There is a questionable tendency to want to “South African-ise” other African states that do well, and calling the Ghanaian soccer team, BaGhana BaGhana, underlines an inability to support Ghana for its own sake. That’s Afro-pessimism at its worst.
If something doesn’t work, we don’t figure out what is wrong with it and try to repair it – we replace it with something better. So, ladies and gentlemen, I bring you... BaGhana BaGhana!
Anyone who has been watching the World Cup will bear testimony of the amazing skill the Ghana Black Stars have shown. All their games were a pleasure to watch. They showed passion and determination that won the hearts of many. It was exactly what South Africans were hoping Bafana Bafana would demonstrate.
Ghana came into the World Cup as underdogs, a relatively young team no-one thought would progress further than the second round, but they quickly became a force to be reckoned with. Now they are in the quarter finals and the whole continent is rallying behind them. South Africans have been urged to support Ghana as they are “the last hope of the continent”. The support is such that former president Thabo Mbeki came out of hiding (and possibly writing long-winded memoirs) to pen the Black Stars a letter of congratulations. News has it he then urged them to consider changing their names from “Ghana Black Stars” to “Africa Black Stars”. Soon after that, the phrase “BaGhana BaGhana” started being thrown about. My gripes are many (channelling Ivo Vegter).
I have no problem with South Africans supporting Ghana, in fact, I applaud it. It’s great that South Africa is looking beyond its borders to support another African country. It’s a proud moment for Africa. But this is Ghana’s victory. Not South Africa’s.
Last week I spoke about how it’s important for other African countries to have their own victories to shout about, of and not ride the coattails of South Africa’s successes. Now I am deliberately stepping over the fence, and saying the same to South Africa. Let Ghana have its moment without wanting to hi-jack it and make it your own.
This makes it seem that South Africa has an inability to understand another African country’s victory. For any victory to be palatable to a South African mind, it has to have elements of South Africa in it - hence the birth of “BaGhana BaGhana”. South Africa shows signs of feeling superior to an extent that it wants Africans to be “South African-ised” before they can accept or relate to them. Unlike every other country that has flunked out of the World Cup and is now supporting Ghana Black Stars as they are, South Africa is subtly showing an unwillingness to accept them as Ghanaians. Instead of supporting Ghana for Ghana’s sake, they will support Ghana for Africa’s sake - on the condition they take on elements of SA.
If you are going to support Ghana, support Ghana Black Stars, not BaGhana BaGhana or Africa Black Stars, because Ghana is not a replacement for Bafana Bafana or any other African country that failed. For Thabo Mbeki to suggest the team change its name was totally condescending. If roles were reversed, and Bafana Bafana were to surpass expectations to qualify for the quarter finals, would President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania have made the same request for them to be called “Africa’s Young Boys”? I have no doubt he would have been shot down and it wouldn’t even have made the news.
It’s a serious case of Afro-pessimism, the same with which we have been struggling from the European media. Quick to separate themselves from the failures of Africa, but want to share in its success, only if they can claim it. This Afro-pessimism also shows in a lack of knowledge and interest. Before Ghana stepped on the scene in this World Cup, how many South Africans knew where Ghana was on a map? Was their knowledge of Ghana not limited to ridiculing their accents and films on African Magic? How many South Africans see themselves as Africans? How many times does one hear South Africans say “I am going to Africa” as if it’s another continent? But now they want to be African and foreigners are good enough because of their success.
Were I a Ghanaian, I would say, “Yes, we are all African, but many a time you have not seen me as a fellow African and I think its shallow that now you appreciate me because I have proven myself worthy. Being brothers is about being supportive and cheering each other on in good and bad situations.” This sudden love and acceptance of Ghana smacks of hypocrisy and “two-facedness” because the Afro-pessimism is still clear. It’s this Afro-pessimism that breeds black-on-black violence. Like everyone else I am keenly aware of the looming threat of xenophobic attacks after the World Cup and the optimistic part of me would like to believe that this wave of African unity could be a turning point and could, maybe, unite us to an extent that it will all be just an empty threat and, before we know it, we are all standing around the campfire holding hands and singing Kumbaya. But then I close my eyes and all I can see is Ernesto Nhamuave … burning.
