By Tony Ubani
Is it possible that there is a country in the World without Ibos living in it? As we continue our Mongo Park journey in search of stories and Nigerian food, Ben Memuletiwon of SportsDay asked  “are your brothers not in this land?”.

He was up to his mischief and he moved away from me to avoid a kick on his tired legs. We laughed and re-united as we continued to comb the city for food outside the chicken and chips that have flattened our tummies. Ben dropped out as his troubled knee became too weak and Christian Okpara took his place. It was not long that we had the golden voice of Oliver de Coque blaring from a loudspeaker around the Mehenhe area. “Ana enwe obodo enweee!”.

We looked at ourselves and laughter came to our dampened faces.  Two young Nigerians noticed us and greeted in Ibo. They immediately became their brothers keeper and took us to the auto market. They were in their thousands speaking Portuguese as if the land belongs to them. Relief came as we made straight to Mama Ngozi’s restaurant.

Eba, fufu, garri, ofe nsala, bitterleaf, draw soup, orishirishi meat, round about, nkwobi, ugba, isi ewu etc. We attacked the first one and extra came. But when the bill came, we searched our pockets and it the contents were not enough to settle the bill. We had to dash to change money to their local currency(Meticals). Our discovery was relayed to athletes and officials who had been yearning for anything Nigerian. The food will fuel them for the onerous task of winning medals for Naija.

 Remembering Garden City Sports Festival

I cannot remember the last time I have trekked the way I am doing in Maputo in the name of covering the All Africa Games. One is not in any way disparaging the Games or the hosts. Not at all.

We all know that Mozambique were not originally billed to host. They came into the picture after Zambia pulled out, leaving them with just two years to prepare.

Those who have been punished to cover the Games are not only bearing the brunt but are asking questions.

Who allowed Mozambique to accept to host African Games that other countries prepare for six years? Did the African Union, AU, Sports Ministers Conference not supervise things before this shame? Did they hold Mozambique to the jugular before they accepted this?

As I write this, many journalists are yet to get accreditation. Many who filled their accreditation forms cannot see their names on their master list thereby forcing them to spend $66 on the spot at the airport.

There are no vehicles for some athletes not to talk about Journalists. Some countries are not even staying at their beautiful Games Village.

The Media Centre is full of benches and tables. There is not one computer either used by the volunteers. The women volunteers at the Media centre outnumber the men There is no centre where results are collated and given to the Press. I wonder how the medals table would be compiled.

Ah! I am sounding like a broken china plate. These things make me remember Nigeria’s Sports Festival tagged Garden City Games hosted by Rivers State. The Festival that set standards with facilities and made coverage easy for Journalists with buses and cars. As I remember Port Harcourt, I remember the hot-spot called Casablanca; where men and women retire every night to ‘worship’.

I remember Governor Rotimi Amaechi who shot himself into reckoning by hosting the best Sports Festival ever. I remember the ever-smiling Information Commissioner, Mrs Ibim Semenitari who worked as if there would be no tomorrow.

I remember the Media Committee of the Garden City Games, Mbonu, Ige, Iwarime and others who were at your beck and call. They really made Nigerians proud with their excellent hosting. That Rivers Festival would have made Africans proud if the hand of the clock is to be turned. I remember Duncan Mighty’s Port Harcourt first son album which became the anthem of the festival.

The cursory look on Port Harcourt has brought joy to my pains in Maputo. But one thing about life and events is that no matter how good or bad they are, they find themselves etched in history.  Garden City has a place in the annals of history and the All Africa Games in Mozambique, definitely, would be remembered, too.