthem all the same.Ditto for Anita Ward's Ring My Bell;we never heard from her again,but only few songs sold more copies!
TU FACE DEBUTS ON HYPERTEK
The much awaited new CD from Nigeria's top pop star,Tu Face Idibia has landed ! Only that this is just a mini,not the full album.It's just 4 tracks and remixes/instrumentals.No Kennis Music,no OJB as producer,the work is releasd on Tu's own Hypertek Entertainment label.
And that's the big factor in Tu Baba's success:Always ahead of his peers.When his colleaques in the plantation were still brooding over contractual issues with their label,Tu had moved on with Kennis.While Faze is still dilli-dallying with Akon,Tu has launched his own label.It is noteworthy that the sleave of the CD confirms that the much speculated collabo with R Kelly will be included in the full album - and that is the big deal.Tu Face's advance singles never truly represent the strenth of his album,so there's still some expectations and anxiety to come.Brace up 9ice!
ADIEU OLIVER,PA STEVE RHODES,SAMMY
These are indeed testy times for the music industry,and we can only continue to pray to God.Steve Rhodes,a doyen of Nigerian artistes passed on after living a very fulfilling life.Sammy Needle was a very young man,but he made his mark on the Nigerian music scene,even without releasing so many albums.
Oliver De Coque was a trail-blazer.He emerged at a time when the igbo highlife scene was dominated by the likes of the Oriental Brothers and Chief Osita Osadebe.Oliver introduced a cross-over flavour, and quickly won converts from the other ethnic groups in the country when he sang Identity.It remains the most popular igbo highlife song after Nico Mbarga's Sweet Mother.
May their souls rest in peace.
A few years ago frontline galala/ragga artiste and member of the defunct pop group Plantashun Boyz,Blackface, was so pissed off with a negative review of his debut album by a hip hop magazine that he couldn't resist baring his mind in his own unique way:He tore the magazine to shreds right before the cameras in his video.I couldn't blame him at all.
It's usually very easy and tempting to sit cossy and write damning reviews of creative/artistic works,but we must always be mindful of the economic effects of such comments on the artist vis a vis the effort,time and resources that he/she must have expended in creating the work.It is even more pertinent to always bare in mind that one's own view may not necessarily represent others',therefore being privileged to have access of a mass medium should always be utilised with caution.I find very little justification in the extremely negative reviews of Styl Plus' latest album,Back and Better,by some writers,which tends to portray the work as sub-standard.
Out of curiousity I went out to search for and buy the CD.I was stunned.What I heard was by far better than most of the other CDs released into the market recently.From their first work,Olufunmi,Styl Plus chose a different and more difficult path to tread.They tried to blend the r&b vocal style with vintage techno (something only the Plantashun Boyz had dared to try) and they did it perfectly.Olufunmi was a runaway smash,but like all other first time hits,was always going to pose a problem for the group:How will they produce a bigger hit without sounding like olufunmi?
And that probably explains why the follow-up album did not create as much buzz,eventhough Iya Basira would have been a big big hit for any other group.Back and Better is a fine album ,and for me Four Years has already caught on.I would be surprised if any Naija teeny boppy fan does not go crazy over I Don Tire.I even think a massive US/European tour is overdue for the group,given the high-tech dance flavour in their music.
Someone also suggested that the group should leave Abuja for Lagos.Why ?I think the lagos scene is already over-saturated with hip hop/pop acts,even when there is an enormous market begging to be tapped in Abuja,Kaduna,Port Harcourt,Jos,Onitsha,etc.I discoverred recently that Faze is larger than life in the east,while the sengemenge duo are so massive in Uyo.I think it's in the interest of the industry for the market to expand into the other parts of the country.
To my friends in the entertainment press,I'm not saying you shouldn't criticise;just balance what you write,and don't entirely write off any work - no matter what your personal opinion.I remember many years ago in the 80s,there was a massive blockbusting hit in the country, Atomic Bomb by William Onyeabor(not too sure of the name really).To me then,just a cheap repetition of 1 or 2 lines of verse and bass for over 5 odd minutes;but it sold massively and was the street anthem all the same.Ditto for Anita Ward's Ring My Bell;we never heard from her again,but only few songs sold more copies!
TU FACE DEBUTS ON HYPERTEK
The much awaited new CD from Nigeria's top pop star,Tu Face Idibia has landed ! Only that this is just a mini,not the full album.It's just 4 tracks and remixes/instrumentals.No Kennis Music,no OJB as producer,the work is releasd on Tu's own Hypertek Entertainment label.
