Published June 15 1988
This was my front page commentary published nearly 35 years ago in the short-lived sports newspaper THE SCORE I edited in 1988.
History appears to repeat itself in Kotoko and this piece appears interesting reading and I would like to share with my readers.
Here we go
SAVE ASANTE KOTOKO
“Crisis is looming over the head of Fabulous Kumasi Asante Kotoko Football Club to students of football history, crisis and Kotoko are not unknown partners. Crisis has been a regular visitor to the camp of Asante Kotoko since the birth of the club and this should not he too surprising. The good news is that in
all these crises, Asante Kotoko have emerged unscathed. In fact, the history of the fabulous club shows that the club rather gains in weight and strength after every crisis has left an indelible mark.
At the moment the fabulous club is in some sort of crisis. What comes out of it will be another test of the strength of Asante Kotoko. Has that great club with the appellation of “Kum apem a apem beba” (kill a thousand and a thousand will surface), the courage of the past to withstand the torments of today.
We are beginning to wonder whether the present crisis cannot be avoided. We are beginning to wonder whether it is necessary to allow crisis to take its toll before preventive medicine is hurriedly obtained from a pharmacy.
Asante Kotoko create their own crisis and solve their own crisis. This reminds us what a headmaster of a reputable second cycle institution once said “when all is quiet, I create crisis and see how best I can solve it”. So is it that when all is quiet, Asante Kotoko manufacture their own crisis. The present crisis has an interesting background. The indisputable question that continues to be asked these days is, who is in charge of Asante Kotoko?
It is recalled that a similar question developed into a stormy issue during the administration of Yaw Bawuah. Shortly after the Bawuah administration sacked. Opoku Afriyie, skipper of Kotoko for alleged indiscipline than, crisis brewed out of the pot. For sometime, the management of Asante Kotoko was thrown into utter confusion. The chairman himself resigned twice only to bounce back on the advice of the club’s life patron Otumfuo the Asantehene. After the chaos and the confusion, Asante Kotoko under Yaw Bawuah, went ahead to capture the Africa Clubs Championship Cup.
Not long after this brilliant and glorious achievement of Asante Kotoko than another leadership crisis was created. Consequently, Yaw Bawuah and his management team bowed out of office thus paving way for the present administration of Ofori Nuako.
It has never been smooth sailing for the Ofori Nuako administration. Intermittent interventions by Otumfuo the Asantehene has kept the Ofori Nuako administration on a stable course.
Recent events however give the indication that the stability of the Ofori Nuako administration is on the verge of collapse. Already the Ofori Nuako administration has been requested by the Manhyia Palace to submit its accounts reports. On the local scene whenever a club management committee is ordered to render accounts the obvious is unquestionable.
The promulgation of a new constitution by Otumfuo the Asantehene has made a confounding situation more perplexing. The question that has to be asked again in the face of the new constitution is “Who is in charge”.
Is the administration of Ofori Nuako still responsible for the management of Asante Kotoko; or has it now assumed the status of a caretaker committee?
Under the new constitution of Asante Kotoko it is the Managing Director who will steer the affairs of the club. No managing director has yet been appointed. And the constitution does not make room for an executive Chairman. The question is, did the constitution come into force on the day of its promulgation or will be effective at a later date to be announced?
With this uncertainty, the authority of the Ofori Nuako administration seems to have been effectively eroded Perhaps the Ofori Nuako administration can be likened to the hanging bridge of Beposo in the Western Region. That is the story of Asante Kotoko today.
The club is hanging on a hanging administration. That is the beginning of the crisis. It is a crisis that has not fully exploded but it is a crisis with the potential to damage the strong walls of Asante Kotoko.
What is all this confusion for? With the greatest deference we wish to say the ball is firmly in the court of Otumfuo the Asantehene who is the spiritual and physical guardian of Asante Kotoko whose word or directive is final.
It is Nana the omnipotent of Asante Kotoko who can clear the air of confusion that is fast engulfing the fabulous club.
In fact, we were all made to believe that the tenure of the office of the Ofori Nuako administration depended on the promulgation of the clubs constitution. It was trumpeted many times that unyielding Ofori Nuako would stay on until the coming into force of the constitution. We have drawn attention to this matter because we consider in paramount. Nothing should be done to worsen the gradual fading of the image of Asante Kotoko in national football affairs.
The club has managed to put behind its tragedy of Gabon. It has been painfully eliminated from the African clubs championships after struggling so hard to bring pressure to bear on the CAF to punish Gabon for the rough reception given Kotoko in their country. Even though the Gabonese were hostile Kotoko made a mess of the registration of players and could not present the best available squad, following the apparent confusion in camp.
The blame had largely been laid at the doors of the brutality of the Gabonese in the second leg match. However, the confused manner in which the registration of players was carried out contributed immensely to the early exit from Africa
In all this there was apparent evidence of subterranean crisis.
Some key players have already left the club to its fate.
News of the impending departure of more top players portents a gloomy picture for the club.
These and other issues would have to be tackled firmly.
It is generally accepted that the fate of Asante Kotoko is intrinsically linked to the fate of the nation’s football.
As Ohene Djan the sports administrator colossus, would put it “Kotoko are the ever defiant enthusiastic club whose popularity the sun never sets”.
This is the reason that underscores our concern about the dark clouds gathering on the heads of the fabulous club of Africa.
We know that Otumfuo can resolve the doubts about the club’s administration. He has done so before and he can do it again today.
Tomorrow may be too late.” The End
Cheers everybody and keep loving sports.
