Sports
Adingra, Diakité – new Ivorian wave
Ouma Diakité
Carefree, innovative, ambitious and above all, full of talent. Simon Adingra and Ouma Diakité represent the next generation of Ivorian football.
Aged 22 and 20 respectively, the two young men experienced winding paths before being the protagonists of the Elephants’ qualification for the semi-final of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations, Cote d’Ivoire 2023.
Standing at 1.75 meters tall, Simon Adingra had a difficult journey before becoming a footballer.
“I’ve had some difficult times, and that has shaped my character. I remember the day an “agent” came to my house because he wanted to recruit me to go to an academy in Benin. With nine other boys, we went to this country except that the academy in question did not exist. The crook left with our money, and we found ourselves on the street. I had to take on odd jobs to meet my needs” he says.
“When I think of everything I have experienced, I must give the best of myself, for my country, my family, especially to honour my father who is no longer with us and who has always encouraged us to go this direction,” he explains.
Entering the game in the 86th minute against Mali, the right winger conditioned himself to be decisive and alert.
“I told myself that I was going to have an opportunity and that it was up to me to seize it. And yes I am lucky. I can tell you that it was, as an individual, one of my biggest emotions as a footballer. My heart was beating a thousand miles an hour,” admitted Adingra.
Another rising star is of course Oumar Diakité. Like Adingra, number 14 of the Elephants came into play during the second period of the match against the Eagles.
Active on the left flank, the native of Bingerville wasted no time in getting noticed. First by receiving a yellow card then by scoring the winning goal on a play initiated by Simon Adingra, before being unfortunately sent off.
“My joy was so great that I forgot that I had a yellow card, my mistake. I couldn’t play the half, but I don’t think it will hurt my team because we have the depth, and even if I’m not there, we’ll be able to do the job,” said Diakité.
To be the Cote d’Ivoire hero, Diakité imagined it for a long time and even dreamt of it.
“It’s an inexplicable feeling. During my training at ASEC, I began training as an engineer. Even though I was thriving in football, I needed to secure my life in a certain way because everything moves very quickly in this world.” — Cafonline.com
Sports
Bawumia Has Good Ideas And Programmes For Ghana, Not 24-Hour Discos– Pres Akufo-Addo
The President of the Republic Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is confident that Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia remains best qualified on our political market to lead the country into the much desired fourth industrial revolution.
According to the President, who is currently on a two-day visit of the Northern, North East and Savanna regions, Dr. Bawumia has been well prepared, and he is now ready to become President.
Whilst asking for the support and effort of the Nayiri and the people of Mamprugu for their son, the Vice President, President Akufo-Addo said, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia is a man of good ideas and good programmes for the country.
“He is not proposing 24-hour discotheques. He is the man best qualified to lead Ghana into the fourth industrial revolution. So I want us to work together make sure he becomes the next president of this country,” he said.
Establishing the premise of his remarks, President Akufo-Addo said he is asking for the support not just because he is a son of Mampruguland, but because, “Dr Bawumia is extremely competent, fit and able to be our next President.
“I’ve worked with him for these past sixteen years and apart from being capable, competent and intellectually well-endowed, he is also a man of great loyalty, principled and honest. I am confident that if the people of Ghana agree with me and give him the chance, he will make an excellent President,” he added.
He was confident that if Ghanaians agree with him, and give Dr Bawumia the chance, “he will make an excellent President.”
According to him “Like all big Chiefs get concerned about matters relating to who succeeds them the person who will occupy your seat after you, the difference between us is that you will never know who will follow you, but in my case, I will know who will follow me.”
“Because you are a monarch and you will reign until you die, its only after your death that your successor is chosen, but I am a republican and democratic Chief, and I know who will succeed me. So I’ve come here to ask for your support to make sure that your son, my Vice President, Mahamudu Bawumia succeeds me,” he concluded.
Sports
Appiah Kubi named Ex-National Goalkeepers Union best Premier League goalkeeper for September
Medeama SC’s Appiah Kubi has been named September’s Goalkeeper of the Month, recognizing his outstanding performances in the Ghana Premier League’s opening round.
The talented shot-stopper achieved two clean sheets in three consecutive Premier League victories during September.
Notably, Kubi is the first Medeama SC goalkeeper to receive this award since the 2023/24 season.
The shot stopper will receive a pair of gloves, branded towel, water bottles and T-shirt from the Ex- National Goalkeepers Union (NEGU).
