By Ken Bediako
On the eve of my 85th Birthday and, ipso facto’ 64 years in sports journalism, I would like to celebrate the memories of four outstanding sports personalities who unfortunately could not survive the first quarter of the immensely heralded millennium.
The selected four; all close friends; are Kwaku Ampen Darko long serving GFA Secretary; JZXXXK Ackom, sports photogragher extraordinary; Wilberforce Mfum, national football star; and Ebo Quansah, one of the most exciting sports writers of his generation .
Let me start with Ampem Darko.
It is often said that the seat of chairman of Ghana Football Association is generally regarded as hot.
And what about the equally slippery seat of Secretary of the Football Association the pillion driver whose demeanour can easily upset the whole GFA secretariat.
Thanks to the untiring efforts of an unsung school teacher, the GFA secretariat for a long time in the late 70s to the 80s enjoyed a smooth administration.
Mr Kwaku Ampem Darko born at Okadjakrom in the Volta Region was the unassuming Executive Secretary of the Ghana Football Association.
A Teacher by profession, Ampem Darko attended Bekwai SDA Secondary School and Wesley College in Kumasi and ended up at the University of Ghana, Legon.
He was a good footballer in his school days but his football career ended abruptly at Wesley College when he was seriously injured in a friendly match.
Ampem Darko joined the National Sports Council in 1976 as Assistant Secretary at the GFA secretariat between January and August. In 1979 Kwaku was made Executive secretary of the Hockey Association but the man was cut for football and he was back to the GFA secretariat in September 1979, this time as the Executive Secretary.
He faithfully remained at post since then serving under half a dozen chairmen within five years, S.K Mainoo, Zac Bentum, Ackah Yensu, Katey Caesar and Elias Teye.
Kwaku Ampem might have been a bit short for his age but he was tall in his secretarial duties and with his kind of dedication the GFA was assured of a smooth administration all this while.
From the GFA desk Ampem Darko worked for a long time with the Professional League Board headed by veteran football administrator Nana Abrah Appiah of Okwawu United fame before finally retiring from public office.
WILBERFORCE MFUM
The aggressive forward footballer with bullet shots affectionately called “bulldozer”, led Asante Kotoko to become a strong force.
He was a star player in Kotoko’s first Africa Cup final against Englebert of Congo that Kotoko lost through a toss of the coin. He played regularly for the Black Stars and made history by tearing the net with a bullet shot in the Black Stars Afcon match against Tunisia at Accra Stadium in 1963. Sports Director Ohene Djan described Mfum as a powerful individualist with a lethal shot in the right foot. A fearless minesweeper and initiator of all onslaughts. A centre forward but in desperate moments he roamed the entire field for action and goals. He hated defeat and spent every iota of strength employing all tricks to convert defeat into victory. Mfum had a telephatic understanding between him and wizard dribbler Osei Kofi. Nimble footed Osei Kofi supplied the perfect passes and Mfum finished the goods in brilliant fashion.
It is said that in certain matches Osei Kofi would play so much to the gallery with prolonged dribbling antics much to the annoyance of Mfum who was ever ready to find the net. Those were the days indeed. Mfum later played professional football in the USA. On return home he served as board member of Kotoko for some time.
Mfum’s delayed burial will be in March.
May his soul rest in perfect peace.
JZXXXK Ackom
John Zacharia Xystus Xavis Xuan Kojo Ackom (alias Thousand) was a professional sports photographer of merit who started his career quite early with the Information Service Department in 1963.
He covered many state functions including the OAU Conference in Accra in 1965. His passion for sports photography moved him to the National Sports Council in 1970 where he headed the newly established photo Department.
Over the years Ackom successfully built a bank of sports pictures that became a reference point for many newspapers and magazines both home and abroad. Later on he added video coverage of major sporting events to his stock and had a wonderful archives of sporting pictures and events.
On his retirement from the Sports Council in 2006, he helped found the Sports Photo Company that deals in sports photographic advertising around sports stadiums and other sporting facilities.
He also engaged in production, management and marketing of sports photographs. He was the official photographer of the Premier League Board (PLB) and travelled nationwide to cover most of the premier league matches both in still pictures and on video.
He was in the process of building a sports library of pictures for the PLB when he passed away in a tragic motor accident near Winneba on March 18, 2009 on his way from Sekondi where he had covered the Premier League match between Sekondi Eleven Wise and Accra Hearts of Oak.
May his soul rest in perfect peace.
K.EBO QUANSAH
Kobina Ebo Quansah was one of the most exciting sportswriters of his generation. He was extremely fond of the aims and aspirations of the Sportswriters Association of Ghana (SWAG). No wonder he rose to once head the Association leaving an indellible mark in how to manage such a group of journalists.
Ebo’s selfless contribution to SWAG started in the early 1970s when he served as Deputy Secretary to Joe Aggrey during the long administration of Oheneba Charles and co.
He is remembered for his trademark black briefcase containing SWAG documents and cash. Yes cash because Ebo was entrusted with petty cash collected from latecomers at SWAG monthly general meetings.
He accounted faithfully to members joking at times he would even walk to meetings if he was broke and won’t take a Cedi from the SWAG brief case.
Ebo the fearless sportswriter was that straight-forward character and extremely affable. When he returned from his sojourn in the UK he quickly renewed his membership of the now expanded SWAG and fully contributed to its progress. It was therefore no surprise when he was unanimously made President in 2002, taking over from Joe Aggrey who had been appointed deputy Sports Minister by the J.A. Kufuor administration.
Enthusiastically Ebo who by his elevation had become the 4th president of the SWAG brought new vigour into the SWAG.
He was particularly in love with the SWAG flagship event. In 2003 for the first time in the history of annual SWAG Awards Night, it was graced by the Head of State President J.A Kufuor at the Banquet Hall State House.
It is pertinent to quote a small portion of what the usually outspoken Ebo Qusnsah told the gathering on that occasion.
He said, “We are particularly proud that the President has chosen the platform offered by the SWAG to relaunch Ghana sports.
We are looking forward to the new directions and policy initiatives in sports promotion and development. For SWAG members, tonight’s event marks a watershed in our desire today to aid the forward march of sports in this country. It places a heavy burden on us to improve the way we do our professional duties. We have a duty to be well informed about what we put in public domain,” he added.
That’s Ebo Quansah for you
May his soul continue to rest in perfect peace.
Cheers everybody and keep loving sports.
