Uganda Cranes need you today
May 30, 2008
A corporate lady pushing and shoving through a thick crowd of zealous, sweaty, smelly, rowdy football fans, making their way into Namboole Stadium? It is a task asked of men and only the football loving ones. That chaos, that irritating queue and those hooligans, they would break the woman!
By Carol Natukunda
A corporate lady pushing and shoving through a thick crowd of zealous, sweaty, smelly, rowdy football fans, making their way into Namboole Stadium? It is a task asked of men and only the football loving ones. That chaos, that irritating queue and those hooligans, they would break the woman!
Such unsavoury scenes are, however, a thing of the past at Namboole Stadium; it is nolonger far fetched to suggest that a corporate woman should be part of today’s crowd, cheering the Uganda Cranes against Niger.
Yes, the adrenaline will run just as high. The noise will be as deafening. Songs will be sung and a passionate cheer will ring round the stadium from the time the gates open at 10:00am till the end of the game at 6:00pm.
But there is nothing frightening or to dread. The sight of crowds jostling through the entrances has disappeared because tickets are sold days earlier and not at the entrance. It is a smooth sail through the gates as some corporate ladies who have already been there can testify.
“There was no problem. Last time, I was even allowed to go in with my car,†Olive Bale, a consumer segment manager of development markets at MTN says. “I would also love to go to Nakivubo but I think it is hectic down there. I’d go to Namboole any day.â€
When was the last time you screamed without raising an eye brow, making a scene or looking silly? I guess you are always uptight, at the office, because you cannot do this or that since its not expected of a lady. I am a lady and I know that stuff is sometimes stressing in itself.
Namboole should give you a chance to ditch your uptight self and do things you wouldn’t do in office. Let your hair loose, join in the noise-making and singing. You will be very surprised at how exciting and reinvigorating the experience brings as Josephine Omuyiide, the Public Relations Officer of the National Insurance Corporation, discovered during the Uganda Vs Nigeria match.
“I was thrilled! I loved the mix. I had a number of corporate people with me but you wouldn’t know it. They were blowing whistles, jumping and all that,†she says. “Time flies by so fast, you are all in high spirits, laughing and joking,†Omuyiide said.
So drop those classy suits and high heels. Replace them with tight jeans, T-shirts and caps or bandanas to protect your hair and head to Namboole. The rest is pretty simple – join the frenzied crowds, jump and yell your heart out in support of the Uganda Cranes.
Go along with one or two friends. Their presence will make screaming a lot easier! To avoid last minute gate crashes, go early. Don’t forget to carry a huge bottle of mineral water and a snack. Remember to travel light.
A corporate lady pushing and shoving through a thick crowd of zealous, sweaty, smelly, rowdy football fans, making their way into Namboole Stadium? It is a task asked of men and only the football loving ones. That chaos, that irritating queue and those hooligans, they would break the woman!
Such unsavoury scenes are, however, a thing of the past at Namboole Stadium; it is nolonger far fetched to suggest that a corporate woman should be part of today’s crowd, cheering the Uganda Cranes against Niger.
Yes, the adrenaline will run just as high. The noise will be as deafening. Songs will be sung and a passionate cheer will ring round the stadium from the time the gates open at 10:00am till the end of the game at 6:00pm.
But there is nothing frightening or to dread. The sight of crowds jostling through the entrances has disappeared because tickets are sold days earlier and not at the entrance. It is a smooth sail through the gates as some corporate ladies who have already been there can testify.
“There was no problem. Last time, I was even allowed to go in with my car,†Olive Bale, a consumer segment manager of development markets at MTN says. “I would also love to go to Nakivubo but I think it is hectic down there. I’d go to Namboole any day.â€
When was the last time you screamed without raising an eye brow, making a scene or looking silly? I guess you are always uptight, at the office, because you cannot do this or that since its not expected of a lady. I am a lady and I know that stuff is sometimes stressing in itself.
Namboole should give you a chance to ditch your uptight self and do things you wouldn’t do in office. Let your hair loose, join in the noise-making and singing. You will be very surprised at how exciting and reinvigorating the experience brings as Josephine Omuyiide, the Public Relations Officer of the National Insurance Corporation, discovered during the Uganda Vs Nigeria match.
“I was thrilled! I loved the mix. I had a number of corporate people with me but you wouldn’t know it. They were blowing whistles, jumping and all that,†she says. “Time flies by so fast, you are all in high spirits, laughing and joking,†Omuyiide said.
So drop those classy suits and high heels. Replace them with tight jeans, T-shirts and caps or bandanas to protect your hair and head to Namboole. The rest is pretty simple – join the frenzied crowds, jump and yell your heart out in support of the Uganda Cranes.
Go along with one or two friends. Their presence will make screaming a lot easier! To avoid last minute gate crashes, go early. Don’t forget to carry a huge bottle of mineral water and a snack. Remember to travel light.