It’s exactly 54 years ago when Baba Yara, one of Ghana’s most colourful footballers passed on from a spine injury after a horrible motor accident at Kpeve in the Volta Region.
Dubbed “The King of Wingers”, the brilliant and handsome international football star had his illustrious football career cruelly cut short after the accident. He remained in a wheel chair for six years and died in Accra on May 5 1969.
The exciting goal scorer and artistic dribbler was buried at the now abandoned Odorkor cemetery in Accra in a typical Muslim tradition at the ripe age of 33.
The famous sports stadium in the Garden City of Kumasi originally donated by the renowned multi-national Trading Firm,
United Africa Company in 1959,
was renamed after the football star in memory of his exploits at the stadium where he achieved immense popularity playing for fabulous Asante Kotoko in particular and the National team Black Stars in general.
The idea of naming certain sports facilities after past sporting heroes was initiated by the late Sports Minister Kwame Baah Wiredu, in 2004. He set up a special committee, headed by renowned sports administrator, Dr Owusu Ansah to conduct that exercise.
I recently overheard a conversation among some teenage football fans wondeting how the stadium got its name and who was Baba Yara. As an enthusiastic football historian I would like to take this opportunity of the 54th anniversary of the football icon’s death to write a brief history of the legendary right winger who I would describe as fairly comparable to the modern day super star Cristiano Ronaldo in height, physique, good looks, and fantastic skills. The only difference may be that, off the pitch, Baba Yara was a reticent guy and not that flamboyant like Ronaldo.
Affectionately called “the King of wingers” Baba Yara could score easily with either foot. He was Kumasi Asante Kotoko star player and featured prominently for the senior national team Black Stars for nearly eight years. Indeed, he scored two goals in Ghana’s historic and unprecedented 7-0 victory over Nigeria in the then annual international challenge cup match for the Jalco Cup at Accra Stadium in 1955.
On the local scene, Baba Yara won the hearts of Kotoko supporters, especially for scoring in almost every Kotoko match against traditional rivals Hearts of Oak. Fast and full of stylish tricks and a good passer of the ball, he inspired his team mates to several victories when the going was getting tough.
Football historians recall with nostalgia the dramatic way he led Asante Kotoko to overturn a 2-0 deficit to beat Accra Hearts of Oak 4-2 in the nation’s first FA Cup final in 1958 at Accra Stadium.
This remains one of the richest legacy of his football artistry. Kotoko wete down 2-1 at half time but soon on resumption, Baba Yara inspired Kotoko with a brilliant equaliser from.the penalty spot. He then went on and assisted in two brilliant goals to win the FA Cup for the Porcupine Warriors.
Born on Oct 12 1936, Baba Yara showed abundant flair for sports in general quite early and was a champion sprinter in an Arabic school. At the age of 13, he displayed signs of a talented footballer but his love for Games generally drew him to horse racing. Between 1950 and 1953, he was a jockey at the Accra Turf Club and played football as well. He returned to Kumasi in 1954 and played regularly for Asante Kotoko as a top star till he was recruited to join the newly formed star packed novelty national model club Real Republikans, dubbed Osagyefo’s Own Club (OOC) in 1961. As already mentioned, Yara’s colourful career was cut short in 1963 at age 27 following a serious spine injury he sustained in a terrible motor accident at Kpeve in the Volta Region on Match 24 1963.
He was returning from a victorious league natch at Kpandu against Volta Heroes with his club,, Real Republikans winning 5-0. In addition to Baba Yara, 12 other players received slight injuries in the accident.
This was a really dark day in the history of Ghana football and the league was suspened for a brief period. There were quick consultations among top surgeons and Baba Yara, accompanied by Dr R.O Addai Surgical specialist from the 37 Military Hospital, was quickly flown to England where he was treated at the famous Stoke Mandeville Hospital for spinal injuries. in a side attraction a week later a popular Night Club in Accra called La Ronde, presented Yara’s wife, Patience, with an air ticket to visit her husband in the UK.
Interestingly the return Air ticket in question had been won by Baba Yara himself two weeks before the accident when he was chosen the best dressed gentleman in a fun competition organised by the La Ronde Night Club. Yara’s intimate friends will tell you the handsome footballer was an outgoing gentleman off the pitch and enjoyed socialising.
As he remained on the hospital bed in far away UK, his numerous football fans throughout the country prayed for the speedy recovery of this football star who was a great crowd puller. Anxious fans kept inquring about his state of health from the sports authorities.
Initial reports from Stoke Mandeville said “there was the possibility of the football star gaining a reasonable recovery within a period of four to six months”.
This was however not to happen on August 14 1963, a thick crowd of football fans stormed the Accra International Airport to welcome him from the UK only to see the well dressed brilliant footballer in dark suit on a stretcher. As the passengers disembarked the expectation was to see Yara come out last, probably waving a white handkerchief to a cheering crowd.
You can imagine the disappointment of the fans. The reception turned out to be a solemn affair. I saw Baba Yara wiping tears when he saw the thick crowd who had dangerously defied aviation security to storm the tarmac virtually surrounding the giant BOAC Aircraft that flew Yara to Accra. He was whisked away in an ambulance to the 37 Military Hospital for a few days rehabilitation.
After a quiet life in a government bungalow on Independence Avenue in Accra, the “King of wingers” died on May 5 1969 and was buried at Odorkor Cemetery in Accra. May his soul continue to rest in eternal peace.
The Kumasi Sports stadium is definitely a fitting memorial for one of the greatest footballers Ghana has produced.
Cheers everybody and keep loving sports.
PIX: Flashback April 1963. A group of Cabinet Ministers in the First Republic on a visit to Baba Yara at the Stoke Mandeville Hospital in the UK.
Shaking hands with Yara in the wheel chair is Mr L.R Abavana who led the Ministerial delegation. Closely behind Baba Yara is his wife, Patience.
