Maravi

We've the right to celebrate but let's do it with civility

We've the right to celebrate but let's do it with civility
By The Post
Tue 14 Feb. 2012, 12:00 CAT

A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out of the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation finds utterance.On Sunday night, as far as soccer is concerned, we ended a period of ill-fortune and Zambia discovered herself again as one of Africa's top soccer nations.

The achievement of our national soccer team that we celebrate today should be but a step, an opening of opportunity, to the greater triumphs and achievements that should await us. Are we brave enough and wise enough to grasp this opportunity and accept the challenge of the future, of being champions?

Being the African champions brings responsibilities and burdens which we have to face in the spirit of a disciplined people.

The attention of the world is today on us, on our soccer team and on how we celebrate this victory. Our soccer stars behaved very well on the pitch and indiscipline was not tolerated in their camp throughout the tournament. Those who did not meet the standards of discipline required were excluded from the team and sent back.

Our team has won us respect. And let us not allow, in any way, that respect of the world which we have won so fast to be equally lost through indiscipline and criminal behaviour. Victory without discipline or civility means nothing and will take us nowhere. Even in victory, respect for others and their lives has to be observed.

There are people who since Sunday night have been in a lawless mode. They have not been respecting traffic laws and rules. They have been trespassing everywhere; they have been drinking endlessly but still driving. Very valuable lives have been lost in the process through road traffic and other accidents; some people have been injured or maimed; people's property has been damaged.

And while others are celebrating, thieves, criminal elements have been housebreaking. People have lost their property.

For some people, this happy occasion has been turned into time for mourning, into a very sad experience. This is not the way to live; this is not the way to celebrate. We should not allow these thugs to spoil our celebrations, our soccer victory.

We should not allow criminals to take over these celebrations and rule us. And an ancient script asks, "Would you let a man rule the city who cannot even rule his own spirit?" Sometimes we do. We must not allow these criminals to steal away any chance we might have for future celebrations of this nature.

It is said that the greatest form of maturity is at harvest time. That is when we must learn how to reap with discipline if the amounts are small and how to reap without chaos if the amounts are big.

Crime must be brought under control. Criminals cannot go round masquerading as Zambian soccer fans, as Chipolopolo supporters harassing innocent people, causing accidents and destroying other people's property. These rogues should have no place in the victory celebrations. Victory without civility, victory without respect for others, is no victory at all.

This is an historic moment for Zambia. We have been participating in the Africa Cup for many years. We have been at the Africa Cup finals twice before. And it is only this year that we became the champions, that we won this cup. This is our historic moment. Our time has come. But let's show respect and tolerance to others. Let's demand zero-tolerance on crime. And let us not allow criminals to hide behind our celebrations, behind this glorious occasion.

Let us not allow criminals to think they can commit a crime under the banner of victory celebrations and get away with it, and carry on being criminals. Let us tackle anti-social behaviours.

This victory is nothing without order and justice. We can only continue to rise to higher heights if there is order and justice in the nation. Lose either one and we come crashing down until we are just another average soccer nation which even the weakest team will beat.

Our lads showed great strength of character during the whole tournament and pulled together to win the cup. This speaks volumes about the need for discipline. Let us make the good that is in the heart of each one of us serve the good of all us. Let us give our country the gift of our energy, our ideas, our hopes, our talents.

Let us use them to build a country that will not only be great at soccer but at everything that makes life better and that makes us better human beings. If we do, we will be unbeatable - we will save every penalty. Some may say this is dreaming, it can't be achieved.

We shouldn't forget that many were saying that before the start of the tournament in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. But our boys simply said "don't kubeba" every time they scored. We have been through this type of thing before - and not very long ago. A few months ago, some people believed Rupiah Banda's corrupt and intolerant regime could not be moved out of power, could not be defeated in an election.

Again, our people simply said "don't kubeba" and Rupiah was left crying when the elections ended in the same way the Cote d' Ivoire were left crying on Sunday at the end of the penalty shoot-out. The chains of mediocrity have been broken and we are the African soccer champions. Zambia is today an exciting, inspiring place to be.

And it can be much more if we remain disciplined and orderly. There is a quiet revolution taking place in Zambia today. Many things are changing - including in soccer. We are increasingly becoming a people of high standards and ideals and hard choices.

It has been a very long time waiting for this moment and today we feel deeply proud as a nation to be the African soccer champions. We have made history. And let our first thanks go to the players themselves and the coaching staff. They have kept faith with us. And we will keep faith with them. Let's celebrate our victory.

And we have every right to celebrate. But let's keep crime and criminals out of these celebrations.

Labels: FOOTBALL

posted by MrK @ 4:14 PM