I think this is far more a case of semantics, different points of view and interpretation than an example of xenophobia. Interpretation is difficult: go and say "Christ I am coming" in a church on Sunday or on Long Street at 3am and you'll see two different reactions.
Mbeki phrased his support in different words. And I think your column has taught me that interpretation of it that could be the factor in dictating African unity.
Brendah may have painted us all with one massive brush stroke, and many will feel aggrieved because the criticism may not necessarily apply to them, but South Africa's Afro-amnesia (I wouldn't say Afro-pessimism, personally) is a wide-spread issue and we will never deal with it by being defensive about it.
I also heard the term "Afrighana" being thrown around and I agree, it seems few people are willing to accept Ghana's success as Ghana's success. Of the African nation's Ghana has proved the most passionate, organised and successful in this World Cup, its beautiful that other's are willing to get behind them but I wish it was not simply because they are the only African team, but rather because they have played well and earned respect as a good team, regardless of the country or continent they're from.
Support talent, not an ideal.
For many South Africans, this has been (and remains) the African world cup - whether they know where Ghana or any other African country is on the map. It is South Africans who filled the stadiums in all the games involving African teams so far. To suggest that people are only supporting Ghana now because of how well they have done is nonsense, no African team can claim not to have received the support of South Africans.
Perhaps what you fail to grasp is the fact that the 6 African countries in this world cup were there to represent the entire continent. The football loving public understand this, and that is why they have shown such enthusiastic support for the event.
And yes, when the Black Stars fly their flag tomorrow, it will not be just for Ghana - it will be for the entire continent. They will not only be playing for Ghana, they will be playing for all of us.
I will support Ghana all the way because they play well as a team and I admire their resilience. Oh yes and because they are from Africa ! I don't know what you want South Africans to do. If we don't support them then we are snotty and if we do support then we are something else. There is an element of hypocrisy in your article.
South Africa is not a perfect country and South Africans are not perfect people, we have our fair share of problems like many countries in the continent. It is not state policy to be xenophobic, we are not the only ignorant citizens in this continent and not only us do associate with the good that comes from this continent and disassociate with the bad that happens in our continent. We all celebrated Barack Obama's victory the last time i checked and we have disassociated with madness of Mugabe, Abacha and many despots around the continent.
Since 94 South Africa has not use its economic power to subjugate other African countries, we continue to speak on behalf of the continent in many forums that we are lucky to participate in. Thabo Mbeki worked more than any Africa leader to raised the profile of this continent at the expense of his political profile in his country. , his government brokered peace deal of at least 3 African countries during his administration. He is the last person to be Afro pessimist as you suggest.
Despite being called xenophobic, we continue to host more citizens of this continent than any other country in the continent and many live peacefully and prosper economically. Xenophobic attacks that happened only happened in informal settlements sections of our country, they never happened in formal dwelling environment like Soweto, Mamelodi, Mdantsane and many formal townships around the country. South African government provide shelter, transport for all those people who were affected by attacks in the areas that happened. Many individual South Africans also went out of their ways to provide all the comfort for those affected.
It amazes me that we need to be dictated on how, we should celebrate and support Ghana. If you dont want South Africa to choose how to celebrate Ghana victory simply say so, we will decide what we do. If we choose to call Ghana BaGhana BaGhana as we normally praise teams around here let it be. We dont care and bother how people praise Nelson Mandela and you never see us throwing insults if other people choose to praise him in their own way.
The sooner we Africans stop squabbling about silly issues like how to celebrate Ghana victory the better, we have a continent to build, for all our prosperity.
this world cup has been called the 'African world cup', and both the kick-off concert and the opening ceremony went a long way in celebrating Africa as a whole.
