Ghana’s World Cup Gallant Effort

Congratulations For Climbing To World Number Sixteen!

The Black Stars appeared to be walking on water in Germany, I said last week. To lose a vital test could cause health problems. To lose earlier this week to Brazil could lead to depression, certain signs of which are: sleeplessness, anorexia (loss of appetite), irritability, drunkenness (drowning one’s sorrows in alcohol), and even frank anger, especially when it appeared that someone, somehow, made sure Ghana’s Essien did not play against the best team in the world. Indeed, I counted no less than six Yellow Cards flung at the Black Stars, plus one Red card ensuring that one striker was sent away. With hands tied behind one’s back, how could one rise to any occasion? But, really, we did. It is unfair of me to seem to complain, but though the Brazilians were brilliant, I was unhappy about the refereeing, notably failure to flag down the second (“Off-side”) goal. Ghana had more shots at goal than Brazil did, and though we could not find the back of the net, we are now known to be one of the 16 world-beaters. Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Sixteen times). Aye(nye)koo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Sixteen times).

Occasionally, though, far worse than depression occurs after losing such a prestigious contest. The shock of the loss produced at least one fatality in Ghana. A Black Star fan, one Richard Amenawu, alias Dela, aged 25 was said to have been among a number of soccer fans and friends watching the match at the Railway Quarters in Takoradi on Tuesday. Ghanaian Times reports thus: “Soon after the first goal was scored, Richard collapsed. Attempts were made to resuscitate him by pouring water on him but he failed to respond, so they rushed him to Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital” Then comes this very sad observation: “He could not be attended to, as there was no doctor on duty.” Ao! “Consequently”, the report went on “he was rushed to the Takoradi Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.” At 5.30 pm on Tuesday when Ghanaian Times reporter visited the Takoradi Hospital, “Richard’s body was still lying on a stretcher at the out-patients department.” Question: Are our Health Workers still on strike? The poor fan almost certainly had what is known in Medicine as a vaso-vagal attack. First Aid could have saved him because, at only 25 years, he did not have a flabby heart. A few pumps on the chest, and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation could have saved him from the shock that reduced his blood pressure to zero over zero.

Antidote to depression: Just ponder the following - With a population of 20 million we eliminated the great United States of America, a country that has ten times our population. Boasting more than 200 million, they were conquered by our gallant Black Stars. The earlier victory over Czechoslovakia was even more impressive. The international football directorate FIFA places Czechoslovakia ‘Number Two’, whether in the world or in Europe I am not sure but whichever it was, Ghana was supposed to be way below their level. And yet we beat them. Rejoice, therefore, and don’t be depressed. Furthermore, the potential of the Black Stars is huge. Imagine the next great cup, the Africa Cup, or the World Cup, with Michael Essien NOT disqualified, and Off-Side goals NOT permitted! Ghana’s Black Stars would be unstoppable. They would be World Champions! This promise of future exploits should be enough to spur our Stars on to Excellence, and make us Rejoice!

DISCIPLINED HARD WORK

When I was young, just about 7 years of age at Abokobi, my father taught me a poem, which he said I should learn off by heart. Never mind the fact that I did not understand a word of it, nor grasped the general meaning, I committed it to memory nevertheless.

The heights by great men reached and kept

Were not attained by sudden flight;

But they, while their companions slept,

Kept toiling upward in the night.

It was far later in secondary school that I understood what that meant. In any field of endeavour: Football, Athletics, Medicine, Teaching, Law, Nursing, Tennis, Science, Music, Theatre, Literature, Business, Farming, Golf, or whatever, nobody gets to the top without working harder than all others. Indeed, while their companions slept, these world-beaters “kept toiling upward in the night”. Laziness is not the friend of success. The Black Stars admittedly have talent, but without sheer hard work and discipline, they would not shine. The international media always want to place limitations on the performance of Africans and African-Americans. Little do they know that Dr Kwegyir Aggrey of Africa had taught us: “Nothing but the best is good enough for Africa”. Our Black Stars know that, and they will not be satisfied with just being “One of The best 16 in the world”. We shall be Number One!

TIGER WOODS: The late Mr Alistair Cooke who, for several decades, sent his weekly “Letter From America” to the BBC told of an incident. He loved Golf, and made sure he was in Augusta Georgia every single year to watch the greats. He told of a reporter interviewing Tiger Woods, the World Number One in Golf. “Tiger!” The reporter said to him “You really are very lucky with your golf, especially your putting, aren’t you?” Tiger Woods smiled and said to the reporter who clearly wished to diminish Tiger’s achievements: “It’s quite funny, really. I find that the more I practice, the more lucky I become!” Stung by that reply, the reporter disappeared. We hear people say the Black Stars (and the Brazilians for that matter) are “very talented”. Well, while their companions slept, they kept toiling upward in the night!