FEATURE: Slapping a defamatory suit against Kotoko Supporters Chairman is significant

Many a time, people level unsubstantiated allegations against others without thinking about the effect of their actions on their victims but I strongly believe that must be relegated to the Stone Age. We are in the age of science and reasoning, age of evidence, age of rationalization and must act as such.

I was hugely devastated when I read Obeng Sekyere’s scandalous allegation leveled against the Dormaahene, Nana Agyemang Badu I, owner of Aduana Stars, for influencing referee Samuel Sukah to award a dubious penalty against Kotoko in their clash with Hearts to ensure Aduana Stars still tops the table.

To him, the Dormaahene did that to still keep their title hopes alive following their loss at Cape Cape against Dwarfs over the weekend.

Below are the comments of Obeng Sekyere when he spoke to Time FM in Obuasi:

"Sometimes it’s very painful to follow Ghana football, an astute football administrator said we thank 'Nana' for this victory" he told Obuasi-based Time FM.

"Nana Agyemang Badu was behind our defeat on Sunday. I will never lie for fame. He gave referee Sukah money to ensure Kotoko lost the game because Aduana Stars had lost to Dwarfs.

"He [Nana Agyemang Badu I] is the man behind everything that happened in Accra. We had some of the Hearts management members thanking Nana after the match.”

Such irresponsible comments coming from a club supporters leader must not be tolerated in this era. If we continue to have such people controlling supporters, when will hooliganism stop? I remember Barimah Atuahene and Opare Addo of Hearts of Oak were sanctioned by the Ghana FA for inciting their fans when Hearts played Wa All Stars in Accra.

First of all, I am expecting Obeng Sekeyere to be sanctioned by the Ghana FA for making such unscrupulous and irresponsible comments. There must be an end to such chants. People must begin to understand that football is a game and regardless of the results of a game, decorum must guide our comments.

Secondly, I want the Dormaahene, who doubles a Supreme Court Judge, to slap a defamatory suit against Obeng Sekyere for his irresponsible comments. This is a criminal charge leveled against him and he must protect his stool, his reputation as a judge and his hard built reputation. The court must be the place where this matter must be settled.

I have been asking myself consistently since the famous allegation by Obeng Sekyere that could he level a similar allegation against Otumfuo Osei Tutu II? Truth be told, can he dare do that?

If he can’t dare even dream of that, how could he slap such a claim on another traditional ruler? I know our moral structures call on us to respect authority. If you respect Otumfou at the mere mention of his name, how dare you drag the image of another traditional ruler into such a stinking mud?

I gather Obeng Sekyere has apologized to the Dormaahene on radio for making those comments but will that erase the harm that has already been caused? Why at all is he apologizing? Is he doing that because he has been cajoled and coerced to do that? And what is he apologizing for? Is he apologizing because he lied against the Dormaahene or he is doing that to avoid legal repercussions?

The only avenue that can wash the Dormaahene is to refer the matter to the laws of the land and compel Obeng Sekyere to substantiate.

Some of us have been fighting hard to eradicate bribery in our game and Obeng Sekyere will do us a lot of good by providing evidence to his accusation to nail Nana Agyemange Badu I. Nana must therefore compel him to do that.

For such an industrious person like the Dormaahene to be dragged into such a preposterous allegation, many of his like will surely be scared to invest in the game if this is how we will treat them. An example must be set. Obeng Sekyere must prove himself in court.