How Despite donated ‘Aben Wo Ha’ CDs to 1999 U-20 AFCON winners

From regular blood donations to $100,000 Covid-19 donation, Osei Kwame Despite has rightfully earned the reputation as one of, if not Ghana’s foremost philanthropists.

Despite is widely known for his donations to hospitals, prisons, widows among others but little is known about his connection with sports.

An aspect of his philanthropic works which does not easily come up for mention is his donations to sports institutions and persons but as far back as 1999, Despite was doing charity works for sports people.

In 1999, a day after Ghana’s Independence Day, the Black Satellites sent the nation into frenzy mood with a hard-fought victory over bitter rivals Nigeria.

With a solitary 1-0 scoreline, Ghana won the 1999 Africa Youth Championship courtesy a goal by Laryea Kingston.

Reuters describes the goal as “Kingston latched onto the ball, which had beaten Baffour Gyan, and planted it into the far right corner of the net for the only goal of the match, considered as the toughest in the tournament. The goal was greeted with thunderous applause from the fans and on the scoreboard was an inscription of highlife Star Daddy Lumba's "Aben wo ha".

Lumba’s ‘Abena wo ha’ had just been released and was the jam then. It was the tune the sent both the old and the young to the dance floors and unlike now where songs can be accessed virtually on every platform, the distribution of songs happened to be in the hands of a privilege few.

It was, therefore, a huge gift when Despite Promotions gifted each player and technical staff a Compact Disk of Lumba’s ‘Aben wo ha’ album’

Line ups

(Ghana): Sammy Adjei, George Blay, hamza Mohammed, Kofi Amoako/Emmaneul Adjogu, Issa Abdul Rahman/Theophilus Amuzu, Abdul Razak, Owusu Afriyie, Laryea Kingston, Baffour Gyan, Aziz Ansah, Johnson Eklu/Awuley Quaye Jnr.

Nigeria: Sam Okoye, Ikenna Eneh, Emmanuel Izuagha, John Aranka, Haruna Babangida/ Joseph Yobo, Garba Hashimu, Aminu Sani/Moses Aduku, Musa Abubakar, Pius Ikeda, Rabiu Afolabi and Sunday Adu.

Did You Know:
In 1999, the Black Satellites received a Compact Disc each of Daddy Lumba's "Aben wo ha" album when they won the U-20 AFCON? It was donated by Despite Music Productions.

— Daniel Oduro (@Daniel_Oduro) April 10, 2020