When the Stars dance at the Castle

A GNA colour by Benjamin Mensah

Accra, July 6, GNA - A giant football perched on the lawns of the entrance to the Osu Castle, sometimes also called Government House, to announce the arrival of the gallant Black Stars Players.

The Stars and their handlers were to be received by President John Evans Atta Mills. They made not only Ghana, but also the rest of Africa, and the African Diaspora proud by their sterling performance in the ongoing FIFA 2010 World Cup Tournament in South Africa.

The Black Stars of Ghana stayed in the game and could have been the shock of the world, to the ultimate gold, till the "hand of the devil" of Uruguayan striker Luis Suerez, hastened their exit at the quarter final stage.

But their spirit is undaunted. Osse yei, Black Stars, you are our heroes, we love you; you made Ghana and Africa proud. Bravo! The game was exciting, and the giant ball christened Ghana Supporters Ball, foreshadowed the excitement of the Africans all over the world on the sterling performance of the gallant stars at the tournament. Vice President John Dramani Mahama had autographed the Ghana Supporters Ball, put forward jointly by the Infinity Communications Concept and Blet Services Limited.

So did MPs, Ministers of State, big and small personalities numbering about 1,500 who also autographed the ball to ensure that the Black would ever be in the international football game.

Black Stars must stay in the game, and they stayed, though they were out. They are winners, not losers.

Despite the loss, which many football pundits attributed to bad officiating, an appreciative President Mills observed the Stars have still won the hearts and minds of many Ghanaians and peoples of African descent who love fair play and are objective.

"The penalty kick did not matter, we had won," he said, as he announced a reward package of $20,000 each for the players, the coach and the assistant coach and $10,000 each to the technical and management team members.

The Stars would also receive national honours at a date to be announced. So the excitement went on, and the Stars sang, clapped and danced to choral music by the Dansoman Youth Choir, while Ken Carbonou did his usual free style music in a keyboard accompaniment and called the Stars in succession to shake hands with President Mills. It was not the jig of Camerounian footballer Roger Miller, nor the Kangaroo Dance of the Stars.

It was an ordinary Ghanaian dance by the Stars, joined by a bevy of Ghanaian ladies in the national colours of red, yellow and green as the heavens poured rain drizzles to celebrate the Stars, African Ambassadors in South Africa.

Yes, the Stars, the Bafana BaGhana Boys are back. They, who turned instruments of international diplomacy and repositioned Ghana on the world map at the World Cup, are now ready to start preparing for Brazil 2014.