Lagos — Mobile phone ring tones rendering polyphonic versions of K'naan's 2010 World Cup theme song is a constant reminder that the South Africa 2010 World Cup may have come and gone but the drama and excitement of the first FIFA World Cup to be hosted in Africa is in no hurry to be cordoned behind the corridors of our memories. It almost appears that South Africa was determined to sustain the stir that Sepp Blatter's endorsement of FIFA's World Cup hosting right to an African country generated by upturning previous World Cup conventions

From, 'Paul' - the oracular Octopus that shared the klieg lights with celebrated football stars by its accurate match predictions to the "maraca", a modified miners" helmet, to Jabulani, the ball specifically designed by the German kit company partners of FIFA, the global football ruling body of the game; Adidas, to the Vuvuzela that has merited its entry into the Oxford dictionary, the land of the Great Zulu warriors unleashed full African spirit both in infrastructure, organisation and entertainment.

The 2010 World Cup wasn't going to come to an end without South Africa scoring another first. Bafana Bafana went down in history as the first host nation team to crash out in the first round in the cup's 80 year-history!

It was somewhat of an embarrassment for the team, government, fans and all. This situation potentially posed a huge distraction for the World Cup; save for the South African government, which managed their official statements in this regard. More of the credit however goes to the local media in South Africa who allowed reason to prevail above emotion; nationalism above vain glory in their mature handling of their national teams' dismal performance.

True, falling out in the first round of a tournament that cost your country over $1.28b is certainly not one of the best ways to show appreciation. But the understanding of the colossal effect a negative publicity or untamed scolding of the boys during the tournament may have restrained them from dispensing their 'watch dog' functions.

Now, let us play back to October 11 2008. Samuel "Nigerian Nightmare" Peter, the 6 feet 1 inch WBC heavyweight champion and 2000 Olympian, locked horns with Vitali Klitschcko, retired but comebacking WBC title holder and brother to IBF, WBO and IBO champion, Wladir Klitschcko.

The match, which took place in Berlin, Germany, did enjoy a quantum hype and public discourse in Nigeria in the weeks preceding the it. It had ended with Peter being knocked out (A fate he only suffered once before this fight in his 10 year professional boxing history). Analysts believe Samuel was overweight and ill prepared for this match. Vitali's on-target punches and Samuel's badly contoured face at the end of eight rounds bout buttressed this position.

The concern of this piece however, is not so much about why or how "The Nigerian Nightmare" lost this fight. Though an admirer of the precision of punches and dexterity of movement that characterise good boxing, the violent nature of the sport offers quite a discouragement from watching. My real worry lies in the way the Nigerian media reported the defeat of a Nigerian who adorned Nigerian national colours in spite of his dual-citizenship status in a title-defense match.

Samuel Okon Peter, who earned his nick name The Nigerian Nightmare as a result of his string of first round knockout of his opponents both in his amateur and professional boxing career, represented Nigeria in the 2000 Sydney Olympics, put up an impressive performance and went as far as the quarter finals. A master of killer punches, Peter became the Nigerian amateur heavyweight and Africa Zone 3 Heavyweight champion before moving to the United States to pursue a professional boxing career.

Even in the dreaded spooky klieg lights of Las Vegas' square rings where many a great boxer have met their waterloo, Samuel proved to those who had any doubts about his skills as a boxer that they were wrong to doubt him after he strewn up consecutive wins and TKO. (34-3, 27KOs)

"The Nigerian Nightmare", without prejudice, had a choice like other international sports men to represent their adopted home-countries. Nedum Onuoha, Gabriel Agbonlaho, both of Nigerian parentage and playing in the English premiership have refused to answer the call of fatherland, Francis Obikwelu is a Nigerian, born in Nigeria, bred in Nigeria and even started his athletic career in Nigeria. But ended up his professional career in the colours of Spain. But Samuel's choice is to represent his Fatherland. His decision to hoist the country's flag in diasporas, whether we like it or not, is patriotism.

But in Nigeria, the headlines and the accompanying pictures that reported his defeat were nothing short of irresponsible behaviour. Our sight was stained with these embarrassing pictures for weeks. The headlines were screaming. "Samuel Peter disgraced" Klitschko is Samuel Peter's nightmare" - a few of the captions that summarized the bout that ended in favour of a Ukrainian! This, in my opinion, borders on gross misuse of pen power.

What the Nigerian media did, is to me similar to the tragic story of the heart-pricking betrayal of Julius Ceaser, summarised in the phrase Et tu Brute, as the emperor's last words before he fell. Not to Brutus knife, but to the pain of betrayal from a trusted confidant and soul mate. If we search deeper, Samuel Peter's pain and embarrassment of defeat may have come from the uncharitable pen of the Nigerian journalist than the fists of his Ukranian conqueror.

Do our media practitioners realise that national pride is not an exclusive attribute of politicians and statesmen? Did they bother to judge their actions against its likely impact on the psyche of Samuel Peter, the Nigerian people and the likes of Yemi Akanni, an undiscovered amateur boxer, financially challenged, most likely undernourished and often wearing inappropriate training gear, chanced every now and then during work out sessions at the National Stadium in SportsCity, Surulere Lagos?

How then, do we ingrain this spirit of nationalism we claim we so desire if we dump our flag bearers at any hint of failure? Is nationalism achieved by merely flooding our airwaves with boring and over simplified jingles or rehearsed speeches by politicians?

Writers, like other Nigerians, need to know that those who stand up in service to their Fatherland need to be encouraged both in victory and defeat because out of the ashes of failure, shall success spring. This way, Akanni and others like him will come to know and appreciate that we sometimes pass by failure on our way to success, to borrow the words of Mickey Rooney

This abuse of the pen serves as a reawakening for individuals and organisations that simply believe that their public relations portfolio can be steered by just any good writer or journalist. The humiliating reporting in Nigerian media, of the Samuel Peter/Vitali Klitschko fight is a classic example.

As a more trim-looking, Samuel "The Nigerian Nightmare" Peter faces up to a re-match this Saturday in Commerzbank-Arena, Germany, the adopted home of current IBO and WBO champion, Wladimir Klitschko - a contender he lost to in 2005 on a slim unanimous decision, it is hoped that in addition to the vuvuzelas that made their way into the hand luggage of many Nigerian journalists who covered the World Cup, they should also learn the lesson of information management.

This has been exemplified by the South African media, which invariably dictated the interest, or lack of it, by the international media in the inability of Bafana Bafana to go beyond the first round of the 2010 World Cup. It should manifest in them in their post-Saturday report of the bout in that whatever the outcome of this 5-year becomes, there should be a need to exercise caution in the criticism of the home boy's performance and in the language of reportage to be employed.

To Samuel Peter, I urge him to arm himself with the morale of the fable of a man running a race in the village square; booed on one side by competitors and detractors and cheered on the other by friends and relatives. On breasting the tape first, he was asked which of the sides inspired him to win the race. His reply: "Neither. I didn't hear the booing or the cheering. I kept my eyes on the finish line until the crown was mine!"

Zulu-Okafor is PR: E-Marketing of D-Day Ltd