In this era of digital journalism where viral videos have become a part of news reporting, hardly will a proper Year in Review be done without the mention of the most exciting and controversial videos of the year.

In Ghana, big talkers are not in short supply and in 2019 there were many important figures in the sporting circles who granted video interviews that trended for good and bad reasons.

In this piece, Ghanaweb recounts some of the videos which shook the foundation of the sporting fraternity in 2019.

Alhaji Grunsah calls RFA Chairmen ‘Goro Boys’

Alhaji Grunsah's hopes and chances of becoming the new Ghana FA President in the post-Nyantaky era were severely dented by his attack on one of the major blocs within the federation.

Grunsah who is President of King Faisal Football club described the chairmen of the RFAs as the ‘goro boys’ of Ghana Football, adding that they are the main actors destroying Ghana Football.

“The last speaker I want to ask him, his accreditation here. Is he a club member or RFA. He’s an RFA member. The goro boys of Ghana football are the RFA’s. The RFA, they killed all that he said. No colts in any region in Ghana here.



George Afriyie and the ‘Awoof Apae’ comment

The 2019 Ghana Football Association Election will go down in history as a landmark and turning point for Ghana. Indeed, it was the first election contested by more than one person since 2005 and the traction the build of the election generated was worth it.

Prior to the election, a front-runner and former GFA Vice President George Afriyie made certain pronouncement that surprised many.

Speaking to the media ahead of the election, Afriyie proclaimed “This election, ‘awoof’ apae. It will be very easy. I don't fear delegates, I trust them. I'm part of the old stock. I know what we went through, and where we want to go. Vote for George Afriyie, the number two on the ballot for the redemption and revival of our football. It is important to display some level of transparency to get public confidence back". Needless to remind you the he lost the elections to Kurt Okraku after three rounds of voting on October 25.



$4k NC salary can only buy one Gucci bag

Naa Odofoley Nortey, a member of the Normalisation Committee described as amusing and disrespectful some allegations which were levelled against her and the committee.

According to the lawyer, the monthly allowance she got from FIFA in helping to reform Ghana football cannot be compared to what she lost in her services to the nation.

“Again I don’t mean to sound funny but 4000 dollars, that’s one Gucci bag. I don’t know the kind of people and how much they earn but in my 16 years of practice, 4000 dollars is a quarter of a basic divorce you do. I’m sorry but it’s nothing”.

“It was annoying and I feel sorry for them. They think 4000 dollars is what I would charge. I probably need to get my office to quantify what I have lost in terms of fees in this one year. I can assure you that 4000 dollars is chicken change”, she told Ghanaweb.
Following that pronouncement, madam Odofoley has acquired the nickname "Naa Gucci".



Bukom Banku makes juju claims against Bastie Samir

Popular Ghanaian boxer, Brimah Kamoko, alias Bukom Banku, attributed his maiden career defeat to Bastie Samir two years ago to being influenced by ‘juju’.

Bukom Banku noted that Bastie felt like a giant when they entered the ring to commence the fight; a development he suspected was as a result of his nemeses engaging in black magic.

“I was surprised that Bastie looked like a giant when we entered into the ring to fight. I was asking myself so many questions because the Bastie I know wasn’t who I fought on that night.

“It was as if I was drunk because I couldn’t see anything in the ring during the fight and that is why I don’t want to fight him again,” he explained.




Dan Kweku Yeboah tells ‘soli-taking’ journalists to shut up

Former spokesperson of the GFA Normalisation Committee, Dan Kwaku Yeboah, sent shockwaves across the country when he hit out at colleague journalists and officials who benefitted from the Black Stars’ 2019 AFCON budget and later turned around to criticize the expenditure.

According to him, all those who benefited from the budget had no right to criticise.

“Some of the things have to be criticized but we should be realistic about it. The painful thing is that some of them who are criticizing enjoyed part of the soup when they were in Egypt,” he said on Peace FM.

“But those days when we were talking about the budget, we didn’t accept any money because we didn’t want our name to be mentioned around it. So, if you spent some of the money then you should keep quiet because it is hypocrisy.”