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Sports News of Friday, 28 April 2023

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

How 'fight' between Asante Kotoko board and Nana Yaw Amponsah has created media war in Kumasi

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Bright Kankam Boadu and Super Obondede Bright Kankam Boadu and Super Obondede

‘Mungamu’ a word which hitherto was alien to Ghanaian social media glossary has now been added to the lexicon following a showdown between two Kumasi-based sports media practitioners.

The video of celebrated sports journalist Bright Kankam Boadu challenging Light FM’s Akwasi Bonsrah alias Super Obondede at his own backyard to carry out the ‘mungamu’ threat he issued against him made for interesting viewing on social media.

But for followers of the Ghana Premier League, particularly Asante Kotoko fans, the ‘mungamu’ episode on Light FM on April 13, 2023 was the perfect illustration of the deep-seated division that has rocked the sports media landscape in Kumasi over the power-struggle between Asante Kotoko CEO, Nana Yaw Amponsah and some members of the club’s board.

Mungamu, for the uninitiated is a Kumasi parlance which means ‘fighting’ or threat to beat someone with little or no mercy.

A cursory following of sports shows of some of Oseikrom’s prominent radio stations will fill one with knowledge about the perceived bias of those stations regarding the turf war between Nana Yaw Amponsah and some members of the board.

Perceived pro-board

Light FM, a media house owned by Board chairman Kwame Kyei whose murky relationship with Nana Yaw Amponsah has been well documented are, in the views of many, the lead campaigners of the board members who are against Nana Yaw Amponsah.

The station has been tagged anti-Nana Yaw Amponsah due to their persistent criticism and attack on the management of Asante Kotoko.

So bad it got that a member of the management committee of Asante Kotoko, David Obeng Nyarko had to seek redress in court over what he claims to be defamatory and malicious claims made against him by a reporter of Light FM.

The infamous Mungamu face-off is another example of how the station has implicitly and explicitly deepened perception of its agenda against Nana Yaw Amponsah.

There is also Kessben FM which has not been spared the criticism of pursuing an agenda against Nana Yaw Amponsah.

Frank Naro, a reporter with the station has constantly been called out on social media by supporters of Nana Yaw Amponsah. Frederick Acheampong, a member of the Ghana Football Association’s Executive Council who is a regular pundit on Kessben FM has also been a constant critic of the management.

The above-mentioned stations have, in the views of most Asante Kotoko fans, been opposing a campaign for the aggrieved members of the board who are believed to pandering to Nana Yaw Amponsah's removal.

Perceived pro-Nana Yaw Amponsah

The radio stations with perceptions of being in the corner of Nana Yaw Amponsah are Oyerepa FM, Angel FM and Pure FM.

Pure FM, particularly head of sports Bright Kankam Boadu has on few occasions been attacked by the Light F crew for making pronouncements against them and advancing the interest of Nana Yaw Amponsah to the detriment of the board.

Oyerepa FM and Angel FM are the perceived home of Asante Kotoko CEO, Nana Yaw Amponsah and David Obeng Nyarko who is the Communications and Brands Manager of Asante Kotoko.

The two stations constantly host the Kotoko figures and give them platform to reach out to the fans and tell them about the club.



Perceived neutrals

Whiles others have been trading verbal blows, Sompa FM and Wontumi have at least, in the eye of the public, build a niche as stations who are not aligned to any of the factions.

Collins Atta Poku and his team at Sompa FM are known to be presenting balanced stories and opinions on the feud division between the board and the management. King Eben and his Wontumi crew too are not to be boxed into any of the two corners .

The situation at Asante Kotoko

The story of how Nana Yaw Amponsah fell out with Kwame Kyei needs no retelling.

For those who speak in favor of Kwame Kyei, the issue that set him and Nana Yaw Amponsah on a collusion course was when the CEO allegedly rejected some persons recommended by Kwame Kyei to be part of the management.

According to the narration, Kwame Kyei felt betrayed after he discovered that whiles his recommendations were rejected, some board members had theirs accepted.

The division and factionalism crept into the board with some members siding with Nana Yaw Amponsah whiles others pledge allegiance to Kwame Kyei.




On-field issues

On the field, Asante Kotoko might not be out of the Premier League title race yet but their form gives little confidence that they can defend their title.

The club on Thursday, April 27, 2023 lost 2-0 to Great Olympics, leaving them fifth on the league table with 42 points.














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