Nigerian films may be one of the best things to have come out of the country, but last weekend it contributed in no small measure into fuelling the anger targeted at Nigerian fans that had thronged the Moi International Sports Centre to watch the Super Eagles take on the Harambee Stars in the final Group B South Africa 2010 qualifier.
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Once it was clear that the Nigerians would be leaving the venue with the World Cup ticket courtesy of a late Obafemi Martins strike to give the visitors a 3-2 lead, angry Kenyan fans started to hull expletives at the Nigerians in addition to plastic water bottles.
One very enraged Kenyan came up to where this reporter was sitting with other Nigerian fans and screamed: “Nigerians cheaters, Nigeria is corrupting football! We all know what you (Nigerians) can do; we watch your movies (Nollywood), we know that you have bribed the referee!” shouted the arm waving Kenyan apparently clearly piqued at what he and his fellow nationals perceived to be the referee’s (Eddy Maillet from Seychelles) bias against the Harambee Stars.
The very angry Kenyan had to be restrained from possibly physically attacking Nigeria’s High Commissioner, Dr Chijioke Wilcox Wigwe, after the game.
The fan came very close to the High Commissioner, who was waiting by his diplomatic car in front of the VIP entrance, hurling abuses and had to be physically restrained from touching the Nigerian official, who was saved by policemen detailed to protect the diplomat.
Incidentally all through the verbal abuse and tense stand off, Ambassador Wigwe kept his cool and never flinched.
After about 45 minutes of often tense stand off between a sizeable number of angry Kenyan fans, the High Commissioner, Nigerian supporters, Super Eagles players and their officials were able to leave the sprawling complex, albeit under police escort.
So much for Nollywood and the ‘colonisation’ of Africa!.
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