Opinions of Monday, 11 February 2013

Columnist: Baafi, Alex Bossman

After Back Stars’ Disappointment

, Attention Is Focused on Supreme Court

By Alex Bossman Baafi

Since the 2012 general elections and its controversial outcome, the people of our country had known no happiness. This has been the case because the truth as to who won the presidential election has still not been established by the Supreme Court of the land.

Happiness has eluded the good people of our country because, even the supporters of NDC whose presidential candidate was pronounced winner by the Electoral Commission, could not celebrate the victory in full just because their opponents on the side of the political divide, NPP, had declined to accept the results of the election and had consequently sought the intervention of the Supreme Court.

The NPP faithful are not happy because they believe their mandate had been stolen and therefore waiting patiently for the Supreme Court to restore their hope, aspirations and happiness.

The only event that brought unity and happiness after the election hangover is the ongoing AFCON 2013 which many hoped that the Black Stars were among the leading favourite contenders. I believe sincerely that our country is among world football loving nations and anytime our Stars are partaking in any football campaign, whether at friendly, AFCON or world stage, the good people of this country unite and happily support the course. The same applied to the ongoing football tournament in South Africa, AFCON 2013.

Rather unfortunately, our Stars failed to shine in South-Africa, bringing back the memories of pain and frustrations that have engulfed the country after the declaration of the presidential results on December 9, 2012 by the Electoral Commission.

Having toiled and sweated to top Group B with 7 points and also humbled Cape-Verde and Niger on our way to the ultimate diadem, many football pundits thought our brotherhood neighbors, Burkina Faso, could in no way disgrace us at such a world stage football competition. Their view is indeed supported by history. As I keep on saying, football has no room for mathematics. The outcome of the match between the Black stars of Ghana and Stallions of Burkina Faso has confirmed this fact. Personally, I know the match travelled such a long journey to extra time and the subsequent penalty shootout because of unfair officiating. Professionally, the referee was not on top of the game with the Stallions suffering many of his “unjust decisions”.

Our team lacked tenacity of purpose, killer instincts and focus and that proved costly at the end of the day. There was also what I call technical bankruptcy or inaccurate decision from the technical bench of the Black stars and that could not also support our campaign, in my humble opinion.

With such a great shock and disappointment by the Stars, all eyes are now on the Supreme Court to come out with the verdict that will promote unity, peace and justice which will restore happiness and hope back to the good people of our country. Some of us have put the lessons of AFCON 2013 with regards to the Abysmal performance of the Black Stars behind us whilst focusing attention on the petition at the Supreme Court.

Email: abkbossman@yahoo.co.uk