‘Robert Mensah never smoked wee’ - Ex-Kotoko player clashes with Osei Kofi

Robert Mensah was addicted to weed smoking, says Rev Osei Kofi

Eddie Bour was wrong for disgracing Robert Mensah’s memory

The goalkeeper died 50 years ago

Former Asante Kotoko player, Eddie Bour, has responded to claims that the late legendary goalkeeper, Robert Mensah, was a weed-smoker during his stay with the club.

According to Eddie Bour, he was saddened to hear in the media that Robert Mensah was a chain-smoker and who could not go a day without taking a puff.

He stated that Robert Mensah stayed with him in Kumasi during his time with Asante Kotoko and never did he even for once see him use the herbs that people claim he was addicted to.

It will be recalled that Asante Kotoko legend, Rev. Osei Kofi, in an interview with Saddick Adams, alleged that Robert Mensah had to smoke weed before availing himself for a Black Stars game against Sudan in 1970.

“Ahead of a match between Ghana and Sudan, Robert Mensah’s weed had finished and he was not ready to dress for the game and he needed it before he can play.

“Unknowingly, he had sent a Sudanese boy in the hotel to go to the Sudanese captain and get him some wee. So, the Sudan captain got the wee for the boy but the boy delayed in bringing the wee.

“By match time, the wee hadn’t arrived and Robert was undressed in his room. The boy met Ben Koufie at the reception of the hotel and informed him about the wee mission. Ben Koufie took the wee and asked the captain who was with him if he should give the substance to the goalkeeper. Ben Koufie upon the advice of the captain handed out the wee to Robert Mensah and within twenty minutes he dressed up and was singing. He was adjudged the man of the match in that game,” Osei Kofi narrated.

Reacting to this narration from Osei Kofi, Eddie Bour said that he never saw Robert use any herbs and it was not right for Osei Kofi to tannish the image of the goalkeeping hero.

“Robert Mensah stayed with me and I never saw him smoking weed. I didn’t see it during my time with him and even if he did smoke weed, it is not you (Osei Kofi) who should come out and say it after 50 years of his death.

“Someone might even think that Osei Kofi hates Robert because he came to unseat him as the poster boy of Asante Kotoko. Because before Robert came, Osei Kofi was the star man and the only icon in the team and Robert came to become Africa’s number one. Robert was a gentleman,” Eddie Bour said in an interview with Kumasi-based Ashh FM.

Also, watch this week's episode of the Friday debate on GhanaWeb TV with Joel Eshun in the post below: