Article
by: Kwabena
Brako-Powers, Author (Lost Leadership Conscience)
The game football in a typical
West African country embodies the spirit and unity of the people. Persons who
give themselves up for such service get hailed than Presidents and Government
functionaries. This has been possible due to the special role football and
footballers play in a given country. They fill the void that national and
divisive politics in Africa causes bringing an untold hardship on its citizens.
From Lome to Dakar, Lagos to Accra, Monrovia to Abidjan sewing Ouagadougou into
its fold, football evokes such a strong patriotism that politics could not.
In the case of Ghana, the small
West African giant has played second to none when it comes to football. Though
the Ghana Blackstar has good rating continent wise and internationally, playing
at the world stage has been a mirage of hope. However, Ghana made it through to
the Germany 2006 to the toast and excitement of football lovers. It was like
December in July across the entire country which saw programs upon the other
held to solicit funds in support of the national team. The country qualified at
a time when national politics has been marred by greed, corruption, foul language,
vindictiveness, political witch-hunting and irresponsibility on the part of
both the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the strongest opposition National
Democratic Congress (NDC). The presence of the negative tendencies on the part
of the political players brought disunity on national issues and grass-root
tribal bickering.
The name of the country making to
the list of FIFA World Cup Germany 2006 group of qualifying countries was a joy
sharer. Replicas of both the team’s attire and national flag decorated mansions
and squatters dotted in the country. Vehicles, bicycles, and street light poles
were not left out in the moment of national excitement. Songs in support of the
national team were composed by genius musicians as a token appreciation of their
love for the team for vibrating the name of Ghana at the international stage.
It’s remarkable to note that, it was during this time that the idea of a
national supporters union got birthed. The million dollar questions were that;
how best could we organize our force in support of the Ghana Blackstar at the
world stage? How possible could we demonstrate to the world that we are one
people? Also, in which medium could we remind the Blackstar of the support and
love of Ghanaians back home? The formation of the various national supporters
union became the singular answer to the above questions. The world saw us in
terms of the size of our country in the course of the tournament, but we saw
ourselves in terms of our hopes and spirit. We are bigger than what the world
chose to see. They saw themselves giant over ants but we saw David defeating
Goliath. They played but we delivered. The Ghana Blackstar stunned the world
with its extra-ordinary performance in its World Cup debut in 2006 that saw it
in the round of 16 and in South Africa 2010 which witnessed a bolster in our
performance. We became the hope of Africa when all else failed in the continent
during the South Africa 2010 though we disappointed the over 1 billion
supporters in the continent at the end.
Today, we couldn’t even make it
to the round of 16 in FIFA Brazil 2014 due to some underhand dealings and
issues that we failed to address when they were seeds. Ghana Blackstar is down
yet that does not means the hope of Africa is shuttered. We are never the hope
of Africa as we saw in ourselves during South Africa 2010. The truth is that,
we represent the channel for the hope of Africa to be unearthed. The hope of
Africa is passion. It’s passion that brings afro-patriotism, respect for human
rights and citizenry, accountability, incorruptibleness and truthfulness for
the course of the continent. Passion took us to Germany 2006, South Africa 2010
and Brazil 2014 however; it’s the lack of it thereof that is bringing the team
of Africa home. Ghana, Cameroun, and Cote d’Ivoire are heading home because
unlike the European countries, we bowed in to greed and gave it the opportunity
of clouding our passion and love for the continent. Yet the hope of Africa is
still in Brazil 2014. The Super Eagles of Nigeria and Desert Fox of Algeria
have in them the hope of Africa. They have passion and that’s what the over 1
billion supporters in the continent are looking for.
Go Super Eagles of
Nigeria, Go Desert Fox of Algeria. Know that we are solidly and unwaveringly behind
you in this time. Go Passion. Go Team Africa.
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