And that's the big factor in Tu Baba's success:Always ahead of his peers.When his colleaques in the plantation were still brooding over contractual issues with their label,Tu had moved on with Kennis.While Faze is still dilli-dallying with Akon,Tu has launched his own label.It is noteworthy that the sleave of the CD confirms that the much speculated collabo with R Kelly will be included in the full album - and that is the big deal.Tu Face's advance singles never truly represent the strenth of his album,so there's still some expectations and anxiety to come.Brace up 9ice!
ADIEU OLIVER,PA STEVE RHODES,SAMMY
These are indeed testy times for the music industry,and we can only continue to pray to God.Steve Rhodes,a doyen of Nigerian artistes passed on after living a very fulfilling life.Sammy Needle was a very young man,but he made his mark on the Nigerian music scene,even without releasing so many albums.
Oliver De Coque was a trail-blazer.He emerged at a time when the igbo highlife scene was dominated by the likes of the Oriental Brothers and Chief Osita Osadebe.Oliver introduced a cross-over flavour, and quickly won converts from the other ethnic groups in the country when he sang Identity.It remains the most popular igbo highlife song after Nico Mbarga's Sweet Mother.
May their souls rest in peace.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
SUPER EAGLES:HERE WE GO AGAIN !
I thought the events of the last couple of years would have changed us - Nigerian soccer critics that is ,but how wrong I was.The local media in the last one week has been so full of severe criticicsm for the National Team that you would think the whole bunch (coaches and players) know next to nothing about the game or have so much embarassed the country by their performance.
The trend started in a subtle form after the team's first game ,a friendly against Austria,became temporarily muted after an emphatic win against South Africa,only to rise to a crescendo after the games in Sierra Leone and Equitorial Guinea.What are the all-knowing critics saying?
First, that Nigeria is in the weakest group,and so should stroll through in majestic manner whether playing home or away.The defenders,and not the attackers are scoring all the goals.There is no wing-play,no cohession,no pattern,no 'sexy' football.And Nigeria was only lucky against Sierra Leone,they should have lost by a basket!And how on earth we could only score one goal against Equitorial Guinea,when we should have whipped them silly?If we are playing so badly against these 'underdogs',how are we going to win the Word Cup in 2010?And so on,and so on (it seems we have even forgotten that we could not even qualify for the World Cup the last time around!).
And I can't help asking myself if these guys are living in this same planet.With what we have all seen with our 'korokoro' eyes in the last few years,even right up to the current World/Nations Cup qualifiers,we still believe there are minnows or whipping boys in soccer,particularly in Africa?Do we forget so soon that it's barely 3 months' ago that this same team crashed to their lowest rating ever at the last Nations Cup - even with a 'world class coach' in tow?.The new coach who was appointed only about a month ago is expected to have transformed the team into world champions overnight.
Of course it's only in Nigeria that these warped expectations exist,and mostly when an indegenous coach is in charge.That was why the team was disbanded and Adegboye Onigbinde mandated to build a new National Team barely four months to the World Cup finals in 2002 - the consequenses of which we are yet to fully recover from till date.I do not recall anytime during Berti Vogt's run up to the last Nations Cup when the outpour was this bad.People only criticised the guy for choosing to do his job from outside the country.
Any team that wins a football game deserves some praise at the very least.A team that wins three World Cup qualifying matches in a row definitely deserves to be respected.And when a team wins two matches away from home at a stretch,there's no way it could be as bad and rotten as our super critics will want us to beleive.In any case I do think that we are grossly over-estimating our current football strengths.This is 2008, not 1994 when Nigeria had by far the largest contingent of TOP-CLASS African players in Europe.With all due respect I think what we have now is quantity with very little quality.
Having decided to dispense with the services of Berti Vogts,the NFA did absolutely the right thing in hiring coach Amodu Shaibu.The timing of the World/Nations cup qualifiers presented no opportunities for taking blind risks.So the NFA wisely opted for a coach who understands African soccer inside out (exam or no exam).The coach in turn did the smart thing by retaining the core team,try to help the players regain their self-confidence,and thereby build a platform for short term success (which is what the team needs at this time).
