Give a thought for Botswana players

Franceville is Gabon's second largest city. It was discovered by a French explorer called Pierre de Brazza sometime in 1872 and boasts some of the most wonderful historical sites in the world. Its flora and fauna as well as green lush fields are a result of the prevalent tropical conditions due to its geographical location along the equator.

The locals have taken advantage of the rainy season all year round and the rich soil to plant coffee, sugar cane and cocoa in large quantities while mangoes, bananas, avocados and paw-paws grow wild across the countryside. The country also boasts of mineral resources like manganese while crude oil has contributed to the country being classified among the wealthiest in Africa.

Thanks largely to football, I have been able to learn a little more about my continent, in fact, I now know a lot more about Africa, something that could have taken my geography teachers a lifetime to teach me about Mother Africa, her children, her challenges, traditions and culture and what generally makes Africa tick.

I am not ashamed to admit that prior to 1998, I had no idea that Burkina Faso was previously known as Upper Volta. I will not blame my geography teachers though for my ignorance. But thanks to the 1998 African Nations Cup, I was able to familiarise myself with tongue twisting names such as Ouagadougou and Bobo Diolasso.

Now the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations is upon us and as part of the SuperSport crew covering the event, we find ourselves criss-crossing the southern region of Gabon where teams in Group D are based. We have discovered rural areas like Ngouni (where Ghana is based); Moanda in the north where Guinea is based and Bongoville in the North-West where Botswana and Mali are sharing lodgings as well as training facilities!

Zambia got the tournament to an explosive start. Equatorial Guinea had also caused a major upset by defeating Libya and in the process won themselves US$1-m that had been offered by the son of their state president. Then Angola shaded Burkina Faso 2-1 and hell, it seems like we are headed for a magic carpet ride.

Who said that without Nigeria, Cameroon, Egypt, Algeria and South Africa the tournament will lack spark? In fact, I think it was a good thing that these countries are absent so that they must watch with envy from the sidelines and eat their hearts out when they realise that your name alone does not guarantee you qualification.

It is also about time that the tournament unearthed new faces as we were getting tired of the same usual suspect in nearly every tournament. Now let us see what the newcomers can bring to the table. Cote d'Ivoire never really got out of the starting blocks against Sudan and Ghana sound a little nervous going into their match against Botswana.

There is an argument raging around here though. Equatorial Guinea's offer of US$1-m to their squad to win their opening match against Libya as well as Botswana's failure in their request for a US$13 000 each appearance fee has literally let the cat among pigeons. There are those who claim Botswana players must consider their appearance at this tournament as an honour.

That they should put the honour of their country first and forget about money. Well, that may be the case and I respect people's opinions. And much as I will defend unto death other people's right to express their opinions, I also have strong opinions against those views and disagrees totally that Botswana players should look to their national flag as motivation and not allow money issues to cloud their judgement and affect their patriotism.

It is this thinking that has led to CAF believing that nations are happy to receive a token prize for participating in the Nations Cup. But if you consider that just to bring all your European-based players and to hold camp three weeks prior to the start of the tournament costs an arm and leg, people would change their minds.

Barcelona earned €55-m for winning the European Champions League in 2011. Africa Cup of Nations winners take home US$1.2-m, in this age and time of professionalism and commercialism, are we downgrading Africa's premier national tournament to an extent that the winner should be contend with such a pittance?

Has it occurred to African football followers why many top African players miss the Nations Cup and cite pressure from their own European clubs or fake injuries just so that they should miss the tournament? And if they come, how many of them apply themselves diligently and put admirable effort in their performances?

I accept that Equatorial Guinea might boast of large barrels of oil and can afford to offer their players an incentive win bonus of US$1-m, but are Botswana players unreasonable in demanding at least US$13 000 each? Are they greedy as they have been painted in some quarters?

I think the Botswana Football Association has terribly let down their own players by failing to raise the kind of sponsorship that would have enabled them to offer the Zebras incentives for putting their country on the world map by qualifying for this tournament.

No amount of marketing and gimmicks since Botswana gained independence from Britain in 1964 has been able to promote the country as much as Mompati Thumo and his gang have managed to do since they qualified for the Afcon in September last year and they deserved better.