By Ken Bediako
Quite recently I overheard an interesting heated argument between two young men about the status of El-Wak sports stadium at Cantonments. They appeared to be football lovers and the shorter chap obviously had a louder voice.
This loud voiced chap insisted with amazing confidence that El-Wak Stadium was formerly called Nicholson Stadium and was renamed El-Wak by Flt Lt Rawlings during the June 4, 1979 Revolution. This is palpably false. Nicholson Stadium is in Burma Camp. He seemed so authoritative emphasizng he got his facts from the social media.
The mention of social media nearly tempted me to join the fray uninvited.
I am not a fan of social media especially the Ghana version, full of unverified stories wild allegations laced with insulting language.
This so-called social media that has no sub editors to cross check facts and figures, have turned anybody capable of reading and writing into a self-styled journalist. It doesn’t matter even if you cannot distinguish facts from fiction and rumours. To be honest I am not a fan of social media at all.
To set the records straight the El-Wak Stadium is the extension of the Cantonments Hockey pitch where in the late 60s yours truly played for the Old Abuscodians hockey team against teams like Old Achimotans featuring Prof Atta Mills, Jones Ofori Atta, Armed Forces team with Major Sharpe, Police featuring IGP Yakubu and British Council team featuring Dr Evans Anfom and and Co.
It was Kutu Acheampong who turned the Cantonments park into a full fledged stadium.
The Accra Stadium had been shut for renovation towards Afcon 1978 being hosted by Ghana and the El-Wak Stadium was created to be a worthy substitute for Accra Stadium. That’s how come we had the famous 1977 Miracle of El-Wak when Accra Hearts of Oak won a dramatic 3-0 victory against Mufulira Wanderers from Zambia to overturn a 5-2 first leg defeat away.This was in November 1977 but earlier in July that year the third National Sports Festival had been staged at the venue.
I would like to focus on this National Sports Festival concept as a reminder for the younger generation. It is not only Black Stars matches that attract national attention.
The festival was successor to the Ohene Djan era National Day Games and the Founders Day Games. It was aimed at encouraging mass participation of Ghanaian youth in sports.
It was broadened to include games like squash, cricket, handball, badminton and participation of institutions like Armed Forces, Police, Prisons Service and Academicals students unit.
It sought to break all tribal religious and ethnic barriers among the youth.
You may not like Kutu Acheampong for his politics as a coup maker but his support for sports administration
was impeccable. The Head of state himself was head of sports administration. He got a workaholic Lt Col Simpe Asante to do the ground work assisted by veteran educationist Orleans Pobee of Adisadel College fame who headed the Sports Council.
We also had a cream of dedicated volunteers who headed national sports associations.
Members of the National Sports Council Board were
1 RT Orleans Pobee, Chairman
2.Capt .G.K. Dwommoh, Secretary
3.C.D.K.Kudiabor
4.S.G.Ayi Bonte
5.Mrs Ofie Osei
- Col A Quainoo
- Justice I.R Aboagye
8.Lt Col RO Addae
9.Lt Cdr E.Kofi Aryeetey
10.LATudji (DSP)
11.Anthony Peprah.
Chairmen of National Associations were:
- LTK Caesar-Handball
- Col MB Sanni Thomas-Athletics
3.Major Daniel Asiamah-
Football
- CK Dzakpasu-volleyball.
5.Lt Col J.ADellor-basketbsll
6.K.N Owusu-Hockey
7.Capt CK Tengey-Swimming
8.Oheneba Charles-Table Tennis
9.GCK Harlley- Lawn Tennis
- EN Teye Botchway-cricket
11.Dr Yaw Nkansa Gyane-Amateur Boxing
12.Mrs Theodosia Okoh-women sports
13.Col George Slater-Pro boxing
14 Lt Col Kumi-badminton
15.Col Boateng-Shooting
- S/Sgt Adjavon-cycling
17.HES Asmah-Chess
18 K.Kabutey-judo.
All these people dead or alive deserve commendation for laying a solid base for sports development in the country.
On this note I wish to celebrate the memory of former GFA Chairman Lt Col Dr Brew Graves who passed away exaxctly five years ago last Monday Dec 8.
Dr Brew Graves is on record as GFA chairman (1973-1975) who introduced the famous Guinness Gala that heralded the football league season. He said he borrowed the idea from Brazil. The novelty was that clubs were permitted to field newly registered players for a 30 minute all play all tournament- 15 minutes each half. The idea was to determine who plays the fastest game.
Francis Edzie of Sekondi Hasaacas at 11 secs is known to be the fastest goal scorer of the Guinness Gala, which was later abandoned when Brew Graves (1973-1975) left office.
The two-day gala was full of fun and the press box especially was always the centre of attraction. Those were the days when men were men as the saying goes.
Cheers everybody and keep loving sports.
