Fans debate effects of FIFA World Cup’s African spotlight

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      Growing up in Kenya, Burnaby resident James Kamau admits he used to “eat, sleep, and breathe soccer”.

      Now he’s a permanent resident who’s been in Canada for four years, and he plans to stay. However, Kamau told the Georgia Straight things could easily have turned out differently growing up in Nairobi. His community, Dagoretti Corner, is a 10-minute walk from Kibera, which Kamau said is “the biggest slum in sub-Saharan Africa”.

      Kamau, 29, is executive director of Youth Initiative Canada and runs the Dagoretti Corner Amani Group, which he said uses soccer as a social development tool.

      “Sport most definitely has a positive impact, and I am a living testimony,” Kamau said in a coffee shop in Metrotown. “Most of the friends that I grew up with, and most of the ones that actively participated in sports, are less likely to engage in risky behaviour.”

      Turning to the much-hyped 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, Kamau said it is having a “huge impact” on his home continent. First he lists economic benefits from increased visits to the African continent.

      “The other thing is perception,” Kamau said. “I go to different schools in Canada to do talks about global citizenship. One of the questions I ask of the students is, ”˜When you think of Africa, what comes into your mind?’ And 80 percent of the time, people have a negative perception of Africa. The first perception is poverty, unemployment, corruption, HIV/AIDS, and that has greatly affected the economy.”

      Africa has six teams in this year’s tournament, including the hosts themselves. Early on June 14 at Caffé Bella Napoli on Commercial Drive, rows of reserved seating had been cordoned off for fans of Italy, which was slated to take on Paraguay later that day. Cameroon, one of Africa’s more successful and consistent national teams these past 30 years, was on-screen and going down 1-0 to Japan after a hard-fought round-robin match. Cutting a solitary figure in front of the big screen, Burnaby resident Musa Saysay told the Straight he’s Liberian, but confessed an allegiance to Spain.

      “I have my own opinions on that,” Saysay said on the question of how Africa will benefit overall from the tournament. “The international soccer will benefit, but when you look at the social realities for the average South African, that’s not gonna change.”

      After the final whistle blew on Cameroon, Saysay added, “It’s going to take Africans themselves to change Africa.”

      Charles Quist-Adade, Kwantlen Polytechnic University sociology professor and president of the Ghana-Canadian Association of B.C., told the Straight the gains that will accrue to Africa are mostly “cosmetic and superficial”.

      “The new stadia that will be built and that have been built, the hotels and all of that, would more or less meet the needs of the middle and upper classes, but not the needs of the general population,” Quist-Adade said by phone. “So, in terms of the long-term development of the continent socioeconomically, I don’t see much. But for the short term, yes, the euphoria alone is a healing psychic component of that.”

      The 50-year-old professor said that Africa should have more countries represented. He said that forcing 53 countries to fight in qualifying rounds for five spots (hosts South Africa automatically qualify) is “not fair”.

      While Kenya has never made it to the World Cup stage, Kamau said he’s delighted with the progress of Ghana after it beat Serbia 1-0 last weekend, thanks to a second-half penalty kick from Asamoah Gyan.

      Ghana can get to the next round if it beats Australia this Saturday (June 19). The win will advance not only Ghana, but the whole of Africa.

      Comments

      2 Comments

      Scott Andrews

      Jul 16, 2010 at 9:17pm

      Great feature James! Perception is key; it's great to see the world watch African teams hang with the best on the soccer field. We aren't too far away from Africa competing on the world stage in many other fields.

      Josephine, Indiana U.S.A

      May 19, 2011 at 8:43pm

      This is awesome! Keep up the good work!