Onua Pa Kwabena:
Thank you for your message about this serious business that we call soccer in America but football in Africa. Some of us, sadly, spend sleepless nights about football (or soccer) losses. That is why we want our favorite teams to win by all means or, in Malcolm X's phraseology, win "by any means necessary"!
In fact, an old man (older than myself, as he is about 75 years old and has a much older walking stick, compared to mine) told me last night that he considers the results of soccer or football games to be so serious that he won't mind introducing old-fashion spanking or whipping, as we had it done in old-time Middle and Primary Schools: that football players, who play badly to cause, for example, the Black Stars to be defeated in a football game must be laid up on a table and given public whipping (or spanking) on national television! He mentioned how a football player was killed in Colombia after he caused the defeat of the national team.
I asked the old man: "Why on national television, and also what should we do to politicians, who are transparently corrupt to the point that they cause African countries, including Ghana, economic losses?" His response was: "In Ghana, that is a simple matter. Any AFRC member still alive in Ghana can dictate the punishment."
Well, Professor Mobolaji Aluko of Nigeria and Maryland, USA, an enlightened soccer/football analyst and pundit made the following predictions (which sent me to the restroom/toilet several times), as I wondered: "So, Ghana's Black Stars have no chance in Group H?" He wrote:
Sent: Tuesday, June 17, 2014 11:19 PM
To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com; Kwasi Gyan-Apenteng; Doris Dartey 3; GLU; pyaa@yahoo.com; Ebo Assan Donkoh; jkzorm2001@yahoo.com; Camynta Baezie; Gheysika Agambilla; Gina Afia Agbenu; Anthony Obeng Afrane; kabral blay-amihere; Manu Herbstein; Ebo Assan Donkoh; Dinah Amankwah; danappiah2@yahoo.com; Francis Gbormittah; (ranst59@yahoo.com); akoto ampaw; Kofi Marrah; Esi Sutherland; (arhattah@hotmail.com); (kwatiokor@yahoo.com); Gifty Anin; Prof Aki Sawyerr; Naa Kwale Dove; (woeli@woelipublishing.com); Ayo Amale; (georgeksarpong@yahoo.co.uk); Nanabanyin Dadson; George Koomson; Nii Adokwei; Afua Asafo-Adjei; Dorcas Ansah; Gina Asare Fiagbenu; Achimota 2010; Amidu Tanko; Selby Ashong Katai; (anneyayrasakyi@yahoo.com); ABLA DZIFA GOMASHIE; Akosua Adomako Ampofo; Ivy Austin; Michael Kwaku Somuah; Elikplim Akorli; Kafui Dey; Ruby Goka; Henry Asampong 2; Nana K. A. Busia; Raymond Atuguba; Kojo Yankah; Kofi Akpabli; Emmanuel Amoh; vicky wireko; kwami kayi; Mary Ametowoblah; (efalconer@mtn.com.gh); Elikplim; Sylvanus Bedzrah; Aaron Adyaye; Jojo Apenteng; Dr. Naana Mensah 2; Wendy Otu; Noshie Iddisah; Johnson Ametorwo; Atukwei Okai; Gladys; Enoch Avotri; Third Force; Emmanuel Fiagbenu; Ernest Akore; ALEXANDER BANNERMAN; Victoria Odoi; gphagan@lycos.com; Dinah Amankwah; Eddie Ameyibor; Yao Graham 2; Briggite Dzobgenuku; kwasi gyan-apenteng; Gifty Love Lartey [MTN Ghana - Finance]; (blay.gina@gmail.com); nyarkopong@hotmail.com; Oswald Okaitei; Joe Frazier; Awuradwoa Andoh; Akunu Dake; claudia.donkor@gmail.com; crystaltvofficial2002@yahoo.com; Ebo Quansah; PaJohn Bentsifi Dadson; Arthur Kennedy; naijaintellects; n naijanet2; Fritz Baffour; (giftytweneboa@aol.com); Akwasi Agyeman; Angela Dwamena Aboagye; Ethel Ansah; Joyce Aryee; cameron duodu; Ebo Quansah; Arthur Kennedy; kojokelly@yahoo.co.uk; Anthony Kweku Annan; Anthony Ossei; Yvette Appiah; Welbeck Abra-Appiah; Stella W. Appenteng; Nana Amoafo; nii moi; Nii Engmann; Paa Kwasi Gyan-Apenteng; Okyeame Group; Adjei Baah Eric; Ofei Nkansah (Sax); Dr Kofi Amoah; Esi Hammond; Jennifer Amansunu; Suleiman Braimah; Syd Casely-Hayford; Audrey Gadzekpo; Ghanaweb Features; chuks Iloegbunam
Cc: anthonyakinola@yahoo.co.uk; ama@fahamu.org; naanakarie@gmail.com; napoleon.abdulai@icloud.com; kwabbyG@gmail.com; kwabena.kankam@utoledo.edu; Wahab, Hassan; vessien@law.fordham.edu; jwkessien@yahoo.com; stephenagyepong@gmail.com; andohs1@southernct.edu; dmwhiteh@iupui.edu; minapeggy@yahoo.com; Ford, T Michael; Afoaku, Osita; hadraty@yahoo.co.uk; afaugustine@yahoo.com; aabarry@temple.edu; vmkwansa@yahoo.com; agya53@aol.com; bridgetatag@yahoo.com
Subject: USA Africa Dialogue Series - RE: World Cup Diary 3
Mpayimfo AB and Gyan-Appenteng:
We can all in/validate strategies applied by Kwasi Appiah. Yes, Ghana lost. And it was unfortunate because Ghana played better than the USA. Even the American commentators, whose soccer vernacular has always been forged in the kiln of "racializing” the Other, indeed, long on jingoist rhetoric and short on forensic facts, for once, spoke to the talented tactical superiority of the Black Stars. Kwasi Appiah's strategy of not fielding "more popular" players like Michael Essien, is being used by some other coaches, and in most cases, such strategies of late "subbing" have worked well. Kwasi Appiah made the right call based on his assessments of the individual players. I think luck was not the side of the Black Stars. Then again, African teams are like African governments: the marriages of hunger to succeed and desirable progress have always parted company.
