Cameroon football legend and former Barcelona star Samuel Eto’o has strongly defended Africa’s right to speak openly, protect its interests and make independent decisions about the future of its football.
Eto’o made the remarks while responding to what he described as attacks and criticism directed at African voices, insisting that Africans should not be expected to remain silent when issues affecting the continent are being discussed.
He said he felt compelled to speak out in defence of Africa’s interests and ensure that the continent’s position was clearly expressed.
“It was enough for me to speak to defend our interests, the interests of Africa, so that they are all out.”
Eto’o also expressed concern over what he described as similar attacks and language being used by different journalists, suggesting that the arguments being presented against those defending African interests appeared to follow a similar pattern.
“As by chance, the same attacks, the same elements of language, relayed almost simultaneously by journalists who have acquired them.”
The former Cameroon international said the situation should serve as another example of what he believes is a wider problem surrounding the treatment of Africans who openly express their views and defend their convictions.
“If some still had doubts about the reality of what we are denouncing, here is a new illustration.”
According to Eto’o, there is an apparent contradiction in the way some people who regularly promote democratic values respond when an African openly exercises the same freedoms.
He argued that those who teach others about democracy sometimes appear uncomfortable when an African speaks freely, challenges opinions and refuses to remain silent.
“Those who spend their time teaching us democracy lessons seem to find it far more difficult to accept when an African speaks freely, defends his convictions and refuses to be silent.”
Eto’o maintained that Africans have every right to participate in discussions concerning their own football and to defend what they believe is in the best interest of the continent.
He stressed that Africa should not be denied the opportunity to determine its own football direction or have its interests represented by people from the continent.
“We have the right to speak.
We have the right to defend our interests.
We have the right to think and decide for our football.”
His comments underline his call for greater respect for African voices in football, particularly when decisions and debates have consequences for the continent.
Eto’o believes Africans must be confident enough to express their positions, defend their interests and take part in determining the future of their own football without being pressured into silence.
