Kotoko/Ashgold ready to honour late B.K Edusei

Ghana’s two continental representatives in the Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) Club competitions, Asante Kotoko and regional rivals, Ashgold SC will play a friendly match to honour the late Benjamin Kyem Edusei –former chairman of Kotoko.

The match, billed for Sunday, September 1, at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium would witness a renewal of rivalry between the two clubs in the region.

The B.K Edusei Memorial Match is organized by the B.K Foundation to raise funds to support former Asante Kotoko players in the 1970s.

The match, would also offer the two clubs the platform to continue preparations for their upcoming continental games against Etoile du Sahel and Moroccan club RSB Bekerkane in a fortnight.

The late Benjamin Kyem Edusei, affectionately called ‘B.K’ in football circles, was one of the strongest pillars in the history of Asante Kotoko Football Club.

He loved football and footballers. He was a philanthropist extraordinary and a long-serving patron of Asante Kotoko.

He was the 1st Chairman of the Board of Directors of Asante Kotoko and remained so for a very long time till the late Asantehene Otumfuo Opoku Ware II conferred on him the title of life patron. He was the main inspirer and major financier whilst Otumfuo was the spiritual head.

He played football at an early age featuring for Kotoko Youngs alongside close friends like S.K. Mainoo, Kwame Adjei, Osei Asibey Mensah, F. A. Jantuah and Atta Mensah. Some of them later played for Asante Kotoko.

BK who hailed from Sesease, a small town near Asante Mampong became a very resourceful and enterprising businessman when he established the Asona Enterprises Ltd in Accra.

The company which was officially inaugurated in June 1959 dealt in building houses and road construction.

He was made the first Accra representative of Asante Kotoko and was reputed to be the originator of the poaching of top stars at the end of every football season. Operating from his Ringway Estate residence in Accra, he facilitated the recruitment of high profile players for Asante Kotoko with attractive monetary incentives.

In recognition of his contribution to football development the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) appointed him patron of the association.