Opinions of Monday, 5 December 2022

Columnist: Maxwell Maundy

Ghana football and a nation full of prophets of doom

Ghana flag Ghana flag

Would victory come to a nation so full of "Prophets of doom"?

Yesterday, I was at the Farmers Day Celebration at the Municipal Assembly where I work. After the ceremony to honour our gallant Farmers in the Municipality, I went to board a "trotro" from Madina station to Amasaman.

Whilst onboard the "trotro", we were listening to the commentary of the match between Ghana and Uruguay.

When we missed the penalty, a lot of people started saying that we would lose the match. There was this man in the back seat who was so emphatic and passionate about the fact that we would lose just because we missed the penalty.

Given the opportunity, I'm pretty sure that this "Prophet of doom" would bet his life on the probability that Ghana would lose the match. He was so certain of Ghana losing the match, that he made certain utterances I wouldn't want to write about.

Sadly, however, this "Prophet of doom" wasn't alone in prophesying doom for the Black Stars. There were others who were equally in agreement with him.

Well, not long after listening to my fellow Ghanaians wishing doom for our Black Stars, I alighted from the "trotro".

Barely 30 minutes afterward, I got to a shop with a television where people were watching the match. I asked what the scores were. I was shocked to hear 2 against Ghana.

But should I really be amazed about the results when I personally witnessed "Prophets of doom" prophesying about this very outcome?

In the midst of my amazement, the "Prophet of doom" and those other naysayers in the "trotro" quickly came to mind. Why should we wish for our own downfall just because we missed a penalty?

Sadly, to say, this is the typical Ghanaian mentality. Why must we count ourselves as losers in a game of football just because we lost a penalty in the first half?

Does missing a penalty justify losing the match at such an early stage even with a goalless draw then?

Our attitude and mentality as a people leave much to be desired. We really need a change of mindset if ever we are to make progress as a people.

A wave of spiritual and mental revival is urgently needed in our land. May Yahweh send forth such a storm and rain in time for our emancipation. Revival in Ghana! I hear the voice of one crying... Put on the Garment of Praise... Robin Mark.