Features
The obituary of Ghana soccer (Final Part)
Check out the African ringmaster, ‘Senior Professor Azumah Nelson, the man who regard his opponents as his son and thrashes them accordingly. Whenever he is going to fight anywhere in the world, he does so to win honour for Ghana first and foremost, and then himself.
Judging from his visage whenever the Ghana national anthem is being played and the way his muscles are tuned, not forgetting the look in his eyes, his patriotism can best be described as jingoistic.
Even the flag of Ghana stirs him on, transforming him to look like a tiger ready to kill for Mother Ghana, ready to die for the motherland. That can never be said of our soccer professionals who went to Tunisia just to go and quarrel and lose a vital match.
They even had to be begged and promised bonuses before agreeing to play. What treason! This is a classic example to treasonable felony against the State and Republic of Ghana.
At this juncture, I may congratulate the GFA Coordinator of the Black Stars for a good job done in saying everything in plain and lucid language. Mr Oheneba-Charles, a veteran sportswriter and one of the all-time best, said the whole truth in great detail and did not gloss over a single point.
We know what really happened and no one can speculate any longer unless the persons want to end up day dreaming.
What is worrying is that Osei Kofi’s Polos and Razaks did not behave like this? And there were better players in all departments of the game. Those glorious days of Ghana soccer when players were prepared to die to bring the Cup home are indeed over. There is no more dedication and love for Ghana, only MONEY, MONEY and MONEY!
After all, what does Ghana mean to our present-day professionals? They regard Ghana as a small poor African country dreaming of becoming a world football champion nation that can never be. So why should they worry their heads over a country with about 20 million whimsical citizen?
And we honour them yearly – SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR-with all the fanfare and pageantry. But do they care for Ghana? They care about their monies abroad. Damn Ghana!
No one can now gainsay the fact that Abedi Pele, Tony Yeboah and Prince Õpoku have in various ways contributed to the death of Ghana soccer by either having over-weaning thoughts of themselves, not being dedicated and creating division and forming cliques and alliances within the team.
Even if we are to use professionals again in international assignments, it would be very stupid on our part to include these old guards. They have done what Napoleon could do and have not helped us to win a single tournament. So enough is enough.
Young professionals like lightning striker Charles Akunnor, Kofi Mbeah and the budding, promising, guys who want to make a name and are showing dedication should be brought in alongside the locals.
What about the head coach and the technical men? The only problem with them is that they were scared of losing their jobs. At least what they were being paid took care of daily chopmoney, school fees and beer. So why would they want to incur the displeasure of their bosses and jeopardise the regular flow of their incomes? Perhaps one should not blame them excessively. ABRABO YE HARD!
However, on this occasion I think they deserve the sack, and I’d explain why? They stooped too low for their status. They allowed Abedi Pele and other self- appointed elements in the Stars team to virtually make the selection for the matches.
How can a coach make his selection and ask Abedi to approve of it and allow him to make alteration where he deemed fit. Any coach who does that is not worth his pay.
If Jim Amoah and Aggrey-Fynn were coaches worth a name, they wouldn’t have allowed the boys to blackmail them the way they did.
If Abedi wanted someone to play and he wasn’t allowed and he threatened not to play, it could only have been a threat anyway, and not an action.
And threats should not have cowed the coaches.
And of course when the Black Stars were playing in all their matches, our head coach did not behave like a coach at all. In contrast to the Malian coach, Jim Amoah looked like any ordinary spectator.
The Malian coach really pepped his boys on. At least he could be seen barking like a dog on many occasions and this kept the players in line and they got to the semi-final stage.
Westerhoff, the Nigerian coach, was worse and did more overtime than even the players, which paid off eventually. He was constantly wailing, crying, dancing and doing everything short of flying like a vulture, to keep the team progressing. They won the cup.
And from his demeanour, I don’t think even all the power of the Nigerian Armed Forces could have forced him to change his selection for the matches they played. Of course, he’ll tell you in any language, fair or foul, to “clear off” or “go burn the sea.” Perhaps, we really need a coach of his kind.
Yes, we need a coach who can tell Tony Yeboah to remove his cap during training or pack and leave if he defaults, or to tell Abedi to forget about ‘Vegebom’ and rally round the boys or tell Prince Opoku to start from the bench and to “sharrup” if he talks “rubbish”. In Tunisia the Stars team lacked discipline and this brought about the obituary of Sikaman soccer.
