Juju in Black Stars: Kwabena Yeboah recounts experiences

Ghana booted out of AFCON without a win

Black Stars players indulge in juju acts during 2021 AFCON- reports

Juju is destroying the Black Stars - Kwabena Yeboah

President of the Sports Writer of Ghana Association(SWAG), Kwabena Yeboah recounted some experiences he has had with the Black Stars with respect to the practise of voodooism.

The legendary Ghanaian Sports journalist who has travelled with the Black Stars on countless occasion recounted an enchantment he was made to recite along with the team in 1991 before a game against Zambia.


Speaking on GTV's Saying for Passion show along with former Youth and Sports Minister, Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye, Kwabena Yeboah narrated his experiences.

"Regarding this juju issue, I don’t think it is something we should sweep it under the carpet. Unfortunately, if you are not lose to the Black Stars you would want to dismiss it. But it is the reality at the Black Stars. It didn’t start now, as far back as 1991. I have been closely associate with the Black Stars, always in amp with them and I remember well that in 1977 before the cup of nations we had a pastor...all he did was to pray for the team anytime we wear going as far as I remember.

“Over the period in 1991, now a so called spiritualist will be brought to camp and before we go for matches, we would surround a candle and would be praying. I remember very well before we played against Zambia(1996 AFCON), Gorge Arthur’s days. A certain chanting we all had to repeat those things and I remember ‘Alimao Alimao Shankara Shankara’ we were repeating those things. We went and lost that match, Tony Yeboah was the striker at the time with Opoku Nti and others and George Arthur was so furious that he attacked the spiritualist," he narrated. “

He also recounted when he was sent to see a spiritualist in cape coast before Ghana played against Cote d'Ivoire in 1984.

In the Black Stars unfortunately, again I remember very well during the days of Ato Austin as the then Executive for Youth and Sports. We went to Cote d’Ivoire(for a friendly), I don’t want to mention names but Opoku Nti was the captain of the team...The team flew to Cote d’Ivoire and we were told to go to Cape Coast to see a certain spiritualist [Nii Lante Vanderpuye incepts and help with the year ‘that was 84, Cote d’Ivoire match’.



Kobina Yeboah responded ‘yes that’s right’] the woman told us we had to wait for a while because the angel had travelled and we had to go to the beach to sit under coconut tree for so many hours came back and eventually the angel had arrived. So she said the match was a very difficult one but were going to lose by 2-0 but she had managed to change the score. So she gave us bottle and water to go and do staff, we lost the match by two goals to nil. And these things have been going on."

The ace broadcast journalist concluded that the consistent practice of the act is steadily tearing down the Black Stars.

"Unfortunately, at this level it’s a major problem in the national team and you guys have no idea how it is destroying the Black Stars. Unfortunately for players who players their trade abroad, I’m just wondering why they believe so much in this superstition. And some argue that before they went to Europe they were from this part of the World. The sad truth of the matter is that if you know the extent to which this is destroying the Black Stars," he noted.

The Black Stars have been hit with several juju allegation following their poor performance at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.


Ghana exited the tournament from the group stages without a win. Thus, the four-time champions worst-ever AFCON performance.