2,006
edits
Super Africa Rally: Difference between revisions
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
→Background
(→Teams) Tags: Mobile edit Mobile web edit |
Tags: Mobile edit Mobile web edit |
||
| Line 70: | Line 70: | ||
One of the participants in the 1958 Great West Africa Rally, Libertan {{W|magnate|business magnate}} and eccentric Harold Granius, was fascinated with the rally, but viewed its execution as far too elitist and antiquated. He consulted the ''Libertan National Motorsports Organization'' (LNMO), of which he was a member, about the possibility of conducting a similar competition, but to a professional degree. The organization did not seriously consider his idea, which it viewed as far too ambitious and bombastic, until he managed to win support from the neocolonialist ''African Interest Bureau'' (AIB), which had connections to the Libertan government. Granius spent the next two years traveling and visiting various foreign dignitaries across western Africa. During the early 1960's, the last colonies in Africa were granted independence. Granius viewed this tumultuous time as ideal for leveraging political favors in order to achieve the materialization of an African rally. He reportedly managed to convince many African leaders by branding the rally as a {{W|Pan-Africanism|Pan-African}} idea, bringing a "modern form of sport" into the hands of the newly emancipated Africans. | One of the participants in the 1958 Great West Africa Rally, Libertan {{W|magnate|business magnate}} and eccentric Harold Granius, was fascinated with the rally, but viewed its execution as far too elitist and antiquated. He consulted the ''Libertan National Motorsports Organization'' (LNMO), of which he was a member, about the possibility of conducting a similar competition, but to a professional degree. The organization did not seriously consider his idea, which it viewed as far too ambitious and bombastic, until he managed to win support from the neocolonialist ''African Interest Bureau'' (AIB), which had connections to the Libertan government. Granius spent the next two years traveling and visiting various foreign dignitaries across western Africa. During the early 1960's, the last colonies in Africa were granted independence. Granius viewed this tumultuous time as ideal for leveraging political favors in order to achieve the materialization of an African rally. He reportedly managed to convince many African leaders by branding the rally as a {{W|Pan-Africanism|Pan-African}} idea, bringing a "modern form of sport" into the hands of the newly emancipated Africans. | ||
Granius initially wished to call the rally the "West Africa Rally", but found the abbreviation of "WAR" to be problematic. He instead settled on the name "Super African Rally", taking advantage of the {{W|cognate}} ''super'' also existing in the French language. Together, Granius, other members of the LNMO, and fifteen dignitaries representing the coastal countries along the west African coast met in Lagos to deliberate on an agreement. Together they drafted the Super Africa Rally accords, which each country was to sign if they agreed to be a host of the rally. In total, 15 independent countries were signatories, along with the {{W|United Kingdom}} (on behalf of {{W|Gambia Colony and Protectorate|Gambia}}), {{W|Portugal}} (on behalf of {{W|Portuguese Guinea|Guinea-Bissau}} and {{W|Portuguese Angola|Angola}}), {{W|Francoist Spain|Spain}} (on behalf of {{W|Spanish Guinea|Equatorial Guinea}}), and {{W|Union of South Africa|South Africa}} (on behalf of {{W|South West Africa|Namibia}}). In addition, Liberta was also a signatory, through the the LNMO. This brought the total number to 20, and by June 1961 all countries had ratified the agreement. | Granius initially wished to call the rally the "West Africa Rally", but found the abbreviation of "WAR" to be problematic. He instead settled on the name "Super African Rally" (later changed to "Super Africa Rally"), taking advantage of the {{W|cognate}} ''super'' also existing in the French language. Together, Granius, other members of the LNMO, and fifteen dignitaries representing the coastal countries along the west African coast met in Lagos to deliberate on an agreement. Together they drafted the Super Africa Rally accords, which each country was to sign if they agreed to be a host of the rally. In total, 15 independent countries were signatories, along with the {{W|United Kingdom}} (on behalf of {{W|Gambia Colony and Protectorate|Gambia}}), {{W|Portugal}} (on behalf of {{W|Portuguese Guinea|Guinea-Bissau}} and {{W|Portuguese Angola|Angola}}), {{W|Francoist Spain|Spain}} (on behalf of {{W|Spanish Guinea|Equatorial Guinea}}), and {{W|Union of South Africa|South Africa}} (on behalf of {{W|South West Africa|Namibia}}). In addition, Liberta was also a signatory, through the the LNMO. This brought the total number to 20, and by June 1961 all countries had ratified the agreement. | ||
=== The first rallies === | === The first rallies === | ||