In as much as performing the Hajj rites in the city of Makkah, the holiest place on the surface of the earth in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, was very spiritual fulfilling, it was also eventful with names of three personalities playing out: Sadio Mane, N'golo Kante, and former South African Priest, Ibrahim Richmond.
How did their names play out in the Holy City? Were they physically present to perform the Hajj?
After the Hajj rites comes shopping for souvenirs is a side attraction in Makkah. Friends and relatives will request for a gift; it's equally blissful to get them these gifts as token for being associated with the Holy Land.
Makkah has so many beautiful shops with emblems of Hajj, ranging from prayer rugs, rosaries (tasbies), Qur'an, perfumes, incenses, bottled zamzam water, thobes (long robes for men and women), abayas and veils. Besides, you can buy every other items from the beautiful shops dotted all over the city, especially at the Grand Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram), where the pilgrims congregate to seek the blessings and favours of Allah during Hajj and Umrah.
I set out to perform this aspect of Hajj, so I decided to wear a replica jersey of the Black Stars to gauge the popularity of our senior male national team in the Holy City, and to bait compatriots. When I stepped into a shop, the owner of the shop was ostensibly attracted to my jersey, he then approached me and asked me where I hail from.
I told the Arab (owner) that I come from Ghana. He touched my jersey and exclaimed "Sadioooo Maneeeee!!!" while giving me a thumbs up.
This gentle man from the Middle East quickly became my friend. He was obsessed and carried away by the exploits of the Senegalese football icon. As I tried to explain to him that I come from the land of Dede Ayew, Jordan Ayew, Mohammed Kudus, Partey, Asamoah Gyan, Abedi Pele, this man won't listen to me, but instead set his tongue wobbling "Sadioooo Maneeeee, Sadiooooo Maneeee..." with thumbs up.
He took me round the shop, and as I pointed to what I needed to buy. He tells me in "broken English language" "this 20 Riyals, but you Sadio Mane, I give you 10 Riyals". This man gave me a discount between 5 and 10 Riyals for all the souvenirs and gift items I bought from the shop.
The exchange rate is 3.7 Saudi Arabia Riyal (SAR) to one US $. My new-found Arabian friend crowned my shopping spree by decorating my head with a nice hat and said "this I5 Riyals, but Sadio Mane I give you free."
I said thank you to him and left feeling very honoured by the extension of the fame of the Senegalese AFCON 2021 (held in Cameroon 2022) winner to me. I don't blame my Arab friend for any mistaken identity. The conduct of the former Liverpool striker and 2019, 2022 African Footballer of the Year, both on field and off the field of play, has made him a global icon growing in stature beyond the shores of his homeland, Senegal to be a symbol of pan-Africanism, and by extension every black or African will assume his accolade.
There comes N'golo Kante, the French 2018 FIFA World Cup winner, who was pitching camp at Mina Tent City for the three-day casting of stone at the devil Hajj rite at Jamarat, word spread in our camp that Kante, the former Chelsea defensive midfielder, who now plays for the Saudi Professional League Club, Al-Ittihad, was among the millions of pilgrims, and as a guest of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Hajj programme.
My colleague on the Hajj trip came back to our camp, after a tour of the sprawling camp to confirm that he saw Kante surrounded by some soccer fans among the pilgrims. Yes, Kante was in Makkah to perform Hajj, but I missed the opportunity to grab him. Perhaps, he shied away from the crowd, for that matter from me.
Ideally, Hajj is for the N'golo Kantes; the man with the Lion's heart. Hajj is tough! The Hajj religious rites is very physical. One must be very healthy, strong and robust. One must be mentally alert with full consciousness in the supplications.
Like a football match, a pilgrim must play all his or her heart out, go into extra /additional time by supplicating all day and night, seeking the bountiful blessings, forgiveness and favours of Allah. One must have the temperament to go through the rites, in the multitudes of diverse human race, where there is no award of foul, free kick or penalty kick. Someone in the crowd will either intentionally or unintentionally step on your feet, push or shove you, all in the quest to touch the Kaaba in order to cast stones at the devil at Jamarat, and supplications at Mount Arafat. No turning back to complain, you have to get going!
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
While in Makkah, I sent a whatsApp message to a friend back in Ghana informing him that I was in the Holy Land performing Hajj. He quickly sent me a video that went viral about Ibrahim Richmond, a South African Christian priest, with a congregation of at least 100,000 who converted to Muslim. I messaged him back and told him that Yes, indeed the man is with us here at Mina Tent City to perform Hajj as a guest of the King. Actually, I saw him granting interview to journalists at the media centre at Mina Tent City.
Performing Hajj for the first time will certainly remain in my memory for life. A deeply moving spiritual experience, and the names of these personalities give Hajj 2023 another side attraction.