As a side note, from what I’ve seen on news reports, unlike here in South Africa, where when the World Cup was/is referred to as the “African” rather than “South African” World Cup by the international media & our government angering many South Africans, the Ghanaians have no problem in sharing their glory with the rest of Africa. Now, whilst this may be just those few Ghanaians whom I’ve seen being interviewed, I suspect that this attitude would be found throughout Ghana. Reason being that Ghana (along with much of Africa) has a rich tradition of Pan-Africanism. Thus, identification with Africa as a whole doesn’t bother them. However, this just isn’t found amongst South Africans. Though to return to my first point, the ANC as an institution shares that history with Africa as a result of it’s exile. Having said that perhaps for Mbeki, Africa Black Stars wasn’t an expression of xenophobia, in the way, BaGhana-BaGhana is.
While you may be "stepping over the fence" on this issue - I find myself plonked squarely on top of the fence.
I think your conclusion that BaGhana BaGhana is in some way yet another way us South African's are trying to stamp our authority and superiority on Africa is making a mountain out of a molehill. I honestly believe the similarity and ease with which the terms Bafana and BaGhana are interchangeable is a pure, somewhat funny co-incidence that seems to have gathered momentum thanks to the internet, in particular Twitter and Facebook. A meme if you must.
It seems your starting point of your piece is based on this term and the rest spirals off its use as a tool for SA domination. I think its a thumping show of support and not Afro-pessimism or some derogatory term which is insulting.
Where I do agree with you is that we, as South Africans, do not make a great enough effort to educate ourselves about "The Continent". We come across as the English often do as isolated and "better-off" than our continental buddies - all our own creating.
I've lucky enough to attend a Black Stars game and found that the SA support was astounding! Not condescending or patronising.
We not Perfect - We're South African
@Sivu - You cant celebrate an African World Cup when you as an African have no clue or care about Africa. Celebrating goes beyond its embracing all of Africa and being interested in it. In the long term that will mean more Ghana and the rest of Africa than waving a flag at a soccer match.
Thabo Mbeki spoke about it when he punted Pan-Africanism - he urged all of us to see a new Africa, one where we see each other in a different light and give each other the support and respect regardless of whether we are the team leading Africa into the finals or the immigrants asking for a safe harbour.
Now...where is that gin and tonic..*hic*
Waving a Ghana flag at a soccer game might seem insignificant to you, but it could well be the first step in the education of that "ignorant" South African waving it. This world cup has done more to remind us "ignorant" South Africans of our African-ness than any number of conferences and lectures could.
We've all been supporting BaGhaNigeria Coast since the tournament kicked off. Perhaps we're doing it from a point of view of just suporting our neighbours - maybe it's from the superficial point of just wanting an African team to win a football game. In some instances I am sure people are wholeheartedly supporting Ghana. There's a range of Ghana support, I'd imagine.
Don't think I'm denying Afro-amnesia (there' a column in there somewhere, surely).
But I do think that in this instance of word play and one Mbeki comment that we're pushing too hard to point out indications of some kind of South African imperialism on the rest of the continent. I don't think it applies here.
The name Black Stars. Its roots are traced way back to Marcus Garvey and his Universal Negro Improvement Association. The Black Star is a symbol used in remembrance of Garvey's Pan-Africanism. Now why would anyone want to change that?
Please don't make decisions by people like me, to support the Black Stars, into something political. I'm a fifth generation South African and my ancestors came from Holland and France - I've chosen to support neither because I really am closer to my African brothers than I am to the uptight Europeans - and I love that musical accent the Ghanaians have. Arriving in the stadium with our cheap seat tickets, we were quite clearly with a South African contingent and not one of our neighbours looked oddly at us with our black stars painted on our faces and our Ghanaian flag - they were all supporting the same team in their own way.
On the way out, the Ghanaian nationals we met up with enthusiastically embraced us, thanked us for the support of their team and then asked us to pose for photographs in our crazy gear. There was nothing political about it - sport manages to cut through that, and we were nothing more than Africans showing our support for the last man standing. No-one really cared if we knew where Ghana was, or if we would have supported them if Bafana Bafana were still in the running - all that mattered was that we weren't shy to show our support, and that we had something to celebrate with total strangers in a town we never would have visited otherwise.
It's not a complicated affair, it's just sport and the call to support the Black Stars is largely pure...let's just leave it at that.