Hey , just to info u that winners of the Mikel look alike wud now go to ABJ 4 the Nigerian Mozambique match , Courtesy samsung, See page 34 of Guardian oct 2nd for details, 80 Winners in all . Am sure evry one wud enjoy the after match bash. LAIRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

THE SAMSUNG EXPERIENCE

Departure time was said to be 8:00 am, so I brazed up early enough to get set, well it’s not going to be a long journey but I had little promptings that the journey will be stressful and eventful.
Our African attitude about time came to fore, so we had to wait, calling on the many who promised to join in the flight to Abuja where the real thing was going to happen.
What made the journey really good was the way new faces related with one another like they were friends long time ago. The jokes of Buzu and his friend…these guys were just too hilarious!
On landing at Bolingo. I was visiting the hotel for the first time and I liked what I really saw…my interest was first to locate the lady whose courtesy and phone manners convinced me beyond doubt that it is no scam. This was for real1 so before I even asked of Funmi, eze, already requested to know who she was. And she didn’t disappoint her admirers “yes we have two funmis here”. The fact that she answered, help me conclude that she was the one whose voice, I have heard over the phone in the past couple of weeks.
I did as others did; registration and other little details and I was handed the key to the room 421. After checking in, I showered and tried to put on the TV as I was wont to most times, a media person is always information-savvy and avid about news headlines and analysis.
The TV didn’t come on, so I tried the remote and got no response, I dropped it and decided to peruse through the guest manuals in the room, the call service available, the in-room services and other little details.
Lunch was ready at about 1 pm. I got to the dinning 25 minutes late, that was intentional for two reasons; I didn’t want be seen in a rush mood and I wanted to eat without anyone watch my mastication. I cant even recall the order of my pick but starters collided with snacks, snacks met mixed grill, pizza and my main course was chiken plus grilled white fish. I topped it with some sweet digestives.
I collected much meat and little rice and did stomach justice to it without compassion. How can I be foolish enough to be kind at food which is meant to be macerated? It’s ours for the eating.
While I ate on, the thought of being a lucky person in a country of 140 million, the thought of meeting new personalities from various walks of life and the thought of meeting the Celebrity raced each other in my head. It was Bello, the other guy adjacent to my table that reminded me again that there is more in case I need more content in the stomach. I smiled at his jest and looked at his table only to see a mammoth-looking blend of varieties I overlooked when I dished my own plate. I smiled again at his sense of savouring the booty. Little chops, Fries, Ice creams and fruit mix after lamb cutlets, veggies cuts, mozzarella, fish, beef, turkey and slices of plantain.
It was after all these that I returned to the room….i put on the west-point air –coolant. I place a call to two of my friends, but they were either far from their phones or had reasons not to pick; whatever it was, I knew it wasn’t intentional. I wanted them to come share in the jolly thingy. I checked on my new friend in his room and as we chatted on the relentless Funmi came knocking. She delivered a handbag and a Chelsea blue-customised Mikel Obi top. My friend and I looked at each other with such an air of fait-accompli….a quick thought that came to mind suggested that Nigerians had no option than to win the Mozambiques’ in this World-Cup qualifier. The Eagles have not been too impressive with their draws and losses in the matches played before now and there is a general apathy and disinterest in the outcome of the game. But the fact that we were watching the eagles live, we were at the VIP, and we were all donning a BLUE MIKEL-OBI shirt made the anticipation, more. We got to the stadium in 4 four coaster buses, with chips and pop-corn (from silverbird) in our hands. For those who finished theirs before we got to the stadium, all they did was watch and share in the thrill, some took shots with cameras, camcorders and cellphones. Mr Ayo, a gentle young man with whom some air of friendlily exist with me, urged that we moved closer to Mikel, because the stadium may get rowdy before the game ends. We did, but a slighted Mikel who because of his injury couldn’t be on the peach was cursing and vexing at the reality that the Mozambique side(who conceded 3 or 4 goals against the Tunis team) was not just a walk-over as some predicted. Nsofor made the difference for the Eagles with a lucky goal a few minutes to the end. In a rare incidence, I wished I was Odewingie…he played his heart; he was obviously the man of the match.
I took shots also with Raymond Dokpesi; one of my media heros. He was sitting right in front of me, calmly watching the match. His disposition to the field tussle was matured like a Daddy.
After the match we all returned to Bolingo…a name that sounds close to the hausa word Balangu (a specially spiced delicacy of roasted beef). Buzu and I repeated that word aplenty as we enjoyed the whole treat. Pure indulgence as we were treated to a sumptuous dinner, this is probably the third time of seeing food in surplus enjoyment. The coordinator of the ‘SAMSUNG /Mikel look-alike’ promo made some announcement and I heard an after-party announcement of coconut beach at Sheraton….and my mind blew-up; what other way to spoil a people with extreme jollification. We got there all excited and the band-boys, the hoteliers and service persons didn’t disappoint us.
We ate under the round small huts, shielded by the coconut trees….food was not in short supply but ladies were; so a hunting exercise emerged, the details of which I’ll rather skip. When I realized eating was getting much (creams, fruits, salads, drinks (I don’t do wine but it was in copious supply), chiken-berbecue, goat pepper soup and fish meals), myself and two other had to take a walk round Sheraton….what we had in short supply in coconut –beach was in carnal superfluity as we walked through halls and dual ways. My eyes were assaulted as I unknowingly bumped into the pool area. This happened at a time when a retreat will either scare the swimmers or my colleagues would think a spirit has just possessed me….so I walked through bashfully avoided intimidating jugs and fleshes.
As the night dusked further, I suggested we returned to our rooms and that was it. I had a good shower and crashed. It was this simple sleep that made all that I had enjoyed a trivial jollity considering what others relished in the night while I snored away. Anyway it was mega fun.
After breakfast the next day, which was Monday 12th October, there was so much exchange of contacts, banters and goodbyes….the Lagos group were taken to the airport and we returned through the route we took earlier. I chatted up Charity, she was the only female in our midst; she was really friendly and open.
In all….I didn’t spend a penny to enter and access the promo; I knew that if not for SAMSUNG, I wouldn’t be opportune to watch Nig/Mozamb- (from where the stadium live) I am not a soccermaniac. I wouldn’t spend two days in Bolingo Hotel for just the fun of it-that would cost me my salary, I may not meet the aircraft Engineer Mr Ayo; the mechanic egg-head from Ekiti, I may not be able to draw a conclusion that not all ‘free things’ in Nigeria are scams, I may not be able to measure the pantying that holds sway in the business district area of Nigeria’s capital, or the deep material dichotomy that exist in a geographical contradiction called Nigeria. May I formally request from you to name my unborn daughter Samsung? Samsung you made my weekend!