Ironing my clothes this morning, I heard a radio presenter announce that
Man City’s Coach, Robert Mancini, had complained bitterly about the refereeing
of the Chelsea – Man City match. According to the report, Mancini remonstrated
passionately, citing as examples, a series of questionable decisions by referee
Mark Clattenburg, that resulted in Chelsea’s unexpected win.
Subconsciously, to relieve me from the tedium of ironing, I slipped into a
daydream, where Robert Mancini and Man City fans, declared themselves the
winners of the game and streamed onto the Stamford Bridge pitch to celebrate.
Chelsea fans outraged, converged on the field to protest the unilateral
declaration of winning by Robert Mancini. The referee sensing danger, escaped
into the Chelsea fans but outraged Man City fans followed him into the Chelsea
fans and dragged him out. Violence ensued between both sides and with TV
cameras focused on the unfolding events, the whole of the soccer world, paused
momentarily to follow events on their TV’s, PC’s, iPads and mobile phones.
There were even fans in the stands filming and streaming the proceedings live
with their iPad2’s . . . . . . . . . .
Inflamed by the violence on the pitch, fans of both clubs, poured out on the
streets of the United Kingdom, to protest and declare themselves winners of the
game. This led to running battles and the Police were called in. As tends to
happen in fluid situations like this, the Police had to resort to using
overpowering force to subdue the violence. Injuries were sustained, and images
of bloodied supporters were broadcast live to a global audience. Politicians,
footballers and coaches from other clubs and countries waded into the
imbroglio, some taking the side of Mancini and casting aspersions on the
referee and his conduct of the match. They encouraged Mancini to remain on the
streets to fight for his rights and accused the Police of using undue violence
against the Man City fans.
The situation looked like it was deteriorating uncontrollably until
Rrrrrrrrrrrrrring!! My mobile phone rang. My mom regular as clockwork, had
called to check on her son. Well he was so fine, he was daydreaming. Her son
quickly snapped back to reality but the daydream or rather daymare had been so
vivid, it had seemed real. Thankfully it had not been reality. I reflected on
it and the incongruity of it all jumped up and out at me. It was simply
ridiculous to visualize Roberto Mancini declaring himself winner of the soccer
match. It was even more ridiculous to imagine Mancini and Man City storming
angrily and self-righteously to the nearest courtroom to lodge a lawsuit
against the English FA. Rules were rules and no matter how unfair the rules or
certain refereeing decisions were, the rules of the game had to be followed.
And followed they always were. Because it was just a game of football. I
repeat, it was just a game of football. There was simply no point risking life
and limb to protest what might have seemed an unfair decision.
Last year, during the World Cup, Ghana and Africa narrowly missed out on
creating soccer history. An individual, whose name I cannot bring myself to
mention, used his hand to prevent Ghana from scoring a goal. Irrespective of
the emotions surrounding that incident, unfair as the circumstances surrounding
them were, Ghana and Uruguay respected the rules of the game. We moved on.
Nobody was physically hurt. Yes emotions were ruffled and pride was lost but
not a limb nor life was lost. And that for me, was the most important thing.Emotions,
ego's and pride are like foam mattresses. They might get bruised, dented or
trampled upon but given time, they regain their former state. This regrettably
is not the case with physical injury or death.
Steering this monologue to the topic of elections on our beloved continent,
it is with similar incredulity that peaceful and progressive peoples throughout
the world observe Africa and its politics. Just like soccer matches are used to
determine winners and losers, elections are democracy’s method of determining
the winners from the losers. There are rules governing democracy and elections,
just as rules exist governing soccer, that all participants have to abide by.
Elections are held every so often and just like soccer matches, they are never
perfect. Mistakes are made, by politicians, voters and electoral officials
alike. Certain decisions by those overseeing elections are taken. But unlike
soccer, it is slowly becoming fashionable to disregard the rules governing
elections and the decisions of the electoral referees.
An interesting aspect of elections worldwide recently has been that,
results of elections are always close. This suggests there will always be
teeming hordes behind the winner and equally teeming hordes behind the loser.
And once there is no overwhelming majority, in the election results or in the
numbers of supporters on one side or the other, the tendency is for these
situations to drag on. Difficult as it sometimes is, we must all collectively
learn to accept the results of elections as announced or determined by
electoral referees. Whatever spirit or mindset that enables us to accept the
results of soccer matches, and trudge home or back to our daily lives, either
happy or sad, we must employ towards election results.
Dr Afari-Gyan is Ghana’s and possibly, Africa’s most experienced political
referee. Judging by the copious quantities and questionable quality of the
rhetoric as well as demagoguery in circulation, Ghana has possibly one of the
most anticipated and most contested political soccer matches in less than 12
months time. There will be rules governing that political soccer match. We must
all start psyching ourselves to participate in that match, in the spirit of the
game. We must all start psyching ourselves to respect the rules of the game and
accept the results of that match, irrespective of who wins or who loses.
At the end of it all, it will be just a game. Just like Chelsea and Man
City was just another game, Election 2012 will just be another election in the
Premier League of Ghana's political history. There will only be one winner if
we respect the rules of the game. There will only be one loser if we don’t
respect the rules of the game.
That winner or that loser will be the Republic of Ghana.
