Apostle General of the Royal House Chapel, Reverend Sam Korankye-Ankrah, says he nearly pronounced a curse on former Cameroon captain Samuel Eto’o after Ghana’s exit from the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations.

Ghana, hosts of the 26th edition, crashed out at the semi-final stage after a 0-1 defeat masterminded by the former Barcelona and Inter Milan forward at the Accra Stadium; which ended Ghana’s dream of staging a host-and-win.

The Minister of the Gospel revealed at the Stephen Appiah fundraising dinner in Accra last Friday that the emotional trauma he went through compelled him to unleash negative words on the Cameroonian striker.

At the fundraising event, Eto’o, now with Italian Serie A side Sampdoria, was the second highest contributor of $50,000 after Asamoah Gyan’s $60,000, in an event that drew great personalities from politics, through football, arts and entertainment to the corporate world.

According to the Man of God, Eto’o’s financial support for the Stephen Appiah Foundation on the evening had given him a different perception about the Cameroonian international.

He said, “I nearly cursed Eto’o for that semi-final defeat in the Nations Cup. I was heartbroken, but he has come to pay for his ‘sins’ today. Thank you for supporting your brother, God bless you.”

Individuals and corporate institutions like the Kenpong Group of Companies, Global Haulage Group, Ghana Football Association, Professional Football Association of Ghana and Ibrahim Mahama, brother of President John Mahama, among others supported the Foundation with thousands of Ghana Cedis.

Scores of tributes poured in for the former Ghana captain who led the Black Stars to two successive World Cups.

The player’s favourite number 10 shirt was beautifully packaged in a frame and footballs which he autographed went for thousands of Cedis.