Alhaji Nuru Deen Jawula was a devoted football administrator by all standards. He actually had the thick skin and the right temperament to manage football at all levels in the country. His demise is a big loss to the football fraternity.
He had such a huge sense of humour, I never saw him angry since we got to know ourselves in 1978 when Real Tamale United made their triumphant entry into the National Football League.
The then Northern Regional Commissioner Col George Minyila had been able to convince rival clubs in the region such Savanna Stars, Gbewaa and few others to form a strong united team to be known as Real Tamale United. And they were performing wonders in their league debut beyond expectation.
I was then Sports Editor of the then mass circulation Daily Graphic greatly enthused with the exciting reports by our chief correspondent in Tamale, Razak El Alawa who described RTU as a splendid football force, capable of outshining the old folks.
Names like Mohammed Choo, Mahama Nlai, Karimu Starboy, Musah States, Rafiu King were rated exceedingly high. RTU had started the league in such a whirlwind I readily accepted an invitation
by El Alawa to see things for myself. I went to Tamale with my young colleague and good friend Ebo Quansah from the Ghanaian Times. It was a match against Hearts at the Sakasaka park. The standard was so high we realised Alawa had not been exaggerating in his adulation of RTU.
It was after the game that we met the formidable executives behind the success of the United team. Here were Alhaji Gbadamosi, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, Alhaji A. B. Fuseini, Alhaji Jawula and Jones Abu
Alhassan. My colleague Razak was unofficially ex-officio of RTU if I may put it so. Greatly attached to the club.
The team was so perfectly run they nearly won the league in their first attempt in 1978.
Indeed, they placed a respectable third after Hearts of Oak and Sekondi Hasaacas.
In Accra, Alhaji Jawula took keen interest in activities of the National League Clubs Association (NLCA) spearheaded by veterans like Budu Acquah, Zac Bentum, Ampofo Manu, Kojo Quarshie, Prof Mawuse Dake, Nana Abrah Appiah, Kujo Fianoo and Co. It was later renamed Organisation of League Clubs Association (OGLCA) now Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA).
When the indefatigable Nana Brew Butler became GFA boss in 1993, Alhaji was his formidable vice. A number of achievements came their way including the Black Starlets World Cup triumph in Ecuador 1995.
When Nana Butler ended his term mid 1997 Alhaji Jawula became his natural successor but unluckily he had things tough running the domestic league. Commotion upon commotion involving clubs, indisciplined players, stubborn referees and football matters in the law courts became rampant at the time. Alhaji Jawula was a man of steel and this was where his toughness came into play. Although a humorous character, he never suffered fools. He wasn’t the type of person who could neither take a decision nor stick to one. He called a spade a spade and not a garden Instrument.
In the 10th week of his first league programme for the 1997-98 season, his pet club really embarrassed him with a riotous behavior after the 3-0 home loss to Hearts Fans went wild and severely manhandled coach John Eshun and his assistant Mumuni Gamel. Hearts needed Police protection to leave the park. The GFA duly sanctioned RTU as a matter of principle.
On another development off the pitch, a High Court in Accra, gave judgement against Hearts of Oak chief patron Nana Wereko Ampem and board member Ato Ahwoi nullifying their conversion of Accra Hearts of Oak Sporting Club into a limited liability company. It further restrained the two or their agents and appointees from interfering in the management, administration and other affairs of the club.
The ruling followed a suit filed by Mr Emmanuel Charles Ocansey, Chairman of the Osu Chapter 11 Supporters Union of Hearts challenging the powers of the defendants to convert the club into a limited liability company.
Indiscipline on the pitch was also rampant those days. At the end of a second round second week match at Swedru, Police had to use teargas to disperse rioting Hearts Fans whose team lost 1-0 to Dwarfs.
There was also disquiet at Obuasi in the 4th week when Goldfields drew 2-2 with Swedru All Blacks. At the end of the game, fans went berserk assaulted players and supporters of All Blacks damaging everything in sight. They deflated the tyres of buses, broke side windows, destroyed drums, chased supporters out of town and held some of them hostage till about 730 pm when Police, firing warning shots, finally came to their rescue.
The mother of all crisis that faced Alhaji Jawula in his first year was with the Referees Association of Ghana (RAG) and he triumphed.
Following security reports of suspected match fixing, the GFA boldly commissioned Referees from Benin and Togo to handle three top penultimate fixtures namely Dwarfs vs Kotoko, Hearts vs Goldfields and Afienya vs Ghapoha. Expectedly, the RAG was offended and issued a statement withdrawing the services of its members
from all GFA organised matches in the country with immediate effect.
Jawula could not tolerate this apparent sabotage.
The GFA quickly called the bluff of RAG and said it won’t, from henceforth, deal with the RAG. It asked all Referees who want to deal with the GFA to submit their names to the GFA within a week. FIFA Referees who didn’t respond within the stipulated one week should consider themselves suspended from both the CAF and FIFA and relay decision and action to the relevant bodies.
Tension was mounting on the football scene. The RAG failed to attend a scheduled meeting with the GFA.
Instead their secretary Mr I. O. Wiafe issued a statement expressing surprise that the GFA could not even find three competent Referees among its members to handle these crucial matches.
Alhaji Jawula hit back and explained it was
not done out of malice or lack of confidence in the Ghanaian referee but primarily to avoid any problems of alleged bribery and poor refereeing.
There was an amicable settlement finally. That’s Leopowura Alhaji Mohammed Nuru Deen
Jawula for you.
Here was a football administrator, extremely jovial and media friendly but definitely principled. He has left a big vacuum in Ghana football administration to be filled.
May his soul rest in perfect peace as I ask you all to cheer up and keep loving sports.
