Ghana is a nation that, perhaps more than any other, lives and breathes football, revelling in its many intrigues and paradoxes. That notion is no more prevalent than in the provincial city of Kumasi.
Kumasi is one of the most important tourist destinations in Ghana. The city attracts thousands of visitors a year, and is the second largest and most populous city in the country. Essentially a mixing bowl of cultures and traditions from its chequered past, the city offers a living, breathing contrast between old and new. Follow the tantalising aromas of marinated soups along the colourful alleys of the Amakom, Asafo, Ashanti New Town and Banatama and you will find traditional Ashanti courtyards co-existing with the faded grandeur of colonial municipal buildings.
Whilst the Ashanti tendency towards stubbornness might suggest these developments are not overdue, it also explains their enduring passion and love for something that will never go away – in this case, football.
This delicate balance between the past and the future is a recurring theme of the country’s identity, and Kumasi – through its football clubs – offers its own take on a deep and emotive subject. The game is a way of life in the city, dominating conversations in street cafes and coffee houses, from students, taxi drivers, hawkers, and government workers to the old men.
Karim Abdul Razak, Anthony Yeboah, Nii Odartey Lamptey, Samuel Osei Kuffour, and Kwadwo Asamoah all progressed as youngsters in the city, and it is the birthplace of the likes of Mohamed Salisu. Despite the fact that this is a city can claim to have seen the formative years of some of the nation’s greats, the attitude is nothing less than understated.
Kumasi is a place brimming with appeal. Its centre is dominated by the Baba Yara Sports stadium, the largest stadium in the country. Kumasi has always been a city fond of football and hosts one of Ghana’s biggest clubs, Asante Kotoko SC. It’s always been all about identity paired with the pride in rallying together to represent the city at the Baba Yara Sports stadium.
The Black Stars would on Thursday host the Palencas Negras of Angola in the AFCON 2023 qualifier the Kumasi Baba Yara Sports stadium. The game was originally scheduled to take place at the Accra Sports stadium but the venue failed the test and the baton handed to the Baba Yara Sports stadium.
Kumasi and the Baba Yara Sports stadium has been favourable grounds for the Black Stars since time immemorial. Most Ghana’s enviable feat were achieved at the venue. Enroute to their first FIFA World Cup in Germany in 2006, the Black Stars pummelled and battered all opponents including a 6:1 demolishing of Egypt. It was the same venue that hosted the Nigeria’s Super Eagles in 2022 FIFA World Cup play-off with Ghana eventually besting their neighbours to book their ticket to Qatar.
The soullessness of the very stadium considered to be the cathedral of Ghana football is telling. Kumasi fans are legendary. They are undoubtedly the most loyal, most vociferous fans of Ghana’s national team. Whether it's the size, noise level or a combination of the two, the Baba Yara sports stadium is a horrible place to visit. At the same time, it is a great atmosphere for the home crowd.
The intensity of the Kumasi fans behind the Black Stars is almost palpable. From a distance they seem to bubble rather than jump and sway. Bodies are only visible between swishes of the rippling blanket of flags and banners emblazoned with emblems and messages for the favourite players.
Support for the Black Stars in Kumasi stretches way beyond success. Whole lives are pumped into every movement and every roar that convene to simultaneously shock and inspire awe to those that see them, hear them and feel them.
Black Stars pulses through the veins of every indigene of Kumasi, who embody that seldom celebrated spirit of Ghanaian tribalism. They are not the mindlessly violent minority; they are the beating heart, never surrendering their honour and love for the Black Stars.
By: Godfred Budu
