habari za asubuhi! (Good Morning)
Since it was Sunday, most of the day’s tasks began at home before we eventually made our way to the stadium later on. Chris once again took up his unofficial role as our cook, while I handled other household chores with Mike, who had arrived in the early hours of the morning.
At different points during the day, all three of us managed to catch some sleep, still feeling the effects of our long journey to Zanzibar. But, as always, the work had to continue.
Language remains a major challenge, yet communication must happen by any means possible. In Zanzibar, one noticeable thing is the extensive road construction currently underway, which often delays our trips to the city centre or stadium. Normally, traffic here is light, so encountering a long queue ahead of us came as quite a surprise.
We came across a man who, while trying to win the affection of a beautiful lady, also took the time to explain the situation to us. He revealed that the road had been closed in anticipation of the president’s motorcade passing through. As a result, we, along with many other tourists and locals, headed toward the City Centre, had to wait. The area is home to notable landmarks such as Amaan Stadium and the Abeid Amani Karume International Airport, which regularly receives a steady flow of tourist traffic.
As with many government convoys across Africa, this one was no small parade—I counted more than 30 vehicles as we waited for a police officer’s signal to proceed. In Zanzibar, the police—known locally as Polisi—stand out in crisp all-white uniforms, though they sometimes don all-green attire instead. The hold-up stretched beyond 15 minutes, and I couldn’t help but think that a few unlucky tourists on their way to the airport might have been sweating over missed flights.
Well, we made it to the Amaan Stadium in good time ahead of Nigeria’s Sunday training session. Before then, our opposition on Tuesday, Sudan, was already having its session. Off to the Media centre for some work, and preparation pending the arrival of the Eagles. I first spotted assistant coach Fidelis Ilechukwu, who is usually part of the advanced party alongside fitness trainer Thomas Gornourec and the team’s goalkeeper trainer Jean Daniel Padovani. Not long after, the team’s buses arrived for the training scheduled for 5:45pm local time.
Interestingly, the Sudanese side, who should have already wrapped up their session, were upset that the Super Eagles caught a glimpse of their closing drills. A CAF official quickly stepped in to calm the situation before the Eagles entered the pitch at around 6 p.m. The warm reception from the players, coaches, and staff made it clear they had missed having Nigerians around. Well, we’re here now, and the feeling is mutual.
After a short period with the team, we all headed back to the media centre to continue working. I had an interview with former CHAN Eagles midfielder Ifeanyi Ifeanyi, so read up on www.aclsports.com later.
After wrapping up the day’s activities and making our way back to the apartment—stepping in just a few minutes shy of midnight—it felt like time well spent. One thing is for sure: Zanzibar does not sleep totally.
See you guys tomorrow!
