Hi all what do we do with the likes of this commentator and his disparaging remarks about our country?

A replay is the only way
Fri Nov 20 09:53AM


Now it has become political. Ireland's Prime Minister Brian Cowen has asked President Nicolas Sarkozy to step in to insist the World Cup qualifier between their two nations be replayed.

Mr Cowen has talked of the moral imperative, of the need to demonstrate the primacy of the rule book, of showing young people around the world that cheats do not prosper. And, though such a decision really should be nothing to do with him, Sarkozy probably agrees. Replaying the match would benefit everyone. Most French people of my acquaintance, already depressed by the decline in their national team, feel sullied and compromised by the manner of their qualification. They would welcome the chance to do it properly. Not just to win without recourse to a bit of ball-juggling, but to win in style, in the French way, the proper way.

How too would the referee benefit from the game being replayed. Poor Martin Hansson actually had a very good match on Wednesday, getting every decision right. Except the crucial one. He must have gone back to his hotel room after the game, run through the video of the decisive moment and immediately felt like someone who has just handed over their bank account details to an emailer from Nigeria who has been in touch promising to deposit therein several million quid. He was conned. And now his reputation is a joke. To erase this game from the record books is the only way he can be returned to the top table of officials.

Indeed, even Thierry Henry himself would be better off with a replay. Sure, his actions have projected his country to the finals, an outcome that seemed highly unlikely as they laboured against Ireland's spirited opposition. But the pay-off is, his carefully cultivated, hugely lucrative reputation is now terminally sullied. This wasn't Nicolas Anelka handling the ball, then admitting he knew what he was doing but didn't really care because as the ref didn't see it effectively it didn't happen. This was Thierry Henry, the clean cut promoter of clean cut razor blades. Hearing him deliver such a cynical view of his misdemeanour was a bit like hearing Sir Bobby Charlton outing himself as Belle de Jour.

Nigeria our beloved country, wat hv we done 2 put our name in the black book of d world?. But dat guy needs 2 b sacked.

@ poster

it's worrisome.

Wat can we do it is d bad elements nd dose useless boys dat make these white baboons 2 portray naija as d very definition of crookery nyhw na dem papa.

And this

someone who has just handed over their bank account details to an emailer from Nigeria who has been in touch promising to deposit therein several million quid

never happened?

We like to live in denial. Until our brothers stop searching for the quick buck and seek honest means of making money, comments like this would continue to make the rounds on the internet.

The comment said an emailer from Nigeria and NOT Nigerians. Learn to direct your frustrations at the proper source!!

Ow11 and others, I am definitely opposed to fraud in any form but we have to ask some pertinent questions here. Who says it is only Nigeria that these mails emanate from. Other people all over the world, including Britain and USA are into scams of all kinds such as selling you software that does nothing of the claim the authors say they do etc. Besides every African out there claims to be a Nigerian when they are caught involved in one crime or the other.
Crime has no permanent habitat in any country of the world, evil minds abound everywhere.
I also hope the small number of Nigerians doing this will desist and find other legal and honourable enterprise to engage in.

My friend, get on with your life.

Hi Sagamite, my life is on full throttle ahead

One insignificant person made a negative passing reference of Nigeria and you want to call a townhall meeting.

webgenius:

Ow11 and others, I am definitely opposed to fraud in any form but we have to ask some pertinent questions here. Who says it is only Nigeria that these mails emanate from. Other people all over the world, including Britain and USA are into scams of all kinds such as selling you software that does nothing of the claim the authors say they do etc. Besides every African out there claims to be a Nigerian when they are caught involved in one crime or the other.
Crime has no permanent habitat in any country of the world, evil minds abound everywhere.
I also hope the small number of Nigerians doing this will desist and find other legal and honourable enterprise to engage in.

What you fail to realise is that metaphorical statements emanate from stereotypes and getting worked up over them are not necessary. I can make statements like '' He gobbled down his food like someone on an American burger eating contest'' OR '' His behaviour after last night's drinking session made me think I was on the streets of London on an early saturday morning'' OR ''Her boyfriend reminds me of a Colombian drug baron'' and not expect citizens of the various countries to write online petitions asking me to withdraw my statements.

Now drug barons are NOT all Colombian, Americans aren't the only consumers of Burgers and the Brits aren't the only consumers of alcohol. It is just preponderance and media coverage. Nigerian fraud emails were a global phenomenon in the early to mid-noughties and using them to describe a situation that'll give readers a good grip of the writer's intented message shouldn't raise any eyebrows to well-informed readers.

I don't think the writer had any malice like I didn't when making those three generalisations. . .

It was totally unnecessary to mention Nigeria in the interview!

Nonetheless this is to tell you how bad we've become  , that the Name Nigeria is associated with scam emails worldwide, It's almost at the fingertip of everyone out there,

ow11:

What you fail to realise is that metaphorical statements emanate from stereotypes and getting worked up over them are not necessary. I can make statements like '' He gobbled down his food like someone on an American burger eating contest'' OR '' His behaviour after last night's drinking session made me think I was on the streets of London on an early saturday morning'' OR ''Her boyfriend reminds me of a Colombian drug baron'' and not expect citizens of the various countries to write online petitions asking me to withdraw my statements.

Now drug barons are NOT all Colombian, Americans aren't the only consumers of Burgers and the Brits aren't the only consumers of alcohol. It is just preponderance and media coverage. Nigerian fraud emails were a global phenomenon in the early to mid-noughties and using them to describe a situation that'll give readers a good grip of the writer's intented message shouldn't raise any eyebrows to well-informed readers.

I don't think the writer had any malice like I didn't when making those three generalisations. . .

Well Said Bro, Wonder what it would take to change this alarming trend!

I actually like the fact that along with the principal actors( Ireland & france), Nigeria is the only other country in the world that is mentioned here . Notoriety pays sometimes

Hi all, who says this commentator is insignificant? Do you know how many people read his commentaries daily all over the world? Of course I understand the trend of his discuss and his intentions but I would be happier yet if the reference to Nigeria was excluded. Do we wait for worse comments to be made before we start challenging this kind of stereotyping. It does affect us in many ways we may not realise, the inhuman conditions we as Nigerians are subjected to at entry points to other countries (even other Africans get better treatment many times), the increase in security personnel marshalled to scrutinize passengers on board aircrafts coming from our country, the denial of travel visas to genuine applicants who wish to travel for education even after paying the necessary school fees etc.
I wish our compatriots engaged in illegal activities would have a rethink and redirect their energies to more illustrious pursuits which will bring honour and glory to us all.

So? he's not the first and won't be the last even when it's no longer in vogue, it will remain so why the fuss.

webgenius:

I wish our compatriots engaged in illegal activities would have a rethink and redirect their energies to more illustrious pursuits which will bring honour and glory to us all.

Amen Oh

Except the crucial one. He must have gone back to his hotel room after the game, run through the video of the decisive moment and immediately felt like someone who has just handed over their bank account details to an emailer from Nigeria who has been in touch promising to deposit therein several million quid

wow, it has gotten to this extent