Africa Is a Country

Prince Amukamara of New York

Africa Is a Country Podcast
African Five-a-Side Podcast

Prince Amukamara of New York

By
Sean Jacobs

It’s the socialist National Football League (of America’s) Draft in New York City this week and one of the two local teams, the New York Giants (they actually play in New Jersey), picked Prince Amukamara, a cornerback from Nebraska, who grew up in the suburbs of Glendale, Arizona. His name and family history (his grandfather was a Nigerian king), and of course a certain wedding in London, was enough for some New York media to go heavy on cheap royal references.

Here’s a few lines from New York Post (that’s their back page above) columnist Steve Serby:

He coulda been King of the City. And the Giants picked a Prince instead. Prince Amukamara … A short-armed cornerback whose family comes from royal bloodlines in Nigeria. Whose grandfather was the king of the Awo-Omamma in Imo State of Nigeria, whose father Romanus was chief. … I’ll be honest, I might know Prince Amukamara from Prince William if I saw them together.

New York Post Reporter Paul Schwartz:

There’s little not to like about Amukamara, who comes from royal Nigerian bloodlines. His grandfather was a local king and his father, Romanus, was a chief.

I’m not sure how being a prince helps you on the field.

The Daily News wasn’t any different with its “Royal Wedding! Giants select a Prince” headline and a similar photograph of Amukamara and some of his family members.

More sober was The New York Times. Buried in a long piece about football tactics, player comparisons, etcetera, was this:

His first name is derived from a family of royal Nigerian bloodlines. His grandfather was the king of the Awo-Omamma in Imo State of Nigeria. His father, Romanus, once held the title of chief. He could have been next in line to be chief, but “a lot of stuff would have to come into play. I would have to live there to be chief, basically,” Amukamara said.

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