KAMPALA. Ms Alison Blackburne breathes Liverpool. She puffs not just the United Kingdom city, but Liverpool Football Club as well.
The British High Commissioner to Uganda, clad in a black dress under the gentle lights of her residence balcony at Nakasero, runs through a list of Liverpool achievements over the years before stressing: “As a matter of fact, Liverpool is the most successful football club in Britain.”
Ms Blackburne (pic above) was delivering a wit-filled speech at the official flag-off to Anfield, Liverpool of the Cipla Quality Chemicals Football Team, who won the corporate 2016 Standard Chartered Cup, on Tuesday night. Midway, she spanned in one step into her living room, picked her hand bag and pulled out a small book that bore some of the club legends.
Holding it aloft, she joked, rather sternly: “The things you should not mention when you are in Liverpool; Man Utd… And well, Everton.”
Scouse dialect
Ms Blackburne then warned the travelling contingent. “The Scouse accent can be tough,” she joshed, “You may need some interpretation.
“But since I will be in Liverpool, I will be your interpreter. I will also show you around my beautiful city.”
Scouse is a dialect of English found primarily in the Metropolitan county of Merseyside, and closely associated with the city of Liverpool.
Ms Blackburne then asked how many of the Cipla players supported Liverpool. One out of seven hands, only one went up.
Unflinching, she approved. “You will enjoy.” Chorused laughter from invited guests followed.
“Anyway,” Ms Blackburne went on, “Most of us here support Liverpool, apart from someone over there who is a great fan of Norwich,” pointing at Samuel Paice, the Head of Communications at the Consulate.
The Cipla team, as a prize for winning the Standard Chartered Cup, leave for the UK on May 5 and will watch the Premier League match between Liverpool and Watford at Anfield three days later.
amwanguhya@ug.nationmedia.com
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