Saturday 19 July 2014. The Vincent Massey Park was abuzz as hundreds of Nigerians and friends of Nigeria gathered for their annual summer mega picnic. There were food and drinks galore, sports and games for the children, plus live entertainment, topped by an inspirational speech by special guest, His Excellency, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, High Commissioner for Nigeria in Canada. His Excellency was also gracious enough to grant an on-the-spot interview to Black Ottawa Scene (See: “Interview: In Conversation With” section). The day’s celebrations were capped by the annual soccer derby between Ottawa’s Nigerian Super Eagles and the Ghana Black Stars at the Brewer Park. The game was filled with thrills and excitement, as the Eagles came from 3-0 down in the first half to win the trophy by a 4-3 goal margin. Kudos to the Nigerian Canadian Association of Ottawa, the various ethnic organizations and the churches which came together in a show of national unity to make this annual event a great success.