And now the Ghana Football Association (GFA). I don’t really know what to say of them. Normally they claim they do not “interfere” with the work of the coaches but rather “intervene”. It is doubtful which of the two words is more destructive to Ghana soccer.
The GFA boss, Nana Butler assumed the air and stance of a generallisimo and psychedelically dissolved the national team and fired the coaches and technical men right in Tunisia. That was too revolutionary for a democratic era.
He should first have come home to mourn and drink akpeteshie with fellow Ghanaians who are still mourning the death of Ghana soccer. Then after the wake-keeping and burial, he could proceed to dissolve the team and pay off Jim Amoah and Aggrey-Fynn
But it didn’t happen that way, because the man says he has thick-skin. And with this kind of skin, he wanted a so-called newly-formed Stars to play two friendlies in South Africa. It would have been the worst disaster Ghana has ever encountered.
Features
The Prophet part 4
Antobam woke up with a terrible headache. He checked the time on his mobile phone, 2:30 am. “What! Where is the money?” He asked aloud. “Where are those girls? Why did I drink so much of that whisky? What were those two girls up to?” He sat up on the bed and noticed a bulge close to the pillow.
He lifted the mattress and picked up the newspaper wrappers with the neatly arranged notes. He saw the neatly written record of the value of the notes. No, those girls are not thieves.
“It was my mistake. If I hadn’t drank myself to sleep they would be here in bed with me, giving me the time of my life. Pretty girls, those two. And so loyal and honest. Tomorrow will be different.”
“I will not drink any whisky, and I will show them that I am a real man. Just then he heard the whispers. Very soon it will be time, they seemed to be saying. This is an important day.”
The gold dealer will bring lots of money. Give him some of the liquid to drink, and we will prepare him. He will do very big business, and he will give you anything you ask for. There will be more miracles and testimonies today.
Antobam smiled to himself. “I am going to be a very rich man in only a few days man. Money, power, and women. Wow! Antobam got to the grounds at 5, but there were quite a number of people waiting.
Mr Kwame Dofu was among them. He greeted them all, and they came around to shake his hand. “My brothers and sisters, I assure you that whatever your problem is, you will not go home without a solution.” Shouts of “Amen” “thank” you Osofo and “you are a true man of God” responded.
“Please take your seats, and start talking to the great one about whatever bothers you. Before the service is over, there will be a solution.” He waved Mr Dofu over, and went with him to the wooden structure that serves as a temporary office.
“My brother, I have done quite a lot of work on the issue you came to see me about. I have prepared a special, powerful package for you. Take this, drink it, and go back to your business. I want to see you in two weeks.”
Beaming with smiles, Mr Dofu drank the foul smelling liquid in two gulps, said a big thank you to Antobam and took his leave. “I believe you, Papa Osofo. And I assure you that I will reward you, big time.”
Just when Osofo Antubam finished with Mr Dofu, Mary and Suzzie went over to him. “Good Morning ladies. I am very sorry about yesterday. I drank too much of the stuff you gave me. Today will be different, I assure you.”
“Don’t worry, Osofo. Since you are now setting things up, our main concern now is to help you to put things in place, and to make you comfortable. We are always there to serve you. This morning, Osofo, we want to go and clean up your place, and prepare something nice for you when you close.
And before coming to church, we will pass by the bank and collect the forms. After you have signed them, the account will be open. You can check the payments anytime and, of course, issue cheques whenever you need money.”
“Suzzie and Mary, I am happy I picked the two of you from the very start. Listen, I will take good care of you, okay? Here is some money. Buy whatever you need for the errands you have mentioned.
And here is the key. Please come back as early as you can. You know I need you here.” The service was very lively. The lively singing of praise songs was followed by one and a half hours of testimonies.
Most of them related to money – big sales, new jobs and overdue debts paid. But there were also testimonies about healing. Barren women had taken seed, and, of course, several men who had lost their bedroom authority had regained them, to the delight of their partners.
As he had promised, Antobam preached for only 30 minutes, exhorting the congregation to attend church regularly, pay their tithes and offerings, and strictly follow his ‘directions’ for securing solutions to their problems.
After another round of praises during which the congregation danced to the floor to drop their offering, he closed the service, grabbed the big bowl which was full to the brim with money, and moved to his desk. A long queue was quickly formed at the desk.