Of course I wont pretend not to know where all these venomous criticisms are heading:Sooner or later,the current Super Eagles will experience their first loss (which team ever won for ever?), then the knives will be sharpened.Their will be a massive outcry for a 'world class' foreign coach,and the whole circus will start all over.
My advice is for the NFA to learn from the past,and not rush into any irrational decisions.The current team (coaches and players) is good enough,and should be fully supported,even when they lose a game.I saw character in the team that rallied from the first half onslaught from the Sierra Leonians to seize the innitiative and go on to win (football is played over 90 minutes,not 45).Sexy football will come naturally over time - look how many years it took Van Basten to mould the Dutch team.
The trend started in a subtle form after the team's first game ,a friendly against Austria,became temporarily muted after an emphatic win against South Africa,only to rise to a crescendo after the games in Sierra Leone and Equitorial Guinea.What are the all-knowing critics saying?
First, that Nigeria is in the weakest group,and so should stroll through in majestic manner whether playing home or away.The defenders,and not the attackers are scoring all the goals.There is no wing-play,no cohession,no pattern,no 'sexy' football.And Nigeria was only lucky against Sierra Leone,they should have lost by a basket!And how on earth we could only score one goal against Equitorial Guinea,when we should have whipped them silly?If we are playing so badly against these 'underdogs',how are we going to win the Word Cup in 2010?And so on,and so on (it seems we have even forgotten that we could not even qualify for the World Cup the last time around!).
And I can't help asking myself if these guys are living in this same planet.With what we have all seen with our 'korokoro' eyes in the last few years,even right up to the current World/Nations Cup qualifiers,we still believe there are minnows or whipping boys in soccer,particularly in Africa?Do we forget so soon that it's barely 3 months' ago that this same team crashed to their lowest rating ever at the last Nations Cup - even with a 'world class coach' in tow?.The new coach who was appointed only about a month ago is expected to have transformed the team into world champions overnight.
Of course it's only in Nigeria that these warped expectations exist,and mostly when an indegenous coach is in charge.That was why the team was disbanded and Adegboye Onigbinde mandated to build a new National Team barely four months to the World Cup finals in 2002 - the consequenses of which we are yet to fully recover from till date.I do not recall anytime during Berti Vogt's run up to the last Nations Cup when the outpour was this bad.People only criticised the guy for choosing to do his job from outside the country.
Any team that wins a football game deserves some praise at the very least.A team that wins three World Cup qualifying matches in a row definitely deserves to be respected.And when a team wins two matches away from home at a stretch,there's no way it could be as bad and rotten as our super critics will want us to beleive.In any case I do think that we are grossly over-estimating our current football strengths.This is 2008, not 1994 when Nigeria had by far the largest contingent of TOP-CLASS African players in Europe.With all due respect I think what we have now is quantity with very little quality.
Having decided to dispense with the services of Berti Vogts,the NFA did absolutely the right thing in hiring coach Amodu Shaibu.The timing of the World/Nations cup qualifiers presented no opportunities for taking blind risks.So the NFA wisely opted for a coach who understands African soccer inside out (exam or no exam).The coach in turn did the smart thing by retaining the core team,try to help the players regain their self-confidence,and thereby build a platform for short term success (which is what the team needs at this time).
Of course I wont pretend not to know where all these venomous criticisms are heading:Sooner or later,the current Super Eagles will experience their first loss (which team ever won for ever?), then the knives will be sharpened.Their will be a massive outcry for a 'world class' foreign coach,and the whole circus will start all over.
My advice is for the NFA to learn from the past,and not rush into any irrational decisions.The current team (coaches and players) is good enough,and should be fully supported,even when they lose a game.I saw character in the team that rallied from the first half onslaught from the Sierra Leonians to seize the innitiative and go on to win (football is played over 90 minutes,not 45).Sexy football will come naturally over time - look how many years it took Van Basten to mould the Dutch team.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
DELE SOSIMI,COME BACK HOME !
Shortly after I blogged on the fading profile of afrobeat music in Nigeria earlier this year,I found myself discussing the same issue with some friends at high profile celebrity joint,The Coliseum in Ikeja.It was there that someone drew my attention to the dogged efforts that a mutual childhood collleaque, Dele Sosimi has been making over the years in popularising the genre far away in the United Kingdom.I found myself unconsciously gasping aloud,momentarily attracting everybody's attention to myself:How on earth could I have forgotten Dele?
My first thought was to go edit that post and add a line or two on Dele,but on further reflection I decided that the guy deserves much more than that.I'll explain why.
