The soccer mood has virtually taken over our country Ghana, and one can virtually wrap a Black Star jersey around the map of Ghana.
We have decided to conceal all our party colours, hiding them in our pockets as part of a ceasefire accord. Ghanaian business insights
The soccer mood extends to churches this week; and the pastor himself may decide to change from cassock to jersey, and even declare as a prayer theme the impending match between Ghana and England. ‘May God Himself be a shining lamp unto the feet of our boys.’
The current Black Star fever unfortunately has an expiry date. In a few weeks, a united Ghana disappears and we resume party hostilities where we pray to the Good Lord ‘not to lay a table before me in the presence of my enemies.’
But during this FIFA mood, let Dumsor also cease fire, and enable the entire country to witness goals scored by Yirenkyi.
To the Energy Minister, let me advise that if Bantama transformers need maintenance work, let this be fixed before Tuesday.
Should the Black Stars fail to win on Tuesday, we have every right to blame it on the dumsor in Bantama which affected our players in Canada. It may be said Dumsor doomed our fortunes at the World Cup.
Also a period to decide whom to support if Ghana is not playing. Well, if one Team is African, please support the African side as a general rule; but bear in mind the adage, ‘Always forgive your enemies but never forget their names.’ Wounds from South Africa are simply refusing to die this FIFA tournament.
In the match between Mexico and South Africa, Ghana knew who to support. When the entire country shouted gooooal, and the kakalika dance started from Osu across to Walewale, it was not South Africa Ghana was celebrating; the kakalika was for a country, Mexico which few Ghanaians knew; Ghanaians were happy for the two Mexican goal scorers, Julian Quinones and Raul Jimenez, whose names Ghana could not even pronounce.
Suddenly, Mexico became a strategic partner to Ghana: God had answered Ghana’s prayers through Mexican boots saying, ‘South Africa Go beck, go beck… ‘
Ghana currently has three points according to FIFA, having beaten Panama; but we have three xenophobia points quietly hiding in our pocket for Mexico’s win over South Africa. In all this, we are happy the referee in matches involving South Africa has not been African or even Caribbean. South Africa would have protested that the referee resembles an immigrant recently chased out of Cape Town.
But here comes Tuesday, a historic clash between Ghana and former colonial master England.
This will be soccer interlaced with history, colonialism, reparations and all. Not simply a FIFA game.
At the 2006 World Cup in Germany, the match between England and Trinidad-Tobago was one such. England whipped Trinidad 2-0; but that was not bad news for Trinidad.
There was a virtual celebration in that country considering the respectable margin they lost against the colonial master, who also invented the game called soccer. The wide jubilation in Trinidad was followed on Monday by a public holiday.
In Ghana here, we can boast of a richer past. Already, the archives reveal a Gold Coast-England match where the Gold Coast ousted Her Majesty’s boys by 2-1.
Then comes 2011, a historic friendly match between Ghana and England at Wembley Stadium, a match I am proud to recall, I watched live with Ogyakromian eyes. Vodaphone Company with Dr Kobina Quansah as MD, had been kind enough to offer Legon and IPS (now UPSA) two tickets to witness the historic game, all expenses paid. I, as Legon’s Pro-Vice Chancellor, was asked by Vice Chancellor Aryeetey to represent Legon. The IPS representative was my good friend Prof Joshua Alabi, then Rector (of distinction I must say). Together we boarded British Airways in late March along with Dr Kobina Quansah.
Wembley Stadium here we come! It was my first time watching the Black Stars outside Ghana.
At the FIFA World Cup in South Africa 2010, the previous year, Ghana had impressed the world and reached the quarter finals. We were indeed the best-performing African team.
29th March 2011. The 80,000 capacity Wembley Stadium was packed; tension billowed. But Ghana had a supporting crowd of some 30,000 nationals who virtually took over Wembley: cheering, singing jama, making noise! Black Stars were at their peak, and featured an all-star team including Richard Kingson at goal, Paintsil, Agyeman Badu, Annan, Adiyiah, Asamoah Gyan, Muntari, John Mensah, Vorsah etc. The atmosphere was charged; also because the England team was fielding one dangerous Ghanaian player, Danny Welbeck.
Ahead of this, Joshua and I had lowered personal anxieties with chilled beer at the basement of Wembley.
The match soon started with a balanced outlook between the two teams. But it was England that opened the score with a left footer from one Andy Carrol in the first half, dampening our spirits.
This immersed us in prolonged suspense until much, much later in the second half. Injury time, on the 91st minute. Baby Jet, Asamoah Gyan cut through the England defense and banged in a sweet equalizer, which turned Wembley upside down: a spontaneous celebration of Ghana across the stadium. Baby jet himself joined the melee with a short dance skit; he then dashed to scale over security barriers and joined us to celebrate! Oseee Ghana. We jumped and danced!
With this in mind, please don’t ask me to announce the scores that day. It may be said Ghana Beat England to a 1-1 draw 15 years ago. By Ogyakromian logic, then, please guess the scoreline this Tuesday.
There will be a kakalika celebration: kakalika, kakalikakakalika!!!