Tony Ubani’s  F – L – I – C – K – S : Searching for Eagles

It took six hours before the giant Arik Aircraft landed at the Johannesburg airport. Alighting, the cold weather welcomed you with warning. Women opened their bags to cover their children.

A taxi man who got a share of his own cake of their nation hosting the Nations cup had the upper bargain in ferrying me to Nelspruit to look and to cover my dear Eagles, the now rebranded big bird that has caused so many heart aches to followers of the round leather.

Four good hours of none stop driving in a smooth road that could be compared to the tarmac at the airport. Road signs showing Nelspruit and Mbombela pacified me that we were heading to the right direction. When I finally arrived, I asked why bring Eagles to this place.

The accreditation officials were not friendly and I avoided them to look for the camp of the Eagles. The remoteness of this area showed when I was told there were no taxis.

At the conference, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi walked in bringing his charisma to touch on all the journalists both foreign and local. From exchanging banters, he parted you, calling you by name and switching to speak his flawless French.

The Eagles followed suit after Ben Alaiya asked the journalists to leave one area for the ambassadors of Nigeria. First question, one journalist asked; What did you people do that CAF brought you to this place?

Silence. Keshi smiled. Why? Don’t like this place? It is a cool area. We couldn’t have gotten a better place. There is total concentration. We love it here”, Keshi said. Atleast I was vindicated.

Bundu Lodge!

Where can one get a descent accommodation in Mbombela in Nelspruit? We have a very nice place at Stay Easy Hotel”, I was told. A look at the architectural beauty of the hotel told me I do not belong to stay in that hotel. It was a masterpiece.

I thought that the charges would also be a masterpiece. I was right. $400 per night. That will ruin me and my coverage here. I remembered my Editor, Mideno Bayagbon and smiled. I went downtown and got myself in one Bundu Lodge.

I hate the word Lodge because of when I was growing up. Lodge was used for those who belonged to secret socities. Time was running out and I was disheveled without food, bath and roughened by my bitter kola experience at the airport and the torturing long hours of drive to Nelspruit. $100 for a night!

Ah! This place is too remote. Besides, is it a zoo? There were all manner of animals with signs warning you to beware of Tiger etc.

God forbid! How can I leave Nigeria to be eaten by wild beast in an expensive Lodge. Once my people hear that I stayed in a Lodge, they would not allow my spirit to rest in peace.

I recalled my growing up days.  I was running against time. This place is not like Johannesburg. Keshi and his players have gone to the comfort of their rooms. The weather was turning from bad to worse. God will make a way where there is none”, I remembered my favourite Bible quotation.

Not in South Africa, another doubting mind said. And truly, God made a way when I met with Wale Ajayi of AIT who took my luggage to his room and allowed me to rest my tired bones.

I was thinking of how the night would be when Onochie Anibeze phoned me to ask for stories. I told him that the network  was bad and that he was breaking. And off my phone went.

Timi’s Pork offer

Hunger and sleep do not go together. I stayed awake thinking of what my next step would be when Timi Ebikagboro came with big Pork meat offer. He had been tortured by hunger and could only see pork meat. He bought it in excess. Perhaps, it was cheap.

The sight of the meat that was cut in very big chunks drove away my appetite. Manage this till morning so that we can move round to find better place to eat and sleep”, Timi said acting a good Nigerian. Pork. No, thanks. My stomach churned, the cold bite harder with dangerous snoring hitting me from left right and centre.