Caribbean History & Culture
Discover the Caribbean’s rich history and culture shaped by African heritage. Learn about slavery, colonialism, independence movements, music, dance, festivals, and traditions that reflect the African influence in the Caribbean.
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How Pele Ended a war in Africa
Nigeria experienced civil war from July 1967 until January 1970. Pele, the G.O.A.T., appeared to have the power to halt the conflict. According to legend, the Nigerian civil war was temporarily interrupted in 1969 by the legendary Brazilian footballer Pele and his team, Santos, when Nigeria and Biafra agreed to set their differences aside so that Santos might play in the nation. But did this actually occur? And why did the best player in the world come to Nigeria in the first place? In this article, I examine the past to uncover the true tale of Pele in Nigeria. The Match in Lagos with Pele In January 1969, the Brazilian team Santos set off on a lucrative football tour of Africa. Exhibition games were scheduled to take place in Algeria, Ghana, The Congo, Nigeria, and Mozambique. The tour’s main attraction was Pele, the finest football player in the world at the time and a player for Santos. He had previously won two world championships and would lead Brazil to their most illustrious triumph in Mexico the following year. He attracted large audiences, which allowed Santos to demand huge appearance fees for their exhibition games. Fans were prepared to pay to watch him play against their clubs because they wanted to see him perform.…
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