Eusebio: From Monday, January 6, 2014, the Portuguese flag flew at half mast for three days. This was to mourn the great Eusebio a.k.a, O Rei (the King), Panthera Negra (black panther). 

Eusébio da Silva Ferreira, (25 January 1942 – 5 January 2014) was a Mozambican-born Portuguese football forward. He is considered one of the greatest footballers of all time. During his professional career, he scored 733 goals in 745 matches. 

He helped the Portuguese national team reach third place at the 1966 World Cup, being the top goalscorer of the tournament. He won the Ballon d’Or award in 1965 and was runner-up in 1962 and 1966. 

He is Benfica’s  all-time top scorer with 638 goals scored in 614 official games. He won eleven Primeira Liga titles, five Taça de Portugal titles, a European Cup (1961–62) and helped them reach three additional European Cup finals. He was the European Cup top scorer in 1965, 1966 and 1968. He also won the Bola de Prata (Primeira Liga top scorer award) a record seven times. He was the first ever player to win the European Golden Boot, in 1968, a feat he replicated in 1973.

He was also an immigrant whose roots are Mozambique and Angola and a childhood friend of former Mozambican President Joachim Chissano.

Mario Balotelli: Mario Barwuah Balotelli; (Born 12 August 1990) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Serie A club, Milan and the Italian national team.

Mario’ was born in Palermo, Italy to immigrants from Ghana. In 1993, he was placed under foster care to an Italian family, the Balotellis. Balotelli had to wait until his 18th birthday to request Italian citizenship.

Mario Balotelli is an Italian football superstar; he led the national team to semi-finals of Euro 2012. He is also a child of immigrants.

Lampedusa: this is the largest island in the southernmost part of Italy. It is only 113 Kilometers from Tunisia, which is the closest landfall to the islands. Sicily is farther at 176 Kilometers. It is 20.2 square Kilometers with a population of approximately 4,500. Its main industries are fishing, agriculture, and tourism. 

Lampedusa has also been a source of much sorrow to African migrants and their families. Since the early 2000s, the island has become a primary European entry point for migrants, mainly coming from Africa. They have died by their thousands in the sea enroute to Lampedusa. The ones who make it to the shore do not have it any better. They are held in overcrowded conditions and there have been reports of torture and gang rape of survivors.

The sea is an unforgiving place. Despite it migration has not stopped. Something is up. There are three possibilities: one; Lampedusa leads to some really good opportunities Two: something is very wrong where the migrants come from, back at home. Three; there is a huge systematic failure in the global socio-economic system that should be addressed fast.

The global economic system has reached an unsustainable level of inequality. That the migrants who make it have done very well back home through the money they send home. A system that encourages such inequalities should be rectified.

Europe and North America, whilst doing well economically, are not too far from a demographic fix in the near future. With a huge ageing population, the need for these ‘illegal migrants’ is very real. Africa, on the other hand has a burgeoning young population. Our African governments should think ‘entrepreneurially; and find ways of utilising this opportunity. 

The only reason the Lampedusa immigrants are illegal is because their home governments are not ‘backing them up’. Proper organisation and legal treaties need to be put in place so that the migration is not only safe but also productive. It can be a win-win situation.

Naturally, the first thing we have to fix is our internal (national systems). We have not only to give people opportunities; we must ensure that our citizens live in dignity and freedom. We cannot protect them out there if we cannot do the same at home.

To Italy, Europe, the Americas:  remember that Eusebio, Balotelli and Obama are products of immigration as you deal with these illegal immigrants. To the migrants; you are in our prayers.

The writer is an entrepreneurship Development Consultant based in Kigali