When Fela's son and now the torchbearer of afrobeat music,Femi Anikulapo -Kuti relocated from the great Baptist Academy to (the greater ?) Igbobi College in the late 1970s,he met a very vibrant social scene largely propelled by the lively and immensely popular college band (ask the old students of Methodist Girls High School for instance!).The band at that time was fronted by Dele Sosimi who already had a reputation of a genius on the keyboards, Femi Elias (who has probably taken after his father as a law guru) who displayed similar dexterity on the bass guitar,and a few others I cannot immediately remember.
Femi Kuti and Dele Sosimi took to each other like siamese twins instantly,and they complemented each other perfectly.Femi the tall,quiet,genteel,aje-butterish looking fellow,and Dele the very typical tough-looking,street smart type.Both shared a common deep-rooted passion for afrobeat,and Dele was soon jamming with Fela's Egypt 80 band-even as a teenager.Yes,both Dele Sosimi and femi Kuti were nurtured together directly by the legend himself,Fela Anikulapo-kuti!They went on to perform on several of Fela's albums and tours.
It was little surprise then that Dele Sosimi would play a major role in the evolution of Femi's own band,the Positive Force.His influence on Femi could easily be felt on the hyper-charged,energy sapping pace of the group's earlier albums.Perhaps it was this free spirit and youthful zest that attracted so much European interest in the group.While Femi preferred to shuttle between Europe,America and Nigeria,Dele Sosimi settled permanently in the UK and has been there for so so many years - which explains why those of us in Nigeria may easily forget him occassionally.
While in London sometime ago,I got gist of Dele's growing popularity,but I never got the opportunity of watching him.My friend at the Coliseum (himself also a london self-exiled) however intimated us that Dele Sosimi is in massive demand in queen's land.I had mixed feelings though.I'm happy that Dele is keeping the flag flying abroad,and in the process obviously doing well for himself,but on the other hand I feel bad that we have someone like that yet afrobeat is losing its soul locally.
Dele Sosimi should come back home and bring life back to afrobeat.His presence is exactly what Femi himself needs to jolt him back to action.Both are still under 50,and still have several active years ahead of them.I also wonder why kennis Music and others have not looked their way,because in afrobeat is hidden the real big money that can galvanise the entire music industry in Nigeria,in fact Africa.Replicating American hip hop and other foreign genres in whatever guise can only go as far as the tide,believe me!
My first thought was to go edit that post and add a line or two on Dele,but on further reflection I decided that the guy deserves much more than that.I'll explain why.
When Fela's son and now the torchbearer of afrobeat music,Femi Anikulapo -Kuti relocated from the great Baptist Academy to (the greater ?) Igbobi College in the late 1970s,he met a very vibrant social scene largely propelled by the lively and immensely popular college band (ask the old students of Methodist Girls High School for instance!).The band at that time was fronted by Dele Sosimi who already had a reputation of a genius on the keyboards, Femi Elias (who has probably taken after his father as a law guru) who displayed similar dexterity on the bass guitar,and a few others I cannot immediately remember.
Femi Kuti and Dele Sosimi took to each other like siamese twins instantly,and they complemented each other perfectly.Femi the tall,quiet,genteel,aje-butterish looking fellow,and Dele the very typical tough-looking,street smart type.Both shared a common deep-rooted passion for afrobeat,and Dele was soon jamming with Fela's Egypt 80 band-even as a teenager.Yes,both Dele Sosimi and femi Kuti were nurtured together directly by the legend himself,Fela Anikulapo-kuti!They went on to perform on several of Fela's albums and tours.
It was little surprise then that Dele Sosimi would play a major role in the evolution of Femi's own band,the Positive Force.His influence on Femi could easily be felt on the hyper-charged,energy sapping pace of the group's earlier albums.Perhaps it was this free spirit and youthful zest that attracted so much European interest in the group.While Femi preferred to shuttle between Europe,America and Nigeria,Dele Sosimi settled permanently in the UK and has been there for so so many years - which explains why those of us in Nigeria may easily forget him occassionally.
While in London sometime ago,I got gist of Dele's growing popularity,but I never got the opportunity of watching him.My friend at the Coliseum (himself also a london self-exiled) however intimated us that Dele Sosimi is in massive demand in queen's land.I had mixed feelings though.I'm happy that Dele is keeping the flag flying abroad,and in the process obviously doing well for himself,but on the other hand I feel bad that we have someone like that yet afrobeat is losing its soul locally.
