FEATURE: Why George Afriyie’s decision to contest 2023 GFA Presidential Elections excites me – the perspective of a seasoned journalist

The setting was Pyramid House, adjacent the Nima Police Station. Must be somewhere around 2007. I had been invited to a sports program by Jacob Eshun on Asempa FM.

Afriyie declared his intention to contest for the GFA Presidency in the 2023 GFA Presidential Elections.

When we were done with the program, I met George Afriyie. He was engaged in a conversation with some of the sports guys of the newly founded station. I had heard of his association with Gamba All Blacks but had never met him.

The first thing that struck me was his passion for the sport. For one who is not easily swayed by the thoughts of people, I was strangely caught up in the conversation after some minutes. His story and his association got me to spend another twenty minutes or more listening to his “lecture”.

He had been excited by the performance of the Starlets in 1993 as a hustler trying to make ends meet in the land of the rising sun, Japan. Daniel Addo and co had given him a reason to make his way back home not to only invest in the sport but haul along some investors.

The story of Gamba All Blacks is an all too familiar one. His forays into Management of the sport was beginning to take shape I reckon.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
The days of the famous Liberty Professionals is not lost on us. Talent development is huge in the development of the sport.

There is a huge difference in just unearthing talent and contributing to a talent pool and that of talents who really contribute to organizational goals and beyond. The numbers from the stables of Dansoman with George Afriyie and friends were frightening at the time.

We recall the lads, don’t we? Asamoah Gyan, Sulley Muntari, Michael Essien, Derrick Boateng, Kwadwo Asamoah, John Paintsil, and more who had glittering careers playing at the highest level of the sport and with some of the biggest clubs in the world.

His eye for spotting talent is not lost on him. The benefits accrued from the success of these lads and more cannot be ignored. Its trickle-down effects from a sporting and economic value are unmatched.

LEADERSHIP QUALITIES

TURKIYE 2013
In 2013, I had the opportunity of covering the Black Satellites in Turkey at the FIFA U-20 Championship. Ghana had lost its first two games to eventual Champions France and Spain and were in a very precarious situation of not making it past the group stages.

Together with my cameraman, I visited the Polat Renaissance Hotel to grab some interviews for my organization Multimedia Group at the time. One would have thought that the losses were going to be a drain on him as the Management Committee Chair. The possibility of staying in the competition remained bleak after the two losses.

Luckily, and possibly by divine design, 4 best 3rd placed teams still stood a chance of qualification. Ghana had a final group game to be honoured in the City of Kayseri against the United States. Mr Afriyie on seeing my team, invited us to dinner after the lads had exited to their hotel rooms.

That was a nice gesture. His next act was very surprising. It was a direct and unexpected question. Onua, I know you have been keeping tabs on all our opponents. You are one of a few journalists here. Can you kindly share with me your thoughts on the team and what we can possibly do to get a good result against the States and possibly secure qualification if other results go our way?

This was coming from someone who was better equipped in the management of players and officials but was humble enough to accept the thoughts of others. You don’t get that from all the knowing administrators these days. I shared my thoughts with him. We had spoken for close to four hours. I left the teams hotel at 3am Turkish time and made my way to my Hotel with my cameraman.

What a conversation it was I thought. My respect for him grew a lot stronger as these conversations continued at the Hilton Hotel in Kayseri for the period we were there. After the games against The USA and the Round of 16 tie against Portugal, he walked up to me and said thank you Onua.

You are a good man. Your football brain is great. I smiled and appreciated his comments. I am not the type who wants anyone singing my praises. I just get things done and quietly walk away.

In the 29 days I spent covering the team, I noted how he engaged everyone. From the players, technical team, officials, fans and more. The passion with which he executed his job and his relationship with everyone was unmatched. He didn’t go around lecturing anyone on who he was and his role.

He was a man manager. He will go out of his way to encourage players who were not getting minutes and even assisted Ghanaian residents in Turkiye with matchday tickets to get to see the Satellites.

His answer to these criticisms were unique. Are they good enough? Do they perform that on matchdays? Have they given us results? You couldn’t argue that, could you? A 3rd place finish was a worthy outcome after losing our first two group games.

EQUATORIAL GUINEA (2015)

How close were we to winning this under Mr Afriyie’s leadership as Management Committee Chair but for the heartbreak of losing on pens? Leadership is everything. Leadership is maximizing the talents of all and sundry and making things happen with respect to organisational goals.

Again, I was lucky to have covered this tourney as a journo and had the opportunity to cover the team from close quarters. Unmatched leadership from an individual who knows how to work with everyone. Emphasis on everyone. Sad he couldn’t crown it all with the AFCON trophy.

FOOTBALL AS A UNITED FRONT

I have had the opportunity to observe various leaderships of the Chairs/Presidents of the football Association from 1993. From Uncle Butler, Late Lepowura Jawula, late Ben Kuofie, Dr Nyaho Tamakloe, Lawyer Kwesi Nyantakyi, Dr Kofi Amoah and current Capo Kurt Okraku.

They have all had their moments managing the sport but never have I encountered such levels of sever and sunder in the management of the sport. Football is a team sport and there is always the likelihood of disagreements every now and then.

The football family have always found a way to resolve their differences and work together. Those days though sadly appear to be long gone. When current President Okraku made those extremely unfortunate comments of not being in a position to work with his “enemies”, I knew we were in for a lot of trouble.

Is it not surprising the level of disdain and the poverty of the sport with respect to decisions and its general growth? Ideas are NOT limited to a few people. Far from that. I was delighted to hear Afriyie speak so passionately about unifying the actors in the game and do away with the all-knowing situation of today’s leadership.

To be continued…