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Weight of fans expectation
Andre-Ayew
Wearing a national team jersey is a footballer or by extension, any sports athlete’s biggest moment of pride.
The message is clear when footballers appear on the field of play dressed immaculately in the attire of the national team – they are the best among the lot.
There can’t be any greater gratification than that; and it is the height every footballer of athlete aim to attain.
At international podiums where players or athletes line-up for national anthems of their countries to be played, one sees the emotions of such players which sometimes transcends to the over 40,000 ‘mouth mouth’ coaches gathered to not just enjoy a beautiful game of football but also analyse and judge what players and coaches are not getting well.
The pinnacle of this passion can be observed in the players’ facial expression and their own rendition of the anthems.
It even makes the fan momentarily think he is also a footballer and often seen jog or run around after the anthem.
After these pre-match formalities, fans occupy their seats and begin to enjoy their popcorns, ‘Suya’ and ‘khebabs’ with other accompaniments.
However, that marks the beginning of 90 minutes of intense action for the players with a huge weight of expectation to deliver.
Many a time, this weight of expectation on the players is usually downplayed by the fans who feels winning games at all cost is a right.
And, especially in the case of Ghana which is considered a powerhouse, wins must even come in a certain way.
Having become acquainted with dominant performances ending with cricket scores, especially against continental minnows, a narrow win like 1-0 or 2-1 is considered unacceptable.
But a recent interview granted by Black Stars skipper, Andre ‘Dede’ Ayew in France has brought to the fore the effects of those high expectation on the players who wear the national team jerseys.
In the reported interview with Canal+, he highlighted the gravity of being part of the Black Stars team and tagged the Ghanaian jersey as a ‘heavy one.’
Ayew may be right on this assertion and could even be something previous captains have stayed with over the years but never mustered the courage to spew them out.
But in building a strong formidable team capable of meeting the expectation of the fans, it is important to have a group of players who can overcome the ‘weight’ that comes with wearing the national team jersey.
Pressure with national teams are not only associated with the Black Stars. It is a global concern among players which interestingly or fortunately doesn’t affect their interest in donning the ‘heavy’ jersey.
Demanding positive results from national teams is not a bad practice and fans would not change their stance on that.
However, like Ayew indicated in the interview, “The players must get used to it by understanding what it means to wear this jersey, which means a lot to millions of people. The jersey is ‘very heavy’ to wear and you need to have broad shoulders. I know we will bounce back. We are going through a bad time but we will get through this, I am sure.”
Perhaps, as the Black Stars get ready to commence qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on the back of their poor showing at the 2023 AFCON, this expectation of fans and the ability to overcome it will keep ringing in their ears to remind the huge responsibility on their shoulders.
By Andrew Nortey
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