Dele Sosimi should come back home and bring life back to afrobeat.His presence is exactly what Femi himself needs to jolt him back to action.Both are still under 50,and still have several active years ahead of them.I also wonder why kennis Music and others have not looked their way,because in afrobeat is hidden the real big money that can galvanise the entire music industry in Nigeria,in fact Africa.Replicating American hip hop and other foreign genres in whatever guise can only go as far as the tide,believe me!
Thursday, May 29, 2008
ADIEU SONNY OKOSUNS
With the possible exception of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti and King Sunny Ade,I doubt if there is any musician that has made more contributions to the spread of Nigerian music across the world than the late Sonny Okosuns.He was a creative artiste per excellence.Like Majek Fashek who came many years later,Okosuns started with a passion for reggae music,and made an immediate impact with a song called 'rain' in the 1970s.He however did not rest on the success of that effort,but tasked his creative endowments to the limit;the result being oziddizm - an infectious blend of African riffs on Jamaican roots reggae.
Interestingly,oziddizm was created at the same time that Fela was cooking afrobeat,which meant an inevitable (but healthy) rivalry of sorts .I recall in the latter years when we used to do Lekki Sunsplash (actually I used to assist Olumide Esho's boys led by the indefatigable Dapo Adelegan),Okosuns once challenged Fela to an open contest to determine who was more popular (don't ask me if abame eda accepted the challenge)!
It is a pity that many youths under 25 may not even faintly understand the extent of Okosuns accomplishments as a musician.But let it suffice to say that in his heydays,which ran between the early 70s and 80s,the guy was not only a massive seller in Nigeria,but in the entire African continent.He was singularly outstanding in writing potent songs against the apartheid scourge that ravaged virtually the entire southern part of the continent .If Billboard magazine had a presence in Nigeria,they would have had ample figures to prove that 'fire in soweto' was the biggest hit out of the Afican continent for many years.
On stage,Sunny Okosuns was blazing hot, while his concerts were usually of international quality.In fact his unigue charisma attracted some of the world's greatest reggae icons to Nigeria,with his home then in the ghetto area of Lagos a favorite abode:I'm talking here of the likes of Jimmy Cliff and Peter Tosh!
The volcanic emergence of Kris Okotie and later Majek Fashek somehow took the focus off oziddizm for a period of time,eventhough many aficionados would more readily point to the elimination of apartheid as the turning point in Sonny Okosuns' career.They may have a point.
Those distractions merely served to bring out the versatility in the artiste.In the 80s,he scored big with a yoruba dancefloor thriller "t'ire ni Oluwa',while during the tempestous Nigerian political impasse he lent his voice with 'which way Nigeria' and other strong political statements.
But by far Sonny Okosuns greatest accomplishment was his acceptance of Jesus Christ into his life.He discarded the 'gospel' of oziddizm for the true Gospel of Christ,and he did not have to wait until Heaven for his reward: His 'Songs Of Praise' became one of the highest selling Gospel records ever recorded in the history of that genre in Nigeria.He followed up by establishing a Church to propagate the Gospel.
Little wonder then that when,for many years, the gossip mill went agog with speculation on his frail-looking physique,the guy simply waived all the insinuations aside,continuing with his life ever- filled with life,zest and fulfilment.
The music industry will miss Sonny Okosuns big time.But we should take solace in the undeniable fact that he lived a fulfilled life and left his mark on the sands of time.As he journeys to the ultimate Papa's Land,I wish his gentle soul a peaceful rest in the bossom of The Lord.
Interestingly,oziddizm was created at the same time that Fela was cooking afrobeat,which meant an inevitable (but healthy) rivalry of sorts .I recall in the latter years when we used to do Lekki Sunsplash (actually I used to assist Olumide Esho's boys led by the indefatigable Dapo Adelegan),Okosuns once challenged Fela to an open contest to determine who was more popular (don't ask me if abame eda accepted the challenge)!
It is a pity that many youths under 25 may not even faintly understand the extent of Okosuns accomplishments as a musician.But let it suffice to say that in his heydays,which ran between the early 70s and 80s,the guy was not only a massive seller in Nigeria,but in the entire African continent.He was singularly outstanding in writing potent songs against the apartheid scourge that ravaged virtually the entire southern part of the continent .If Billboard magazine had a presence in Nigeria,they would have had ample figures to prove that 'fire in soweto' was the biggest hit out of the Afican continent for many years.
