As we were left jaw-dropping by the spectacle that surfaced on our TVs and pictures from the scene Saturday 3rd April in Techiman, at the Nana Ameyaw
As we were left jaw-dropping by the spectacle that surfaced on our TVs and pictures from the scene Saturday 3rd April in Techiman, at the Nana Ameyaw Park in a match between Kotoko and Techiman Eleven Wonders, many have been the questions from the concerned and other stakeholders whether this is advertent or deception in full glare.
It beats logic to assimilate the fact that even after the stern directive that banned supporters from going to stadiums as the country works to ground a virus that has ravaged an entire world, Yet, in the aforementioned game, supporters were envisaged at the Nana Ameyaw Park in their numbers watching the match which begs the question of how they found themselves there and who allowed such insolence to be perpetrated.
This smacks an act of indiscipline, insubordination and gross disrespect which ought to be treated with the contempt it ought to.
Few days before the start of the second round on Easter Friday, a communiqué had been learned of the Ghana football association’s permission to allow 25 per cent supporters into various match venues however after barely 24hrs of that directive, a novel communique emanated from the fa again diluting the earlier directive. This obviously might have created inconveniences from the perspectives of the supporters because the learning of their return to the stadium had aroused joy and appetite only for their bubble to get burst owing to the second press release from the association.
Besides, reports that were subsequently gathered elicited the fact that the fa allegedly had not conferred with health authorities and other stakeholders before issuing out such directive.
Be that as it may, the fa should have preempted the scenario that with the interests their earlier press release may have generated, could spark the propensity of sidestepping the rules and the consequences might be dire. This act of obstinacy where clubs have defied aspects of the protocols thus allowing supporters into stadiums is not the first nor second I can say it has happened umpteenth times which in branding wise and image-wise does not augur well for the clubs. No serious institution would wish to associate with organizations that appear not to have reverence for work ethics, codes and conducts.
Amazingly, some of these defiances have even led to assaults on referees at various jurisdictions of our games leaving mindbogglingly questions.
With what I’ve seen so far from the efforts of the fa in supporting the government to fight the virus as far the football cities circles are concerned, I beg to say it has been woefully passive, to put it mildly. It is as though they wait for the incident to rear its head before they begin to think of tackling it which has seen merely rubber-stamps decisions from their end. I recall during the 2020 electioneering period when ban had been imposed on social gatherings and activities just so we could curb the spread of the covid19, yet politicians and their parties engaged in rallies, we gravely spoke and criticised it, therefore, I do not expect us to behave like the Pharisees who only saw the pluck in other people’s eyes and not theirs.
Whilst we wait for the decision from the fa and also to know how we navigate this narrow path, I’d like to opine this should be the last straw to see the compliance we all wish all to see and also to press charges against the offenders as the Pharisees did to Jesus even when Pilate could not find any fault with him.
It is blindingly clear, that with the covid being novel, likewise is it novel to supporters who without no fault of theirs are constricted at homes on Sundays when they would have loved to be at various parks and stadiums to watch their beloved clubs.
Sadly as this may be, we ought not to be oblivious of the vagaries of the coronavirus which has wreaked enormous havoc on the world and its subjects.
Just as the antelope pants for water so do supporters hearts pants to restart going back to match venues to cheer their darling clubs meanwhile we cannot substitute hunger on the altar of mere negligences which could jeopardize valuable lives and further ruining our game to infinite destruction.
As some people came to report to Jesus of a fallen tower killing some people alleging that Herod had used their blood for sacrifices as I paraphrase, Jesus retorted, “are we better than them? or are they more sinners than us”? He further charged the crowd with him then let’s be watchful so we do not be at the wrong place at the wrong time else we perish like them. It is better to be patient to return as we witnessed in some parts of the first round when the virus took a nosedive than to plunge ourselves into any further future chaos. To comply is better than sacrifice.
As Christ has risen so must we rise from our infallible acts. May the Lord help us to defeat this oppressor called coronavirus with our will and might forevermore.
Writer : Nana Yaw Preko Bimpeh
Twitter : Nana Yaw Preko Bimpeh 1
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