Asante Kotoko legend Rev. Osei Kofi shared an intriguing story about how his father's divorce case led him to leave Hearts of Oak and join their arch-rivals, Asante Kotoko.
Osei Kofi narrated that his father needed £30 to settle his divorce from a woman who had mistreated him.
He recalled that his father informed him about the divorce while he was in the Hearts of Oak camp, shortly after leading the team to victory in the 1964 league.
"I didn't like how the woman treated my father. He used to eat leftovers from what she sold in the market. My father had become old and weak, so he stayed home. I was in the Hearts of Oak camp when my dad came and told me he wanted a divorce, and the court demanded £30," he said during an interview on Channel One TV.
It turned out that his father worked as a driver for a Kotoko patron who offered to pay the divorce fee if Osei Kofi joined the Porcupines.
"He was a driver for Mr. Adusei, a Kotoko patron. After Hearts won the league, someone told Mr. Adusei, 'Do you know your driver's son is Osei Kofi? Why don't you pay the £30 so Osei can go to Kotoko?'
"So, I was there when my father told me the story, and I decided to go to Kotoko because of the woman. I left Hearts of Oak without informing anyone because it was an amateur league, and we weren't under contracts or salaries. That night, I went to Kumasi. The £30 was given to my father to finalize the divorce, which saved him," he recounted.
In his prime, Osei Kofi was known as the "Wizard Dribbler" for his quick feet and ability to bypass defenders.
He spent most of his career at Asante Kotoko, achieving legendary status and helping the club win consecutive league titles in 1965 and 1966.
EE/MA