In spite the dirty tricks employed by rival bidding city
Glasgow
,
Abuja
has an Olympian calm and only the result of November 9th 2007 matters to her. Therefore
Glasgow
stands warn that, meekest is not synonymous to weakness.
Abuja
can also employ the same tactics of selective naming and shaming that
Glasgow
has excelled herself in, since the Nigerian Federal Capital Territory (FCT) proved, she is not a push over.
Glasgow
must move away from her subterfuge which entails employing pressure groups to derail
Abuja
’s bid. Nevertheless, she has every right to confront the Nigerian city on the rules that dictates the norms in such competitions.
As at now, none of the two candidate cities:
Abuja
and
Glasgow
, is 100% certain to win the majority votes of the 71 member of the Commonwealth Games awarding committee, hence the need for healthy campaigning to continue. But both cities will know their fate on the 9th of November this year, when the 71 members of the Commonwealth Games awarding committee, meet in
Colombo
, Sri Lankan to decide which of the two candidate cities is best placed to host the Games. While waiting for the verdict, it is primordial to remind all that, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has hosted the Commonwealth Games twice, respectively in
Manchester
,
England
(2002) and in
Edinburgh
,
Scotland
(1986). As at now, none of the two candidate cities: Abuja and Glasgow, is 100% certain to win the majority votes of the 71 member of the Commonwealth Games awarding committee, hence the need for healthy campaigning to continue. But both cities will know their fate on the 9 of November this year, when the 71 members of the Commonwealth Games awarding committee, meet in Colombo, Sri Lankan to decide which of the two candidate cities is best placed to host the Games. While waiting for the verdict, it is primordial to remind all that, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has hosted the Commonwealth Games twice, respectively in Manchester, England (2002) and in Edinburgh, Scotland (1986).
World class infrastructure
Furthermore, the Commonwealth Games has almost circumnavigated the world and
Africa
with a huge presence in the Commonwealth has been skipped (1). It is only but right and natural that, this time around, the Commonwealth Games should grace the soil of
Africa
. But it will be cheap to use the latter as the only yardstick for the games to be hosted in
Africa
. One thing that, even
Abuja
’s rival Glasgow, admits is that, the Nigerian Capital has all it needs or it takes, to host the Games. Excellent communications facilities complete with an international airports that has 2 million customers annually. Furthermore, the Commonwealth Games has almost circumnavigated the world and Africa with a huge presence in the Commonwealth has been skipped (1). It is only but right and natural that, this time around, the Commonwealth Games should grace the soil of Africa. But it will be cheap to use the latter as the only yardstick for the games to be hosted in Africa. One thing that, even Abuja’s rival Glasgow, admits is that, the Nigerian Capital has all it needs or it takes, to host the Games. Excellent communications facilities complete with an international airports that has 2 million customers annually.
And more, the city’s administration have embarked on the construction of a tramway system to supplement the existing road networks and also ease intra and extra city communications, which are already fluid and also to fight against pollution. The
Abuja
tramway system will be completed before the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Besides her seamless communications system,
Abuja
also possesses of an array of international Hotels and her sports facilities are world class. Glasgow is aware of all those and on the 10 of June this year, two Scottish journalists namely: Charles Lavery and Henry McInnis working for the Sunday Mail, touted as the biggest selling paper in Scotland, visited Abuja to see things for themselves. They were impressed and perhaps concluded that, their city may have lost out to
Abuja
(2). And more, the city’s administration have embarked on the construction of a tramway system to supplement the existing road networks and also ease intra and extra city communications, which are already fluid and also to fight against pollution. The Abuja tramway system will be completed before the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Besides her seamless communications system, Abuja also possesses of an array of international Hotels and her sports facilities are world class. Glasgow is aware of all those and on the 10 of June this year, two Scottish journalists namely: Charles Lavery and Henry McInnis working for the Sunday Mail, touted as the biggest selling paper in Scotland, visited Abuja to see things for themselves. They were impressed and perhaps concluded that, their city may have lost out to Abuja (2).