(Professor of African Studies & World History)
Dept of History/Philosophy
Shippensburg University
Shippensburg, PA 17257
USA
Phone 717 477 1286
Fax 7171 477 4062
Sent: Tuesday, June 17, 2014 7:18 AM
To: Kwasi Gyan-Apenteng; Doris Dartey 3; GLU; pyaa@yahoo.com; Ebo Assan Donkoh; jkzorm2001@yahoo.com; Camynta Baezie; Gheysika Agambilla; Gina Afia Agbenu; Anthony Obeng Afrane; kabral blay-amihere; Manu Herbstein; Ebo Assan Donkoh; Dinah Amankwah; danappiah2@yahoo.com; Francis Gbormittah; (ranst59@yahoo.com); akoto ampaw; Kofi Marrah; Esi Sutherland; usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com; (arhattah@hotmail.com); (kwatiokor@yahoo.com); Gifty Anin; Prof Aki Sawyerr; Naa Kwale Dove; (woeli@woelipublishing.com); Ayo Amale; (georgeksarpong@yahoo.co.uk); Nanabanyin Dadson; George Koomson; Nii Adokwei; Afua Asafo-Adjei; Dorcas Ansah; Gina Asare Fiagbenu; Achimota 2010; Amidu Tanko; Selby Ashong Katai; (anneyayrasakyi@yahoo.com); ABLA DZIFA GOMASHIE; Akosua Adomako Ampofo; Ivy Austin; Michael Kwaku Somuah; Elikplim Akorli; Kafui Dey; Ruby Goka; Henry Asampong 2; Nana K. A. Busia; Raymond Atuguba; Kojo Yankah; Kofi Akpabli; Emmanuel Amoh; vicky wireko; kwami kayi; Mary Ametowoblah; (efalconer@mtn.com.gh); Elikplim; Sylvanus Bedzrah; Aaron Adyaye; Jojo Apenteng; Dr. Naana Mensah 2; Wendy Otu; Noshie Iddisah; Johnson Ametorwo; Atukwei Okai; Gladys; Enoch Avotri; Third Force; Emmanuel Fiagbenu; Ernest Akore; ALEXANDER BANNERMAN; Victoria Odoi; gphagan@lycos.com; Dinah Amankwah; Eddie Ameyibor; Yao Graham 2; Briggite Dzobgenuku; kwasi gyan-apenteng; Gifty Love Lartey [MTN Ghana - Finance]; (blay.gina@gmail.com); nyarkopong@hotmail.com; Oswald Okaitei; Joe Frazier; Awuradwoa Andoh; Akunu Dake; claudia.donkor@gmail.com; crystaltvofficial2002@yahoo.com; Ebo Quansah; PaJohn Bentsifi Dadson; Arthur Kennedy; naijaintellects; n naijanet2; Fritz Baffour; (giftytweneboa@aol.com); Akwasi Agyeman; Angela Dwamena Aboagye; Ethel Ansah; Joyce Aryee; cameron duodu; Ebo Quansah; Arthur Kennedy; kojokelly@yahoo.co.uk; Anthony Kweku Annan; Anthony Ossei; Yvette Appiah; Welbeck Abra-Appiah; Stella W. Appenteng; Nana Amoafo; nii moi; Nii Engmann; Paa Kwasi Gyan-Apenteng; Okyeame Group; Adjei Baah Eric; Ofei Nkansah (Sax); Dr Kofi Amoah; Esi Hammond; Jennifer Amansunu; Suleiman Braimah; Syd Casely-Hayford; Audrey Gadzekpo; Ghanaweb Features; chuks Iloegbunam
Cc: anthonyakinola@yahoo.co.uk; ama@fahamu.org; naanakarie@gmail.com; napoleon.abdulai@icloud.com; kwabbyG@gmail.com; kwabena.kankam@utoledo.edu; Wahab, Hassan; vessien@law.fordham.edu; jwkessien@yahoo.com; stephenagyepong@gmail.com; andohs1@southernct.edu; dmwhiteh@iupui.edu; minapeggy@yahoo.com; Ford, T Michael; Afoaku, Osita; hadraty@yahoo.co.uk; afaugustine@yahoo.com; aabarry@temple.edu; vmkwansa@yahoo.com; agya53@aol.com; bridgetatag@yahoo.com
Subject: USA Africa Dialogue Series - RE: World Cup Diary 3
Dear Brother Kwasi:
Many thanks for your very helpful World Cup Diary #3, which is like a consolation prize in a lost competition.
