Black Stars: The Nation's Manifest

The national football team is another pointer for the state of the nation. Sports generally reflect the psyche. Football has dominated this reflection of the psyche by merit of its character. The very name of the national football team, the Black Stars, has a direct bearing of who we are as a people. Stars are heavenly bodies, together with the sun and moon, are the highest placed among the physical natural bodies. Among the chief characteristics of stars are the provision of light in the dark of the night. In other words, they provide energy and guidance.

In the midst of our current state of affairs, the Black Stars have become the major uniting force for Ghana, and indeed beyond. The international support for the Black Stars reflect the general goodwill of the international community towards us. Sadly, in the recent past, we have allowed our irresponsible issues to eat into the fibre of this sacred institution of Ghana and Africa.

The story of the Black Stars, viz a viz Brazil 2014 is a very despicable and sad one. From unpatriotic attitude to corruption and mismanagement, Brazil 2014 was one of the lowest and darkest spots in our recent history. But could it have been otherwise? Black Stars reflect the state of the nation at any given time. The body politic, indeed across the socio-economic spectrum, is awash with same unpatriotic attitude, corruption and mismanagement .

Because of the symbolic and reflective nature of the Black Stars, the general affairs of Ghana can easily be deduced from a glance at the national team. Whatever is wrong with the Black Stars is the reflection of what actually is wrong in the affairs of the country. Likewise whatever is right with the national team is the vivid reflection of Ghana. From the style, intelligence and tactical finishing to the coaching and management of Black Stars, a mirror of the state of the nation bounces in our faces.

Let us take patriotism as a case in point. Currently, players of Black Stars demand allowances and wages as a ransom against Ghana! Indeed, this nasty trend was a major feature in the despicable fiasco of Brazil 2014. Globally, donning national jerseys in international assignment is a full complement of patriotism and national pride. Every great nation worth its salt, have citizens ready to die for national courses. How could we play the best match (against Germany, eventual winners of 2014 world cup) in the 2014 world cup tournament, yet exit in the first round of group stages? Indiscipline, corruption, mismanagement and monecracy is the only major answer. Playing the best match with the eventual winners of the cup simply suggest but for indiscipline, irresponsibility, corruption, mismanagement and unpatriotism, Ghana can easily conquer the world.

The simple fact is the period of the greatest laurels of Black Stars is also the most patriotic and great development era in our history. This was the proud days of the first Republic under CPP administration. The multi-facetted canker that plagued us in Brazil 2014 must not be tolerated ever nor justified under any circumstance. Yes, the national teams must all be adequately resourced, including decent allowances.

However, if players are unpatriotic to the lowest ebb of holding the whole Ghana to ransom, great leadership must be exhibited in sanctioning culprits. After all, the benefits of paying for the nation team far outweighs the particular services offered by both players and officials. If we can not have a wholesome Black Stars, nothing in the general national affairs can be clinched right. The unpleasant issues that glared through the national team in Brazil 2014 are the same issues that have deteriorated the national fiber to such a pathetic state.

Ghana must once again rise up to our awesome responsibility like the team of stars that we are. We must not be afraid to drop the stagnation, manifesting through NDC and NPP. Similar factionalism creeping in the CPP must be dissolved. As great players as Abedi Pele and Tony Yeboah were, the factionalism of their playing days stagnated Black Stars from ever qualifying for the world cup. Ghana and CPP must shift to the new generation of emerging youthful leaders for the promise land. It was such a move to Stephen Appiah and united contemporaries that clinched us the hitherto illusive world cup qualification.

Ghana and Cpp must be re-energised with fresh leadership of unity and competence to achieve the great promise. We then will be better than our great history such as under the administration of the first Republic. Every ounce of energy and consciousness must urgently be activated into constructing the center of the world project. Impeccable quality leadership must rise to the fore. It is sterling quality leadership that inspires confidence and patriotism.

Perhaps, CPP set the pace with the great youthful and competent Ashanti Regional Executive, under the chairmanship of Comrade Galo and