THE COLONISED MINDSET OF AFRICA FROM A FOOTBALL PERSPECTIVE

So yesterday I went to my usual place where I watch the Champions League and other important league games.

My motive was to go and watch the Ghana-Nigeria match and not the Chelsea versus Real Betis. The good news was this place had two screens so one was showing the Chelsea match and the other was showing the Ghana-Nigeria match.

The TV that was showing the Chelsea match was having glitches but the one showing the Ghana one was working well. Before we realised it, someone had swapped the matches and all of a sudden, Ghana’s one was showing on the TV that had glitches.

This led to an altercation among those watching the Ghana match and the Chelsea fans. However, I realise that about 90% of the people were interested in the Chelsea match and not the Ghana-Nigeria match. So those who were interested in the Ghana match lost the battle and many of them left the place including myself.

I then moved the car to another place and they were showing the Chelsea match. I then had to move again to another place where I had to even experience some traffic before I got there.

When I got there, they were showing the Ghana-Nigeria match so I just had a sigh of relief because at long last, there was a group of people that is still fascinated about the things of Africa and not the West.

Before I could sit down, the channel was changed to the Chelsea match. At this time, I was frustrated because not knowing the Chelsea match was half halftime so they switched to watch the Ghana-Nigeria match for the 15-minute break.

I had to leave and come home but when I was coming, a lot of things were going through my mind. I was like when we were growing up, who would watch a Chelsea match when Ghana and Nigeria were playing even if it was a friendly match?

How did we get to this stage where everything about Africa is no more of interest to us but everything about Europe is admired? The first place I visited where they swapped the TVs, the passion of those who were watching the Chelsea match and how they were ready to fight anyone who would try and change the channel overwhelmed me.

We have come to the stage where we have left everything in Africa and embraced everything in Europe. This MINDSET if continues will destroy everything we have and everything we want to build.

We don’t even watch our football with some excuse that it doesn’t look exciting. Go and watch the premiership in the late 80s and 90s and you will realise that even their pitches were muddy. If their people did not go and watch matches, would they have got to this stage where now we think they are better so we have left ours to invest in them?

According to Africa Facts Zone, it is estimated that DSTV paid $438 million for Premier League rights in 50 African countries from 2016 to 2019. They have extended the deal until 2025. They paid €100 million for UEFA Champions League rights.

Which people are paying the cost DSTV incurred in getting these rights? It is the DSTV that is found in the homes of Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa etc.

So now you can imagine the amount of investment we’ve put into the league of others who don’t even know we exist.

WHEN ARE WE GETTING THE PRIDE OF AFRICA BACK?

Sometimes when I’m listening to TV or Radio and sports hosts or presenters with their panel spending a lot of time discussing the European league with less attention to the local league, I weep, because this is a COLONISED MINDSST that needs to change.

We must invest in our league to which I agree. However, if patronage and passion are dead, then investment wouldn’t matter. How do we bring the love and pride of Africa back? Our youth are lost to Europe. We are living on a continent where every young person thinks they can only make it in Europe.

That mindset has translated into loving other leagues and not our own, our fashion is accepted when clothes or shoes are coming from Europe, and everything built in Africa is deemed inferior to their European counterparts.

As a business trainer and consultant leading a firm called Train2inspire Consultancy, I have seen big projects given to Europeans because we believe Caucasians are better than our own. The person who doesn’t understand your culture is given a project to do ahead of those who understand the dynamics of how things work in Africa.

Until we start believing in ourselves and develop the mindset that we will build our own, we will never see the Africa we want. Mindset change is not an alternative but a must on this continent. If we continue this trajectory of everything foreign being better than our own, then we will continue to sink instead of experiencing the mantra, AFRICA RISING.

This is a fight not for one person but for everyone on the continent. Our media stations, Churches, Governments and institutions that influence our thinking must start a campaign that causes us to believe and invest in ourselves. This is the only way we can grow as people.

AFRICA NEEDS A MINDSET REVOLUTION.

This Revolution must start from reading my book titled;

Mindset Revolution – Re-engineering Your Mind from Prison to Purpose

My name is Oscar Bimpong and I’m the Mindset Revoltionist of our time. We help organisations transition from a fixed to a growth mindset by breaking limiting beliefs that hinder productivity at the workplace.

It’s possible if only you believe.

Oscar Bimpong