E.T, Alhaji in a Cat And Mouse Game

From his political playing field where his propaganda work is scornfully shunned by his own people, his game plan on the soccer field is not proving any good either.

Many of the party's supporters were indeed disappointed to have found E.T distributing propaganda materials that talked about certain negative things about the parent party of the NPP, the UP, dubbed Lest We Forget. I heard one guy referring to it as absolute crap and trash.

Apparently the guy was scared that at the time that the NPP is shedding off its docility, the propaganda items might incennse them to rake the past of the NDC where skeletons of judges could be found not to talk of the many people who were killed silently with the where abouts of their bodies still being a conjectural game. He might be cursing the day he endorsed the candidature of Alhaji Nurudeen Jawula as the successor of the Fanti big man Nana Sam Brew Butler.

E.T's problems with the Alhaji started with the Coach Dossena issue. Yes, E.T showed that indeed he is the Minister responsible for the Alhaji's appointment.

"I SAY, NO DOSSENA", the Minister yelled from the balcony of his Ministry of Youth and Sports and all dissenting views were frozen. It could only be heard on such insignificant areas like some private Radio Stations and at the stadia. As for where it mattered the deal had fallen through. It's an issue of showing the likes of Jawula that no matter how Ghanaians appreciate their soccer, the Minister's view no matter how unpleasant it might seem is the best for the idea-hungry fans.

It's the E.T Power. You better succumb or fall out.

So for the Alhaji to have dared the Honourable Prampram MP, perhaps he might have had a hidden arsenal that for once was set to blow off the E.T threat. And as Ataa Mensah was all set to relieve the Alhaji of his post so was the Alhaji also tightening the screws.

Quickly a cosmetic lobbying was set in motion with the most discredited of the lot but a darling of the Minister is being brandished around as the favourite for the revered position. The drift was simple.

Cast insinuations on Alhaji, your boss to give some legitimacy to my call to dismiss the Alhaji and all that you needed will be added unto thee. As an obedient servant the King's son at the height of his boot- licking maligned his boss as if he was not part of the rot with the hope of getting the nod from Ataa Mensah.

Meanwhile the slim macho old Lady's choice, one Bonsu was also warming up at the fringes hoping to make amends for the poor showing at the last congress where he had sought to lead Ghana soccer. But who wrongfully assured this conceited Bonsu that he has any place in the leadership of Ghana soccer? I quite remember in his battle with the Kumawu king-kong in the race for the Porcupine chairmanship, he was thrown overboard like a rag by the playing body because he could not raise money to pay the arrears of the players.

Of course anything can happen in Papa Jerry's sikaman when one proves beyond all reasonable doubt that he belongs to Papa Jerry's team. It doesn't really matter if the fella's experience in soccer was once being a sales representative of Adidas in Ghana. Like the wily Fox, Alhaji remained on the sidelines whilst the power brokers and their favourites played the chest game.

The soccer capo however did not remain dormant on his period of hibernation. He lobbied his hard-liners who fashioned out an idea that the Executive Council of the FA should go to congress next year to pick new F.A members.

Alhaji knew what he was doing. This is an election year and you know anybody at all in the political game stands the risk of being a casualty to the change expected to be effected in January 7,2001.It is not too certain whether Egya Atta or Kufuor will win.

One thing however is certain. Egya or Kufuor, E.T will not be a Minister of State.

Perhaps E..T himself learnt of what is in store for him under a Mills presidency when his request to see the Vice President in his house sometime this year was turned down by the Prof. who insisted that since the issue was official the Prampram darling boy should only see him at his office. Armed with such the concrete rumour that Ataa Tei's tenure is about some two months away, Alhaji and his supporters have decided to frustrate the process of selecting an FA chairman by the National Executive Congress which invariably could come off after the elections which is expected to sweep off E.T.

Ataa Tei himself seemed to be in the know of what awaits him. His fate in the new order vis- vis the position adopted by his "subordinates' worries him, hence his hurry to see to it that all his plans are carried through before the Mills or Kufour tornado.

Will he succeed?. Only time can offer the answer