Juju in Ghana Football, who is to blame?

BY: Dennis Narterh Adzigodi.

I was at the Accra Sports Stadium last Sunday11th March 2012 to watch the GLO Ghana Premier League Match Day 19 tie between Accra Hearts of Oak and Tema Youth and what transpired was very abysmal. It was a pure display of beliefs in ‘juju’ at its best. A club like Accra Hearts of Oak who have just celebrated their hundred years anniversary should have behaved maturely and stop that display and strong belief in “juju”.

Before the start of the warm up, I saw one Hearts official moving around the pitch spraying some concoction wrapped in a handkerchief in the midst of Hearts training balls scattered all over the Hearts half of the pitch. As if it was not enough the same guy stood at the entrance of the dressing room tunnel with two white handkerchiefs waving at each of Hearts players before the start of the match itself. But at the end of ninety minutes the scores was goalless. Hearts missed a penalty awarded by Referee Samuel K. Gyasi that even seems not like a penalty, and played with a man advantage after Tema Youth captain Jeremy Akorful was red carded for a second bookable offence in the second half.

So my question is, what was the significance and effect of those concoctions and display of white handkerchiefs before the match? Was it just a waste of time and mere belief in something that never exist in the modern game of football anymore? For me, I think the use of even the white handkerchiefs around the wrist among players of most teams in the Ghana Premier League must be banned and discouraged by the Ghana Football Association. It is very hard to see this things happening in the other leagues across the world. To be frank this menace of belief in “juju” in Ghana football is killing the game.

Black Stars’ coach Goran Stevanovic ‘Plavi’ was also a living testimony to this canker. Even the Black Stars players were alleged to have used “juju” against each other during the recent AFCON 2012 at Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. What a shameful act?

In fact, one thing that happened at the Accra Sports stadium last Sunday which I was not impressedwas the way and manner in which the owner and the bankroller of Tema Youth Football Club, Mr. Winfred Osei Parma was mishandled and maltreated before the commencement of the game in the full glare and watch of the Ghana Police. His ‘verse –coat’ was torn into pieces by the irate officials and some supporters of Accra Hearts of Oak. The man was forced and dragged out of the inner perimeter as if he was a thief. For God’s sake the man is the owner of the team and even at that time he was holding an accreditation which grants him permission to be in the inner perimeter of the stadium. So what was his offence?

*What I saw:*

Before the start of the warm-up for both teams, there was a serious heated arguments between the Hearts and Tema Youth officials which nearly ended up in exchange of blows. Then during the warm-up at the Tema Youth end of the pitch (defending the Independence Square end) I saw Mr. Parma dancing “Azonto” and also waving two white handkerchiefs at the crowd with short runs intermittently as if he was also doing the warm-up with his boys. Perhaps what might have angered the Hearts officials was his gesture to the Hearts fans indicating that Tema Youth will beat Hearts by two goals to nothing. Within some few seconds I saw some men dragging and forcing Mr Parma out of the inner perimeter which he (Parma) tried to resist and led to the scuffle which eventually resulted in tearing of his attire and forcefully dragging him out of the inner perimeter as if he had committed a grievous offence.

But what was even wrong about that as compared to the Hearts official who went round sprinkling concoctions on the pitch? What amazed me was that, the man I saw sprinkling the concoction was the same person who was very instrumental in attacking the Tema Youth officials for use of “juju” powers. If you think I’m lying ask my colleague journalist, Henry Asante Twum, a popular TV sports host, he was also forcefully dragged out of the inner perimeter like a criminal with even his GLO match accreditation boldly displayed on his neck as a Journalist if not even the Public Relations Officer for the Tema Youth Club.

Upon realizing that what they were doing is being captured by the video cameras, one of the Hearts men run to order one video cameraman at the VIP stand to stop filming what was happening. What a day of shame in Ghana football! I was even ashamed of myself watching those things at the stadium with Hearts regalia boldly displayed around my wrist at the Media Stand even as a Journalist, but like some media men who even on the day stole my bottle of mineral at the media stand, I’m always not biased.

After all, at the end of the ninety minutes the game eventually ended goalless, another clear indication to Hearts and other clubs that “juju” no longer exists in modern football.

Another problem I saw was that, on the day both teams refused to shake hands before the start of the match and even the way both teams entered the field of play was very bad for Ghana football. Both teams entered the field of play far apart from each other and pray as if they were chanting for spiritual powers. So still at this age, we can’t even learn from our European counterpart who always enter into the field of play in a very pictorial manner, always walking downthe tunnel with both teams walking side by side. But in Ghana before even each player enters into the field of play they will all stand at the touch line and pray for more than a minute, for what?

Our security personnel too need to be talked to, all this things happened in the full glare and watch of the policemen present at the stadium at that time. They allowed all Hearts officials and even people who seem not like officials into the inner perimeter but assisted Hearts officials to get Mr. Parma and some Tema Youth officials out of the inner perimeter. Mr Parma eventually watched the entire match from the stands. Although I strongly condemn the attack on Mr Parma, I think this should also be awake up call for him to avoid the use and belief in “juju” to play football and rather motivate his team that has been crying for lack of salaries and motivationfor some time now.

Hearts officials and management must know that the Team is now hundred years’ old and proper structures like Team stadium, Hostels for the Team and proper technical services must be their top priorities and not the belief in mere “Juju”. The psychological effects of these spiritual beliefs are the poor performances been exhibited by the players. Scores are always predicted by this quack “juju men” to these teams before the starts of games which always make players not to put in their best into matches and fight for good results. “God always helps those who helps themselves” a popular saying. So how can you expect “juju” to win matches for you when your player commitment and technical abilities are very poor?

Club Supporters in recent times have also contributed to this menace of the use of “juju” in our modern league matches. I learnt they now have “Ways and Means” committees that see to the spiritual matters of the various clubs. This is a bad practice and those who indulge in this must bow their heads in shame. Team officials, players and supporters must totally desist from this bad practice since it no longer works in football.

For now, I think officials, supporters and players are to be blame in the increase use of “juju” in Ghana football. What legacies are we then leaving behind for the upcoming generation? Just imagine, I came across an under 14 teams just a few metres on my way to the Accra Sports stadium the same day and they were all smelling of six flowers sprays and carrying a cross and Holy Bible on top for just a small pole football match some few metres away from the Osu Castle junction. What growing a disease?

In the same match saw Hearts under fire coach, Nebojsa*Vucicevic*wearing something that looks like a boxer pant as compared to his European counterparts who are always neatly dressed in Suit and tie. And he wants supporters to respect him.Perhaps the heat from the supporters is too much for him and need some fresh air but apart from that his dressing on the day was too bad.

To end, I will like to urge all football loving fans to help uproot this practice of “juju”, insults, intimidation in our game so as we can have a very decent league.

And to the Hearts Officials and management, they must sit up like their arch rivals Kumasi Asante kotoko who are now on crowd nine and stop that believe in “juju”. They must also know that different managements have chucked successes with same club and they have no excuse now for failing and mismanaging the club to the dismay of the timid supporters.

But all said and done, I think the CEO of Tema Youth, Mr Parma should have been accorded a little respect on the day. For God sake he is a big man in Ghana Football and employer. If he chooses to quit football today, it meansall those players under his care will go unemployed. Let’s instil discipline in ourselves so that the upcoming ones can emulate. Let’s us all of agree to disagree.

This was what I saw and think of the use of “juju” in our game and I pledge that all I said was the truth, the absolute truth and nothing else so help me oh God.