By Jacob Ajom

When after a long wait, the South African High Commission in Lagos granted me visa to allow me cover the African Nations Championship, my boss, Tony Ubani told me I was in for a good trip. His description of a good trip was hinged on the beautiful sights and sounds Cape Town would offer. “It is one of the most beautiful cities in the world,” my well travelled boss had assured me.

When the huge South African Airways Airbus touched down at the Oliver Thambo International Airport, Johannesburg Sunday morning, it was still dark. I could not see much of the city, but the airport was huge too.

Everything there works well, the floor gleams with a glossy freshness despite the ceaseless movement of human traffic. Immigration process was swift, even the luggage came out fast.

Away from Jo’burg we landed at the Cape Town International Airport about two hours later. From the airport to the city centre a first time visitor would not believe he is in Africa. The roads are wonderfully built with broad side walks, functional traffic lights and very civilised drivers. It is indeed a dream town for tourists.

Being driven along the Nelson Mandela Boulevard I felt a pinch of jealousy because back home, we cannot boast of any city near Cape Town. Even our most cherished Abuja has been corrupted with shanties, noise, wayward driving, street trading, dirty environment, etc.

The fear of Super Eagles….

The fear of the Super Eagles, is no doubt, the beginning of wisdom among football fans in South Africa.

The South Africans love their country’s national team, fondly called the Bafana Bafana. But when it comes to Bafana Bafana facing Nigeria, the news sends jitters down the spines of their fans.

James Mangwiro, a taxi driver who drove me from the Cape Town International Airport to my hotel, was full of praise for the Nigerian team, despite the Eagles’ not too impressive outing in the CHAN tournament so far. He was sure the Bafana Bafana would not escape defeat in the hands of the Eagles. Even when in a veiled attempt to sound neutral, I told him the CHAN Eagles were a bad representation of Nigerian football and so were going to fall to their hosts who were by far the stronger team. The driver said no.

”I saw the Nigerian players,” the driver said, adding, “they are young and work very hard. Remember, Bafana Bafana have beaten your team only once and I don’t see them achieving that today(Sunday).”

In the same vein, another driver who took me to the Super Eagles hotel said Bafana Bafana were no match for the Super Eagles. The driver who simply identified himself as Abe said he could not understand where Nigeria’s confidence was coming from. “We have beaten the World Champions (Spain), but Nigeria does not respect us as each time we meet, they beat us.”

I sympathised with Abe, but told him that what Nigeria enjoys over them was beyond Spain. “We enjoy a psychological edge over South Africa, and that is what they can’t take away from Nigeria.”