Meanwhile, Mary and Suzzie had gone to give Antobam’s place quite a decent look. A new bedsheet and pillows, a secondhand carpet and four plastic chairs placed in the verandah had done the trick.
They also prepared two fish and chicken stews. After all these, they rushed to the National Savings Bank and collected application forms for opening current and savings accounts.
They joined the service a few minutes before the main session closed. Antobam looked round and saw, to his relief, Mary and Suzzie moving towards him. “Hello ladies. What have you been up to?” “Quite a bit, Osofo. We’ve just collected your drink. Here you are. We’ve made a few changes at your place. I think you will like it. You will also have something nice to eat. Now, here are the forms for the savings and current accounts.
If you will sign them, the bank will open the account. From today, we can pay all monies direct into the account.” ‘How can I thank you, ladies?” “You don’t need to thank us,” Suzzie said. “It is our duty to help a man of God succeed.” “Okay, my ladies, please take the offerings and count them as you did yesterday.
You can add the payments made after the consultations. Will it be possible to pay them into the account today?” “Yes,” Mary said. “The bank closes at four. If we leave here at three, we would be there just in time.”
The two friends started counting, as Osofo Antobam gave his clients his directions for solving their problems. On quite a few occasions he closed his eyes as if he was receiving direction from above on what to do.
But as the fetish priest at the Nana Kofi Broni shrine and the dwarfs had assured him, the solutions would certainly be provided. Having heard the huge testimonies earlier in the day, the clients parted with substantial sums of money in expectation.
By Ekow de Heer
Features
The issue of spiritual father in our churches
A student was supposed to go to school as the natural cause of events should be when universities or schools in general opens but this was not the case in a certain young man’s life.
He decided to postpone his trip because apparently he could not get to meet his pastor, his spiritual father. The question is, should this spiritual father die, will the young man’s life come to an end?
Does it mean in such an instance, he is going to curtail his education? This is a worrying trend in a lot of churches where the pastors use this notion of spiritual father to manipulate members especially the youth.
Some unscrupulous pastors utilise this spiritual father concept to have affairs with gullible young ladies in their churches.
Now with homosexuality gradually making inroads into some of the churches, young men are becoming vulnerable to pastors who have hidden homosexual inclinations.
This spiritual father concept is a Biblical concept that runs through both the Old Testament as well as the New Testament. We see it in 2 Kings 4:12 where Gehazi is serving Elisha and also in the New Testament we see Paul relating to Timothy in 1 Timothy 1:2 as a Spiritual Father.
In fact, the concept of spiritual father is a good thing if executed according to the word of God since it helps in guiding the younger ones. However, it becomes problematic when it is being executed by unscrupulous wolves in sheepskins as described by Jesus in Mathew 7:15.
I see it as a way that these unscrupulous so-called men of God maintain their hold on the congregants so they do not question their unchristian actions.
One of the things I have observed since I got born again many years ago is that, any pastor who often insists that members recognise that he is their spiritual father is a warning sign that he is doing some wrong things or is about to indulge in some wrong things.
A parent complained about how his daughter was being influenced by a pastor of the church she attends and how worried he was. I am sure there are many parents out there with stories to tell about how their wards are being made to see their pastors almost like their Jesus.
These pastors have managed to make their congregants so loyal to them and to believe in them so much that it is terrifying, as a parent.
The way things are going, an immediate intervention is required otherwise I am not a prophet of doom but I forsee unfortunate instances where parents burst into church auditoriums and star shooting some Pastors out of frustration and anger.
We cannot look on unconcerned as a society and allow unscrupulous fraudsters using the name of God to create problems for families. My recommendation is for a certain amount of regulation in order to bring some sanity in religious practices.
I agree that ordinarily regulating religious practices makes it a bit restrictive in terms of freedom of worship as enshrined in our constitution but given the way things are going, a bit of regulation will not be out of place.
Disgusting stuff are being attributed to some men of God. There are cases of manipulation of young ladies and sometimes married women by so called men of God and it is bringing Christianity and therefore the name of the Lord into disrepute.
Christianity is gradually losing its attractiveness as a result of the negative reportage resulting from disgusting stuff happening in Christian circles. The way some pastors have been manipulating congregants to take money from them leaves much to be desired to the point where they are convincing some of the youth to give out their phones. May God help us.
By Laud Kissi-Mensah