On stage,Sunny Okosuns was blazing hot, while his concerts were usually of international quality.In fact his unigue charisma attracted some of the world's greatest reggae icons to Nigeria,with his home then in the ghetto area of Lagos a favorite abode:I'm talking here of the likes of Jimmy Cliff and Peter Tosh!
The volcanic emergence of Kris Okotie and later Majek Fashek somehow took the focus off oziddizm for a period of time,eventhough many aficionados would more readily point to the elimination of apartheid as the turning point in Sonny Okosuns' career.They may have a point.
Those distractions merely served to bring out the versatility in the artiste.In the 80s,he scored big with a yoruba dancefloor thriller "t'ire ni Oluwa',while during the tempestous Nigerian political impasse he lent his voice with 'which way Nigeria' and other strong political statements.
But by far Sonny Okosuns greatest accomplishment was his acceptance of Jesus Christ into his life.He discarded the 'gospel' of oziddizm for the true Gospel of Christ,and he did not have to wait until Heaven for his reward: His 'Songs Of Praise' became one of the highest selling Gospel records ever recorded in the history of that genre in Nigeria.He followed up by establishing a Church to propagate the Gospel.
Little wonder then that when,for many years, the gossip mill went agog with speculation on his frail-looking physique,the guy simply waived all the insinuations aside,continuing with his life ever- filled with life,zest and fulfilment.
The music industry will miss Sonny Okosuns big time.But we should take solace in the undeniable fact that he lived a fulfilled life and left his mark on the sands of time.As he journeys to the ultimate Papa's Land,I wish his gentle soul a peaceful rest in the bossom of The Lord.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
A LESSON FOR ABRAMOVICH
Don't ask me why I'm blogging about England's Chelsea Football Club.You ought to know. Chelsea has perhaps the largest number of Aftrican first team players among the elite clubs in Europe,and this includes Nigeria's brightest star - John Mikel Obi,and as happened with Arsenal in the heydays of 'king' Kanu,Chelsea is embraced as an african team by most Africans.
You can then imagine how proud we Africans were in the last three years when Chelsea upturned the formbooks to wrest the dominance of English football from Manchester United and Arsenal.You can now further imagine how deeply dissappointed most of us were when in the first few weeks of the outgoing season,the club decided to sack Jose Mourinho,the 'special one',the manager who led the new revolution in English football.
Well, rich people think differently from ordinary folks,but Abramovich's decision to offload Mourinho beggars explanation.I mean here was a coach that came with a pedigree of success,and achieved instant success.What then was the reason?Failure to win the Champions Leaque?The fact that Liverpool,with only modest domestic success in recent years could be so successful in Europe should confirm that European success is not necessarily a yardstick to measure the strength of any team:Otherwise Man U would not have waited for 9 years to lift the trophy.In any case if Chelsea could get to the semi-finals twice , victory surely could not have been too far away.
Or was it the lure of the so-called attractive football?Did we forget so soon that the original masters, Brazil , have long ago jettisoned the samba game for a more direct,result oriented style?In any case a neutral review of English football in the last 3 seasons would reveal that some of the most exciting games involved Chelsea.Rewind to the gruelling duels with Man U in 2006,and the epic UEFA battle with Barcelona at Stamford Bridge, for instance.
Was it then the string of drawn matches at the beginning of the season?I'm sure Abramovich is not so ignorant about football.Look at where all the teams that were top 4 at that same period ended the season;for example Arsenal's run in the last three months of the season was by
comparison a disaster.In fact if all team proprietors acted like Abramovich,Sir Alex Ferguson would have been sacked at least 3 times in the last 9 years.I would not even want to talk about the effect that Drogba and Lampard's injuries had on the team.
Abramovich had the rare luck of employing a winner as Manager,then took the resultant success for granted.He failed to realise that what differentiates Sir Alex and Arsene Wenger from other good coaches is the winning mentality.Mourinho was not necessarily better at coaching than Ruud Gullit,but he brought a winning mentality to Chelsea.
And most unfortunately,that was the missing attribute in his successor,Avram Grant ( although I wouldn't want to join other Chelsea supporters in renaming him 'Average Grant' because I actually think he is a good coach ).Under Mourinho Chelsea soared when the big occassion beckoned; under Grant they crumbled like water mellon.Take a closer look at the final premiership game against Bolton, and the closing stages of the Champions Leaque in Moscow.
