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Spirited Starlets poised to crash Benin today
The stage is set for another captivating showdown as the National Under-17 side, the Black Starlets, lock horns with Benin in their second group game of the 2024 WAFU Zone B U17 Championship.
With Ghana virtually qualified for the semi-finals and Benin looking to resurrect their campaign after their loss to Ivory Coast, Tuesday’s encounter promises to be a fierce encounter.
The Black Starlets enter the match on the back of their resounding 5-1 victory over Ivory Coast in their opening fixture. In that match, the Black Starlets showcased their attacking prowess and clinical finishing, setting a formidable and intimidating tone for the tournament.
With no injury concerns in camp, Coach Laryea Kingston’s squad is pregnant with confidence and poised to sustain their winning momentum against Benin.
On the other hand, Benin finds themselves in a do-or-die situation after suffering a defeat to Ivory Coast in their opening match.
With their semi-final hopes hanging in the balance, the Beninois side understands the gravity of the upcoming clash against Ghana.
A victory over Ghana would not only revive their aspirations but also catapult them into contention for a spot in the knockout stages.
Ghana eyes total dominance over Benin and a win to top the group in their bid to get to the semi-finals of the championship.
Coach Laryea Kingston is optimistic that his side will put up a good game against Benin and win to secure a ticket to the semi-finals.
“In football, you don’t need to underrate your opponent. We’re favourites and we know that, but that will not make us complacent. We have everything to play for because all that Ghanaians are expecting from us is qualification to the AFCON. We’ll respect our opponents but keep to our principles,” Laryea Kingston said after the team’s final training on Monday.
The strength of the Black Starlets lies in their potent attack, exemplified by their free-scoring performances in recent matches.
Recording impressive 5-1 victories against both Serbia and Kazakhstan in their preparatory games, and recording the same scoreline against Ivory Coast in the championship, the Black Starlets have demonstrated their ability to find the back of the net with ease.
With the stage set for a thrilling encounter, all eyes will be on the Black Starlets as they seek to assert their dominance and take a step further towards their goal of winning the tournament.
The professor who spends his days exploring the intricacies of African languages found himself at the centre of a different kind of lesson on Friday, October 2, 2026. 
This time, there were no lecture notes, academic arguments or university classrooms. Instead, there was the weight of tradition, the rhythm of a community celebration and the solemnity of an oath at a royal palace.
Professor Ọbádélé Kambon, a full Professor of African Linguistics at the University of Ghana, was enstooled as Apagyahene and Sunsum Ɔsahene of Akuapem Mampong in the Eastern Region in a ceremony that brought academia and traditional authority together.
For the professor, the occasion was more than a new title. It was a moment that connected his academic interests in African languages and indigenous knowledge with the living traditions of an Akan community.
The day’s events unfolded through a series of customary observances. Kambon was first taken to the compounds of the Ɔkyeamehene and Gyasehene, where the preparations for his installation continued.
Then came the application of hyire, the white kaolin powder associated with traditional rites.
With the customary proceedings underway, the new chief was lifted onto the shoulders of celebrants and carried along the main thoroughfare of Akuapem Mampong.
The procession transformed the streets into a public stage for a ceremony rooted in the community’s traditional institutions.
There was something striking about the image, a university professor, accustomed to the measured language of academic discourse, being carried through the town in a display of traditional recognition.
Yet the celebration was not complete with the procession.
A ram was sacrificed at the Mamponghene’s compound before Kambon was taken to the palace, to swear the oath associated with his new offices.
The ceremony brought him formally into his roles as Apagyahene and Sunsum Ɔsahene.
Beyond the colourful proceedings, the titles themselves carry layers of historical meaning.
Kambon in his research explores the historical connections between Apagya and Akan political and military organisation.
Accounts cited in his work linked Apagya to an asafo, or military company, while historical writing traces an Apagya stool in Asante to the reign of Opoku Ware I in the eighteenth century.
These historical associations offer a glimpse into the institutions that have shaped Akan society over generations, although they do not automatically define the precise responsibilities of the office in Akuapem Mampong.
Kambon’s own professional life reflects a similar interest in preserving and examining African knowledge.
His work encompasses Akan language structure, naming practices across the Black world, proverbs and indigenous intellectual traditions.
Through Abibitumi, the platform he founded, he also promotes language learning, scholarship and cultural engagement.
But tradition was only one part of the story that day.
When the formal ceremony gave way to a reception, the occasion expanded into a celebration of three milestones: Kambon’s enstoolment, his promotion to full professor and his daughter Ama’s admission to the University of Ghana.
The gathering therefore carried a personal significance that went beyond the honours bestowed on one man. 
It celebrated professional advancement, the continuation of family aspirations and a connection to cultural heritage.
For a father, seeing a daughter gain admission to the same university where he holds a distinguished academic position offered another reason to celebrate.
For the professor, the moment placed family achievement alongside his own professional and traditional milestones.
Kambon had already established a place in the traditional life of Akuapem Mampɔn through an earlier installation as Banmuhene Kyidɔmhene, recorded in 2017.
His latest enstoolment adds another chapter to that relationship.
In Akuapem Mampɔn, the day brought together the university, the palace and the family table in one celebration. And for Kambon, the journey from the lecture room to the traditional procession showed how scholarship, cultural responsibility and family achievement could converge in a single memorable occasion.
By Enoch Ntiamoah Siaw
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Intercity STC Coaches Limited has interdicted a driver captured in a viral video allegedly hitting a Sprinter bus during an overtaking manoeuvre at Pokuase before driving away from the scene.
In a public notice, the company described the driver’s conduct as unacceptable, stressing that it did not reflect the safety standards and professionalism it upholds.
Management said it had commenced an immediate investigation into the incident and identified the driver, who has been interdicted pending the outcome of the disciplinary process.
The company added that it was awaiting an official report from the Pokuase Police Command to help establish the facts surrounding the incident.
STC reaffirmed its commitment to passenger safety and responsible road use, while thanking members of the public for bringing the incident to its attention.
Management assured the public that appropriate action would be taken following the investigation.
By: Jacob Aggrey
