Football undoubtedly is the most popular sport in our country. Most of the followers of this game understand or are of the conviction that, it is not a very clean sport in our country. These decent people are looking for better ways to sanitize the already decayed game and rid it off any unscrupulous patrons.
All along, there was no ample evidence to help incriminate any of the suspected wrongdoers even though they are found in every nook and cranny of the game. It, therefore, took the “benevolence” and journalistic ingenuity of undercover journalist, Anas Aremeyawu Anas, and his indefatigable Tiger Eye P.I. team to unravel what goes on in the dark when we are all asleep or on our blind side. It was in his famous “number twelve” investigative piece that, some football officials were openly seen taking various sums of money and other material things. Amongst those seen were club officials, referees, the then Ghana FA President.
It was on the back of this that, the president of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Akuffo Addo, through some state institutions is taking the president of the GFA, Mr. Kwasi Nyantakyi through legal proceedings. It was again on this basis that, even FIFA, the custodians of football globally, sanctioned him.
There has suddenly been a mushrooming group trying to initiate a campaign to canvass for Kwasi Nyantakyi to be freed from any legal proceedings or prosecution. It is always good to put yourself in the shoes of a brother in trouble. The people behind this campaign or movement fighting for Mr. Nyantakyi to be freed are doing so or are of the conviction that, he contributed immensely to the growth of the game both domestically and globally and his valuable support to humanity.
I grant such people all that without difficulties. But with these compatriots of ours be interested in him clearing his hard-won reputation from the tatters of the Anas’ Number Twelve? Should we also continue to celebrate an individual whose credibility and reputation have been soiled openly in the name of clemency when he has not been found guilty after any legal proceedings in a court of competent jurisdiction? Won’t their “role model” be interested in chasing Anas over his modus operandi as they’ve always had issues with that?
The image of the country that got soiled as a result of this investigative piece must not be allowed to die a natural death. Anybody found worthy of standing prosecution must be made to face full rigors of the law. If he or she is able to exonerate himself or herself, then we live with that as well. We all need to support state-sanctioned institutions in uprooting well-grounded wrong-doings once the lid on them is lifted.
I don’t support witch-hunting or the state persecuting its citizens in the name of prosecution and this must be stated unequivocally. The laws of the country must work and must be seen to be working at all times to make our society clean for us all. Let’s all allow the wheels of justice to grind irrespective of the pace and if we have issues with the processes and the pace, we can loudly mention that. I will be ready to support any such claims.
We need to all strive to get our country sanitized in all respects to be respected in the League of Nations.
Story by: ALHAJJ MAHAMA SALIA FIEWURA
SPORTS ANALYST/COMMENTATOR
MOONLITE FM, SUNYANI
