Super Eagles fiesta, home sickness and how not to roast fish

For every reporter, journalist or content creator, being at a tournament is the stuff of dreams. As far as you can think and you are creative, there are tons of things to do 

Being her brings her own challenges. No, I am not talking about the language challenge, the weather or staring female eyes - not that.

There isn't just enough time to execute all your plans. I wish I had more hours in the day than 24 hours. The thing is, a lot of news or content related stuff has timelines and viability. If you can't render a video or upload stuff on YouTube as when due, the work is almost useless.

The internet network here has done me more harm than good but we move on. Whoever is responsible for the internet at the media centre at the stadium won't make heaven.

The wifi at the hotel is manageable but can't execute uploads in time. Download? no wahala, upload? wahala dey.

Then again the data charges here are ridiculous. I bought a Cameroon MTN sim card for 1000 naira and load 5000 naira worth of airtime but I could only get 5.5 gig for that.

Back home in Naija that will probably be 12 or 15 gigabytes.

We move.

Back to football matters.

So a day prior to the Eagles game I had an opportunity to interview Ola Aina, Frank Onyeka, Ahmed Musa and Alex Iwobi for the NFF' TV.

At this stage I must say a huge thanks to NFF' Director Ademola Olajire for the chance to do this. Ayo Ibidapo, his assistant and Abiodun Ilorin of Abbey Live (he's the NFF' Media Consultant for NFF' TV) have so been incredible.

No experience is a waste.

My joy was complete when I met my friend Emmanuel Amunike. Even though we speak a lot, I haven't seen him since 2015 when I worked with him (albeit unofficially) at the U17 level.

He had the likes of Samu Chukwueze and Victor Osimhen in that set.

I interviewed him, Garba Lawal and the Super Eagles Phycologist Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme.

Gameday started with breakfast and then another round of Covid tests. Came out negative and I packed my gear and headed out to the stadium.

I make it a point of duty to be at every Super Eagles game two hours before kick-off but this time, I made it two and a half hours before the game.

                 

Security was tight and one had to go through three levels of screening plus more at the media centre.

The game was okay as we got the W and it was all fun. 

You can watch my behind the scenes videos here on my YouTube channel.

After we were done with the post-match presser, Ayo of the NFF', Abbey of AbbeyLive, Aron of Arise TV and Rotimi Akindele headed back to the hotel.

Got in there and realized we had missed dinner.

It was at that moment I felt a breeze of home sickness across my face. I miss my wife and kids. If I was home I probably will eat anything  want....

I have tried for maybe two decades to conquer home sickness any time I go to cover football games. The usual euphoria of getting to new place and covering football usually dies after three days. 

After that, it is usually a bout of homesickness here and there. I hope I can conquer it someday

Aha! that should take me to the next day.

 I almost cried but then I remembered I had ordered  roasted fish just by the gates of the hotel and I had a bottle of coke in the fridge.

Or so I thought.

After an hour I went back to pick the fish but what I saw broke my heart. The 1500CFA worth of fish looked like mashed potatoes.

It was not a good sight at all.

I asked for my change and told her to forget about the fish. Her assistant begged me not to be angry and to select another fish so they can roast it for me.

I agreed but on the condition, she will bring it to the hotel reception for me. The deal was signed.

One hour later my fish came through as I sat with some NFF' officials and my 'egbon' Ademola Olajire.

Fish was delivered with a bit of an apology. I teased the assistant and I found out her Dad is Cameroonian while her mother is from Gombe state. We immediately switched to Hausa language.

At that point, she asked me for my phone and proceeded to drop her number on my phone and dialed it.

She said good buy and left.

Well, not actually.

As I was going upstairs a text message came in. It was from her.

It was in pidgin Hausa and read something like seeing me every day in my shorts and she likes and wouldn't mind my company for the duration of our stay.

I haven't replied her - yet.

Got in and realized the fish was badly made again and I just dumped in the fridge, took my coke and chocolate and made with that as dinner.

A couple of journos said we should go to the club downstairs to celebrate Nigeria's win but I didn't want to.

After a bit of hesitation, I decided to venture out. Shey na only work I come do for Cameroon?

Club was cool despite the fact that Cameroonian songs dominated the DJ's playlist.

Wole and I took to the dance floor and did our Naija Shaku shaky and kukere while folks around us giggled. DJ did play about two Nigerian songs in-between which was cool.

Before we left, I met the club manager and asked him to play at least two Nigerian tracks for the Nigerians in the club. (we were at least 20 there).

He agreed and we caught more fun before deciding to head back to our rooms.

I left some Ogas there as they celebrated our win. I had videos to render and I had to set them up.

Again, Nigerians and yansh na 5-6. I saw things - many things - but heaven is the goal.

Two games, six points and more banter.

Soar Super Eagles