The Giannis Antetokounmpo Story
I just finished watching our young brother Giannis Antetokounmpo profiled on CBS’ “60 Minutes”, the best in American television. Giannis was born in Greece by Nigerian parents. He plays for Milwaukee Bucks, an NBA team. In 2016–17, he led the “Bucks in all five major statistical categories and became the first player in NBA history to finish a regular season in the top 20 in total points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks”. He is a top five NBA star.
Giannis is a Greek. The Greeks rent trucks to see him play. He is a very humble young man, always joining them to sing their anthem. His story is very inspiring.
But watching news commentators reminds me of the double standard in this world. Giannis is profiled as a European but children of immigrants who run into troubles are always Nigerians.
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The story of Giannis is the African story.
When you are very good, it simply means that you cannot be a Nigerian, that's essentially what it means, and that's how the foreign media see it.
If you come from a certain background, with a lot of baggage, you are expected to always prove and re-validate yourself, else you would be written off.
It's not possible to legislate on how one should be seen or perceived by another anyway, but you can always do things right and be consistent; the good heads would gradually drop their sentiments and recognise who you are.
Is there anything about the system of this world that gives hope? Even the aspects that look good and noble has too many things shrouded in secrecy. Anyone who expects better from people whose lives are ruled by the ordinances of this world system will always share bed with misery.
The Western world would wish that every good person, by their standard, is never African while all the bad people have their base in Africa. We may look at this and really complain about these double standards. However we need to look in ward and observe how this double standard walks side-by-side with us here in Nigeria.
I wish the double standard in Nigeria is worse than that of the Western world. The worst is living in your own country and having to be wickedly treated with ignominy and rejection just because of the tribe your parents come from. To governments here you are Nigerian only when they cannot do away with the honor your achievement brings within to their time in power.
It's everywhere my brother but the worse is when you suffer same in your own country.