Arrogance is defined as having or revealing an exaggerated sense of one’s own importance or abilities.
For the first time in 16 years, Ghana football will be having a new face to superintend the affairs of all football related activities.
Kurt Edwin Simeon Okraku, a household name in Ghana football emerged the victor, to become the new lord of Ghana football at the just-ended Ghana Football Association (GFA) presidential elections held at the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Accra on the 25th of October, 2019. Though a strong contender, not many gave him a scintilla of chance in the run-up to the polls.
In a competition which had some of Ghana football’s heavyweights namely, Fred Pappoe, George Afriyie, Nana Yaw Amponsah, George Ankama and Armanda Clinton, contending for the ultimate slot, the cynosure was on George Afriyie and Fred Pappoe, as they had both deputized respectively, for the longest-serving chief of Ghana football, in the person of Kwesi Nyantakyi.
In the lead-up to the “d-day”, George Afriyie, the owner of first division outfit, Okyeman Planners and a director of premier league club, Liberty Professionals, was seen as the favorite candidate for the top seat. He exhumed so much confidence to the extent that, lots of football loving Ghanaians touted him as the favorite among the pack.
Afriyie during interviews gave a good account of himself, espousing cogent reasons why delegates were to pick him to shepherd Ghana football, which had been fraught with widespread allegations of corruption in the erst-while Nyantakyi administration.
His confidence got into his head. It crept surreptitiously into his soul so much so that, he failed on numerous occasions to realize he was off track. He permitted lots of criticism from his competitors, who could not believe his demeaning of them, during his media encounters. Afriyie’s “kpokpobiribiri” was so pronounced that in an interview with Paul Adom Otchere on “Goodevening Ghana” on Metro TV, he arrogantly predicted that he was going to get 80 votes in the polls.
” Paul, I will not get less than 80 votes. Some of my competitors struggled to get delegates to endorse their forms. Kurt is still learning, so his time is not yet up. Some of them will not get more than 12 votes on the day”, he said.
Afriyie shot himself in the foot, with his many unpalatable utterances which many discerning minds deem as the cause f his downfall. He lost lots of admirers, who felt he had become insolent and too conceited.
ANAS’S NUMBER 12 EXPOSE
It must be noted that popular investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, came out with his “Number 12” piece on the corrupt practices bedeviling football in a number of African countries including Ghana; catching then GFA president Nyantakyi live on video, receiving an amount of money from a potential investor in our football, many earnestly prayed for a total overhaul of football in Ghana.
This paved way for the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA), to step in to sanitize our football. Anas’s piece also caused the resignation of Nyantakyi as the head of Ghana football, Vice president of Africa football as well as member of the FIFA’s Executive Council.
A Normalization Committee (NC) was put in place by FIFA to manage our football as well as ensuring elections are held to get Ghana football back on track. FIFA had earlier threatened to sanction Ghana, but the government of the day, prayed FIFA not to take such punitive action, as the situation Ghana football found itself in, was not one which merited such an action from FIFA. This birthed the NC, which was set up to restore our football to normalcy.
ELECTIONS
The election saw 7 competitors which for the first time had a woman pitching her might against 6 experienced and seasoned football administrators.
After the first round, Kurt Okraku, who was the Chief Executive Officer of premier league side Dreams FC, polled 44 votes as against Afriyie’s 40 votes. Nana Yaw Amponsah had 27 votes while Fred Pappoe had 6 votes. Lawyer Ankama and Armanda Clinton could not score any vote.
In the second round, Okraku had 59 votes as against Afriyie’s 43 and Amponsah’s 13. Prior to the second round, Pappoe conceded defeat as he knew the 6 votes he had gotten in the first round was enough a statement that, he was not a darling of the delegates on the day and also his role in Ghana football, could be found in other quarters.
Going into the third round to affirm Okraku as the winner on the day, Afriyie ate humble pie by conceding defeat and further congratulating his younger colleague, Kurt Okraku. Okraku, during the third round had 93 delegates voting YES, while 26 delegates voted NO.
Thus Okraku succeeds Nyantakyi, becoming the 7th president since 1992 and the 24th, in the history of Ghana football.
He has tabled lots of ideas and plans for the alteration of Ghana football, with the view to placing it back onto the world map. He believes with support and prayers of every Ghanaian, he can succeed.
THE PALMER EFFECT
President of Tema Youth Football Club, Winfred Osei Kwaku Palmer, who had been disqualified by the vetting committee, set up by the NC to vet the aspirants, is alleged to have asked his supporters to vote for Kurt Okraku.
George Afriyie’s situation is one of mixed emotional lessons for life. We must always be cautious in our dealings while measuring our expectations. We must also learn to keep quiet as too much words will give your weakness and strengths away.
Kurt took advantage of Afriyie’s “loose guard”, and used it to his advantage.
Confidence is a virtue, but conceitedness and dirty pride are vices we must eschew.
It is sad but I believe George Afriyie, has had to learn one of life’s common lessons, which tend to elude most of us in a bitter way.
Better luck, next time George!!
source: nsemgh,com/alfred obeng dompreh