We wanted Fisherman soup, and the truth is that we could have gotten it from anywhere. After all, this is Uyo. But we wanted to eat it at a particular place, and they were in such high demand that by the time it got to our turn, it was all finished.
However, my second day in Uyo wasn’t all about Fisherman soup, naa. I came to watch a football match and follow the intrigues around the team.
An Accident That Changed a Lot
Yesterday, I mentioned that Ghanaman, Cyril Wite, Okey Onwugbonu, and Oluwafemi Balogun would come to Uyo from Port Harcourt in the SWAN (Sports Writers Association of Nigeria) bus.
They planned to leave at 10 am, only for Ghanaman to post a message to us a few minutes past ten that they wouldn’t be coming anymore and wanted to know if they could recover money paid for hotel bookings. While still in Port Harcourt, with just Ghanaman and Femi in the bus going to pick the others, there was brake failure and they hit a minibus (Keke) from behind. No casualties, but there were repairs needed on both vehicles. In true African fashion, Ghanaman and Femi probably saw it as a bad omen and cancelled their trip.
Cyril Wite and Okey Onwugbonu still made the trip, though, and we were happy to have them with us.
Vinpy Hotels and Our Elusive Fisherman Soup
I had spoken with the owner of Vinpy Hotels about a month ago to let him know I would be in Uyo during this period and would surely come for Fisherman soup at his place. It wasn’t that I couldn’t get it elsewhere—maybe cheaper sef—but Vincent Enyeama and I had unfinished business, and it had to be his place.
But here we were today, and after convincing the guys—Carl Orakwue, Ufuoma, and Kingsley Olisa—to get Fisherman soup at Vincent’s place, he calls and says some group came in and ordered everything they had.
Wow! Business must be booming. He said we could get some in another two hours, but we weren’t going to wait, so it was white soup for us.
All morning, we discussed the cancelled media parley from the previous day, and there were dissenting voices. I didn’t care much because it had happened. Let Chelle and the Eagles qualify for the World Cup first. The coach, however, needs to know that we all have our jobs to do.
For the next Super Eagles game, I’ll probably just arrive on match day.
Accreditation Was a Mess
Every time, we get emails from the NFF telling us to apply for accreditation, and every time, we basically have to fight to get our tags. Is it that no one reads the emails? Or maybe they just decide to print fewer tags than were applied for?
For the next game, I will neither apply for accreditation nor attend the pre-match presser. There’s really no need for it.
One reason for these games and activities is that we get to meet friends and colleagues whom we only hear and read about in WhatsApp groups.
George Essien, or Mighty George, as we know him, thinks I own part of Uyo, since I’m always in town. Jide from Legit News met me for the first time in 2016 after I left my role as Dolphins media officer. Some friends hosted me in Port Harcourt, and he attended the event. We’ve kept in touch since then.
Pooja has grown in leaps and bounds from the first time I saw his posts on Twitter years ago and called him to talk, while Ademola Olajire would always reference me before each press conference starts: “This presser is for Nigerian journalists. We’re not sure if there’s anyone from China here and why they should be here.”
This time, he mentioned my book, *Diary of a Vagabond*, and asked the folks to help advertise it. Olajire na correct man and an encyclopedia of Nigerian football. Sometimes, I wonder how he remembers all of these things.
One would think Mowiz would fight me once he sees me. Of course, he was never going to do that. He can be very erratic in WhatsApp groups but is a sweet boy in reality. Mowiz can vex and curse, though. Talk about an alter ego. He was there, and we chatted a lot. Tobi Adepoju joined us, and we talked a bit about Nigerian club football.
There was also Dr. Tunde Akinbinu. Top guy
As Kingsley Wali always says, we all should write. There are many people who want to read. I could just imagine Mohammed Suleiman and Tobi Adepoju writing books. Let’s not forget that we’re still waiting for Emeka Enyadike, Colin Udoh, Bode Oguntuyi, and the others.
The press conference was rowdy, as usual. How can we continue to do this? Is it Julius Berger’s fault for planning a stadium that big but putting in a small conference room? Is it the Akwa Ibom State government’s fault for approving this plan? Is it the NFF’s fault for not finding a way to streamline attendance at the pressers, or is it the fault of us Nigerian journalists who are unruly and think the way to go is to be disorderly?
Then, picking up the accreditation tags was crazy.
Journalists kept asking me if I wouldn’t go for mine, but how do I get my tag by screaming out my name or the person sharing it, under a cacophony of voices, as though we were peasants fighting over palliative rice in some political setting? It was like they felt sorry for me, as though I was going to get mine.
No! I wouldn’t do such a thing. If I don’t get an accreditation tag, I’ll buy a ticket.
Eventually, Faith Oluchi threw a tag my way, but we can surely do better than this.
Impressed with Eric Chelle
At night, we went for dinner at Discovery Park and then stayed out at the poolside bar of our hotel until around midnight, discussing everything from Eric Chelle’s press conference to the inconsistencies in the Bible and whether Eviron Health drink helps men or not.
A few people were impressed with Chelle’s handling of the team and the presser. I was very indifferent. We also discussed Finidi’s time with the Super Eagles and what he could have done better. Everyone—Olisa, Okey, Ufuoma, and I think Cyril and Carl—were optimistic that the Eagles would win. I’ll sit this one out. Those boys know how to do and undo. I’ll just enjoy the game and take whatever comes my way.