Smear campaign & Questions
However, since
Abuja
is unblemished, they went out of the city to find the staple of stereotypical stories that, any western media stint in
Africa
, won’t be complete without. And since that, stratagem has not also worked out; it is an unknown Gay movement, which has now been dangled. It is not clear whether they are on the pay roll of
Glasgow
or they are just seeking notice. But one thing is clear; they don’t want
Abuja
to host the Games. Why? They claim that, the rights of their people are not protected in
Nigeria
(3). It might be correct, but why didn’t they protest when New Delhi, India, a country, where Gays conditions are not any better, but were granted the 2010 Commonwealth Games Hosting right? However, since Abuja is unblemished, they went out of the city to find the staple of stereotypical stories that, any western media stint in Africa, won’t be complete without. And since that, stratagem has not also worked out; it is an unknown Gay movement, which has now been dangled. It is not clear whether they are on the pay roll of Glasgow or they are just seeking notice. But one thing is clear; they don’t want Abuja to host the Games. Why? They claim that, the rights of their people are not protected in Nigeria (3). It might be correct, but why didn’t they protest when New Delhi, India, a country, where Gays conditions are not any better, but were granted the 2010 Commonwealth Games Hosting right?
Why didn’t they protest, when
Beijing
,
China
, a country where Gays are persecuted, but were awarded the 2008 Olympic Games? Why it is that, it is always in
Africa
that, everybody wants to lionise? Gays and their quest for recognition are a democratic right and it is a quest, which must be respected (4). But it is not through the use of threats and smear campaigns that, their rights will be protected in
Africa
. On the contrary, their arrogant, domineering attitudes toward Africans will backfire, as it has already done in Eastern Europe and in the former
Soviet Union
. Gays must also be reminded that, it was one of theirs ,who was even an African, from the Tanzanian island of Zanzibar by name Freddie Mercury, who at the height of apartheid rule, in South Africa, in 1984, decided to travel to Sun City with his band, the Queens, to stage a show in support of the erstwhile racist regime. Why didn’t they protest, when Beijing, China, a country where Gays are persecuted, but were awarded the 2008 Olympic Games? Why it is that, it is always in Africa that, everybody wants to lionise? Gays and their quest for recognition are a democratic right and it is a quest, which must be respected (4). But it is not through the use of threats and smear campaigns that, their rights will be protected in Africa. On the contrary, their arrogant, domineering attitudes toward Africans will backfire, as it has already done in Eastern Europe and in the former Soviet Union. Gays must also be reminded that, it was one of theirs ,who was even an African, from the Tanzanian island of Zanzibar by name Freddie Mercury, who at the height of apartheid rule, in South Africa, in 1984, decided to travel to Sun City with his band, the Queens, to stage a show in support of the erstwhile racist regime.
Selective memories of Gay groups
Did they bother whether blacks and other none white South Africans had no rights protected under apartheid? Why are Gays self-centred? That 1984 act of Freddie Mercury, to support apartheid has been swept under the carpet because he was Gay. It has also been forgiven, but not forgotten by victims of apartheid, the regime that, the late Gay King supported. And Gays stand also warn that, they won’t force people to support a lifestyle they have independently chosen. They must also understand that, one can’t refuse to eat meat, but choose to drink the soup out which the meat was prepared. They don’t want to live a normal life and they must assume it. It is the price of our collective God given freedom.
Abuja Games has nothing to do with chosen sexual orientations of people, but they (Gays) have the right to seek recognition of their own chosen sexual orientation.
Glasgow
must come out plain to distance herself from this smear campaign against
Abuja
or she will be accused of financing it. Then, it will be a shame not only for
Glasgow
, but for
Scotland
and the
UK
, that, they are resorting to dirty tactics just to win a Game, that demands participants to practise and hold-up fair play.
Glasgow
, where is the fair play in your attempt to win the Commonwealth Games hosting right? Abuja Games has nothing to do with chosen sexual orientations of people, but they (Gays) have the right to seek recognition of their own chosen sexual orientation. Glasgow must come out plain to distance herself from this smear campaign against Abuja or she will be accused of financing it. Then, it will be a shame not only for Glasgow, but for Scotland and the UK, that, they are resorting to dirty tactics just to win a Game, that demands participants to practise and hold-up fair play. Glasgow, where is the fair play in your attempt to win the Commonwealth Games hosting right?
Notes:
-1) http://www.triumphnewspapers.com/sunday/suppor582007.html
-2) http://www.sundaymail.co.uk/news/tm_headline=tell-the-world&method=full&objectid=19274210&siteid=64736-name_page.html
-3) http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/display.var.1605270.0.call_for_games_rivals_to_be_axed_from_2014_bid.php
-4) http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=6470
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