constant power
Since arriving in Brazil on June 15 and traversing many of its far flung cities, electricity has never gone off for a minute. Having travelled through cities like Sao Paulo, Curitiba, Cuiaba and Porto Alegre with ample distances in between them, not even once has there being a power outage. For the Brazilians, tales of cities not having electricity – power outage – could be likened to tales by moonlight. One was left to wonder at the chaos that could erupt if a power outage suddenly occurred to cripple the operations of the underground transport, the city mono rails and the numerous high rise buildings. The Brazilians have since mastered the art of sustaining power for as long as possible to keep their economy buoyant with the big and small businesses thriving. The South American nation is usually awash with tourists flocking into the various cities to blend with their endless festivities.
Okugbe loses valuables to Argentine fans
Felix Okugbe of the African Independent Television in Nigeria was treated to an unsavoury experience when a group of Argentine fans robbed him as he interviewed them. They surrounded him enthusiastically, while some of them robbed him of his Ipad, which they took from his carry-all bag. Okugbe said: “I only realised the Ipad was gone when I noticed that the bag was unzipped. I am now like fish out of water, without my quantum of information contained in the tools for my trade. I can easily replace the equipment, but can I easily replace the vital information and records in the facility?”
Taking freedom to unenviable height
It is the wish of all to have freedom of movement and that of association. These are inalienable rights as enshrined in the UN charter on human rights. But when these are taken to the limit, it could be nauseating. Kissing passionately in the streets with the police a few metres away is unthinkable in most African countries, but in Brazil it is the norm. In Nigeria and Uganda, they could be severely sanctioned or even face stiff prison terms. The gays have all trooped into Brazil to be part of the global celebration of the quadrennial football tournament.