I started to have serious doubts about Avram Grant's mental strength and Chelsea's likely run in the season, in January when the English press started to brandish statistics showing how Grant had won so many matches since taking over from Mourinho.Grant appeared to revel in those glowing,but absolutely meaningless publicity.In the next two months Chelsea were bundled out of both the Leaque Cup and the FA Cup - the two easiest competitions of the season.
Yet the deceptive ovation continued;from how Grant had taken Chelsea to touching distance of the Premiership title,to how he 'surpassed' Mourinho in reaching the Champions Leaque final.Now Grant could not hold back:He demanded to be recognised as the real 'special one'.Yet both battles were still in progress.He had won nothing.
In the end he won nothing.More succintly, Chelsea Football Club,for the first time in 3 years ended a season without a single trophy.Her proprietor,Roman Abramovich would reflect on that calamity,and realise that it was all down to one irrational,perhaps reckless decision he took at the beginning of the season.
You can then imagine how proud we Africans were in the last three years when Chelsea upturned the formbooks to wrest the dominance of English football from Manchester United and Arsenal.You can now further imagine how deeply dissappointed most of us were when in the first few weeks of the outgoing season,the club decided to sack Jose Mourinho,the 'special one',the manager who led the new revolution in English football.
Well, rich people think differently from ordinary folks,but Abramovich's decision to offload Mourinho beggars explanation.I mean here was a coach that came with a pedigree of success,and achieved instant success.What then was the reason?Failure to win the Champions Leaque?The fact that Liverpool,with only modest domestic success in recent years could be so successful in Europe should confirm that European success is not necessarily a yardstick to measure the strength of any team:Otherwise Man U would not have waited for 9 years to lift the trophy.In any case if Chelsea could get to the semi-finals twice , victory surely could not have been too far away.
Or was it the lure of the so-called attractive football?Did we forget so soon that the original masters, Brazil , have long ago jettisoned the samba game for a more direct,result oriented style?In any case a neutral review of English football in the last 3 seasons would reveal that some of the most exciting games involved Chelsea.Rewind to the gruelling duels with Man U in 2006,and the epic UEFA battle with Barcelona at Stamford Bridge, for instance.
Was it then the string of drawn matches at the beginning of the season?I'm sure Abramovich is not so ignorant about football.Look at where all the teams that were top 4 at that same period ended the season;for example Arsenal's run in the last three months of the season was by
comparison a disaster.In fact if all team proprietors acted like Abramovich,Sir Alex Ferguson would have been sacked at least 3 times in the last 9 years.I would not even want to talk about the effect that Drogba and Lampard's injuries had on the team.
Abramovich had the rare luck of employing a winner as Manager,then took the resultant success for granted.He failed to realise that what differentiates Sir Alex and Arsene Wenger from other good coaches is the winning mentality.Mourinho was not necessarily better at coaching than Ruud Gullit,but he brought a winning mentality to Chelsea.
And most unfortunately,that was the missing attribute in his successor,Avram Grant ( although I wouldn't want to join other Chelsea supporters in renaming him 'Average Grant' because I actually think he is a good coach ).Under Mourinho Chelsea soared when the big occassion beckoned; under Grant they crumbled like water mellon.Take a closer look at the final premiership game against Bolton, and the closing stages of the Champions Leaque in Moscow.
I started to have serious doubts about Avram Grant's mental strength and Chelsea's likely run in the season, in January when the English press started to brandish statistics showing how Grant had won so many matches since taking over from Mourinho.Grant appeared to revel in those glowing,but absolutely meaningless publicity.In the next two months Chelsea were bundled out of both the Leaque Cup and the FA Cup - the two easiest competitions of the season.
Yet the deceptive ovation continued;from how Grant had taken Chelsea to touching distance of the Premiership title,to how he 'surpassed' Mourinho in reaching the Champions Leaque final.Now Grant could not hold back:He demanded to be recognised as the real 'special one'.Yet both battles were still in progress.He had won nothing.
In the end he won nothing.More succintly, Chelsea Football Club,for the first time in 3 years ended a season without a single trophy.Her proprietor,Roman Abramovich would reflect on that calamity,and realise that it was all down to one irrational,perhaps reckless decision he took at the beginning of the season.
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