My two teenage sons, born in America but cheered yesterday evenly for Ghana and America, can't believe that their father's ancestral home (Ghana) soccer or football team would be defeated so easily! They have pounded me with "Why, and What happened, Dad" questions.
My response to our two teenage sons (Kwadwo and Livingston Kwabena Assensoh) was as simple as this: Ghana's national team, the Black Stars, suffered from the "fatal disease of over confidence".
We will continue to pray for Mother Ghana and the Black Stars because as young Kwadwo reminded me, Ghana is still playing in the group!
Hopefully, Coach Kwasi Appiah -- our Kwasi/Akwasi name's sake -- will, henceforth, open his ears and listening devices in order to get advice so that he WILL now know how to start the Black Stars for any international game: to use seasoned players but not mainly novices! Amen!!
Coach Appiah should, please, make amends to do the right thing (as Spike Lee of USA would admonish) because we cannot afford and, also, we do not need the usual after Ghana coup d'états' intellectual refrain and dissection of "What Went Wrong" lectures!
A.B. Assensoh.
Sent: Tuesday, June 17, 2014 5:20 AM
To: Doris Dartey 3; GLU; pyaa@yahoo.com; Ebo Assan Donkoh; jkzorm2001@yahoo.com; Camynta Baezie; Gheysika Agambilla; Gina Afia Agbenu; Anthony Obeng Afrane; kabral blay-amihere; Manu Herbstein; Ebo Assan Donkoh; Dinah Amankwah; danappiah2@yahoo.com; Francis Gbormittah; (ranst59@yahoo.com); akoto ampaw; Kofi Marrah; Esi Sutherland; usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com; (arhattah@hotmail.com); (kwatiokor@yahoo.com); Gifty Anin; Prof Aki Sawyerr; Naa Kwale Dove; (woeli@woelipublishing.com); Ayo Amale; (georgeksarpong@yahoo.co.uk); Nanabanyin Dadson; George Koomson; Nii Adokwei; Afua Asafo-Adjei; Dorcas Ansah; Gina Asare Fiagbenu; Achimota 2010; Amidu Tanko; Selby Ashong Katai; (anneyayrasakyi@yahoo.com); ABLA DZIFA GOMASHIE; Akosua Adomako Ampofo; Ivy Austin; Michael Kwaku Somuah; Elikplim Akorli; Kafui Dey; Ruby Goka; Henry Asampong 2; Nana K. A. Busia; Raymond Atuguba; Kojo Yankah; Kofi Akpabli; Emmanuel Amoh; vicky wireko; kwami kayi; Mary Ametowoblah; (efalconer@mtn.com.gh); Elikplim; Sylvanus Bedzrah; Aaron Adyaye; Jojo Apenteng; Dr. Naana Mensah 2; Wendy Otu; Noshie Iddisah; Johnson Ametorwo; Atukwei Okai; Assensoh, Akwasi B.; Gladys; Enoch Avotri; Third Force; Emmanuel Fiagbenu; Ernest Akore; ALEXANDER BANNERMAN; Victoria Odoi; gphagan@lycos.com; Dinah Amankwah; Eddie Ameyibor; Yao Graham 2; Briggite Dzobgenuku; kwasi gyan-apenteng; Gifty Love Lartey [MTN Ghana - Finance]; (blay.gina@gmail.com); nyarkopong@hotmail.com; Oswald Okaitei; Joe Frazier; Awuradwoa Andoh; Akunu Dake; claudia.donkor@gmail.com; crystaltvofficial2002@yahoo.com; Ebo Quansah; PaJohn Bentsifi Dadson; Arthur Kennedy; naijaintellects; n naijanet2; Fritz Baffour; (giftytweneboa@aol.com); Akwasi Agyeman; Angela Dwamena Aboagye; Ethel Ansah; Joyce Aryee; cameron duodu; Ebo Quansah; Arthur Kennedy; kojokelly@yahoo.co.uk; Anthony Kweku Annan; Anthony Ossei; Yvette Appiah; Welbeck Abra-Appiah; Stella W. Appenteng; Nana Amoafo; nii moi; Nii Engmann; Paa Kwasi Gyan-Apenteng; Okyeame Group; Adjei Baah Eric; Ofei Nkansah (Sax); Dr Kofi Amoah; Esi Hammond; Jennifer Amansunu; Suleiman Braimah; Syd Casely-Hayford; Audrey Gadzekpo; Ghanaweb Features; chuks Iloegbunam
Subject: World Cup Diary 3
please find my World Cup Diary 3 attached.
Kwasi Gyan-Apenteng
Consultant in Communication, Culture and Media
President, Ghana Association of Writers
Member, National Media Commission
PAWA HOUSE
Roman Ridge, Accra
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