GHANAIAN GENIUS AND A MATCH

There is a limitless opportunity for Ghanaian expansion in all fields of human endeavour

                                                                           - Dr. J.B. Danquah(1997:62)

No nation in history won a war against the common foe without a united front…..we need to harness what few talents we possess, not to dissipate them.

                                                                                                 -Joe Appiah(1996:349)

Inspired Delivery!!!!

There are certainly no walkovers anymore in African football. The African Nations Cup(AFCON) currently underway in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon conveys this point tellingly. Nations that hitherto could be routed easily and cheekily by established African football superpowers like Ghana are taking their football seriously. I will put this down to the international career, fame and often time nauseatingly fabulous wealth (how long this sport can continue to dole ou t such dough we wait to see) prospects that this game offers  African youth, the coaching(regardless of nationality) talent for hire global regime and the cheap political points that Africa’s political elites tend to garner from national victories won on that green rectangular patch of grass. It is this potent brew that Ghana’s Black Stars (ironically a beneficiary too) confronted in their last two matches at the AFCON.

Against the Malians our national team’s intimidatingly radiant global and continental pedigree in the game seemed to have been reduced to lackluster dross in the first half. The hush that blanketed our beloved capital, Accra, on account of this was eerily foreboding yet overwhelming expectant. And then that historic moment in the second half struck. Asamoah Gyan elected himself to take the free-kick most of which we had fluffed(Muntari was the prime architect here) too many painful times in the encounter. Gyan seemed to have almost transformed his foot into a magic wand which in split nanoseconds belted some esoteric command to the ball to rise, curve, pirouette and enter an angle most airborne projectiles would shy away from. The Malian net shook and danced ever so briefly as if it had suffered an unexpected seizure. In an almost unbroken spell Dede Ayew followed with his own brand of football calisthenics: the ball found the same side of the Malian net. Ghanaian genius had buried the Malians. Mali’s over confident  French coach Alain Giresse who in a moment of self delusuion had predicted beating the Black Stars has been taught a very public humiliating lesson: I will advise him to find solace in some rejuvenating blanc ou rouge vin and frommage.

In this match that enigmatic, exquisite and very rare Ghanaian genius oozed forth once again. Time and time again through our compatriots it has shown its presence and career in many areas of our national life. Harnessing this genius to allow us COLLECTIVELY respond in a robust, sustained, focused, unyielding and inspired manner to our Republic’s challenges remains to my mind the GREATEST CHALLENGE of Ghana in this century. That is what the 2012 Elections is about: the necessary emergence of a president who will INSPIRE a nation which has slipped into self doubt when GREATNESS beckons.

Black Stars shine

Blacks Stars twinkle

Black Stars dazzle

Black Stars teach us about ourselves