By Ken Bediako
From Ashanti United to Titanics, then Mighty Atoms and now Fabulous Asante Kotoko. I mean the FA Cup holders who are celebrating their 90th Birthday this Sunday August 31.
The arguably best supported club in the country are preparing for Africa once more after a long absence.
Disappointingly, the fabulous boys flopped miserably in the just ended Ghalca Top Four tournament in Accra.
The club’s teeming supporters are however not unduly worried. They have confidence in the technicians led by club legend Karimu Abdul Zito to put things right. The Porcupine Warriors clarion call of “Wokum apem a apem beba (you kill a thousand a thousand will come) has inspired them to many outstanding triumphs.
On this auspicious occasion of a 90th birthday, I find it appropriate to narrate the club’s 90 year old history in my capacity as a long serving sports journalist.
The foundation for what can safely be described as the best club in Ghana in terms of achievements was laid in 1924 by 13 young Ashanti boys led by a young driver, Kwasi Kuma and L.Y. Asamoah, a private electrician who formed a team called Ashanti United.
That was in 1926. Five years later it was renamed Kumasi Titanics. The story goes that Titanics did not find enough luck under their new name and in 1934 they adopted a more powerful name, Mighty Atoms.
In 1935, JSK Frimpong, popularly called Teacher Frimpong, then a very popular and affable teacher of the Kumasi Government School, organised some boys from his school and changed the name to Asante Kotoko after obtaining special permission from the Asantehene, Nana Osei Agyeman Prempeh II. He had to seek permission from Otumfuo because the Kotoko represents the emblem of Asante nation.
Originally membership of Asante Kotoko was limited to Ashantis and Nzemas only. Of course it is now open to all tribes and it has the largest following in the country.
The reformed Asante Kotoko was officially launched on Sunday August 31st 1935 before a great assembly of chiefs and people from all walks of life and since then it has achieved several firsts.
Kotoko’s vociferous supporters will be too happy to tell you that they were the first FA Cup holders, to receive the title of champion of champions after beating league champions Hearts of Oak also the first Ghanaian club to play in boots; the first to supply as many as seven players for the national team; the first to employ a full time foreign coach, the first to play 22 matches in the National league undefeated, the first to tour Great Britain and the last but not the least, the first Ghanaian club to win the Africa Cup.
On the whole, the Fabulous club have won a total of more than 50 trophies including a record of 25 Ghana Premier League Titles, Two CAF championship titles and 9 FA Cups.
They also hold the record for most SWAG Cup wins with 16 titles and Ghana Super Cup 3 titles.
Arguably Kotoko’s most glorious achievement in history was the CAF Cup in faraway Congo Kinshsa in 1971 in front of a highly partisan home crowd topped by unfair officiating.
Congolese opponents Englebert had earned a deserving 1-1 draw in the first leg in Kumasi and were therefore justifiably confident to snatch the cup in front of their home crowd but the Porcupine Warriors had other ideas.
For the benefit of the younger generation, let me recall the MEMORIES OF JAN 24 1971 in Kinshasa with this match report.
Here we go:
“It is due to your foolishness that the cup is going to Ghana,” a disappointed President Joseph Mobutu was quoted as having told skipper Kalala of Englebert just before presenting the Osagyefo Cup to Ibrahim Sunday the evening of that fateful Sunday January 24, 1971.
This lamentation coming from the President himself sums up the mood of the entire people of Zaire who were denied the right to be the custodians of the Africa Cup donated by Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
With Englebert in top form, backed by a fanatical home support, it needed something more than mere courage to deprive them of a home win especially when the Congo Kinshasa champions had held their opponents to a 1-1 draw in the away duel. That super courage was found in Fabulous Asante Kotoko “kum apem a apem beba” the club over whose popularity the sun never sets, apologies to Ohene Djan, Ghana’s first Director of Sports.
With a 1-1 draw from the Kumasi first leg draw on Sunday January 10, livewire Osei Kofi declared medically unfit, as a result of injury and two of their star players Osumanu and Ohene Brenya half fit as a result of injury sustained in training on Tuesday January 19, the day of Kotoko’s arrival in Kinshasa.
The much awaited Cup Final kicked off at 3:40pm with Kotoko setting a fast pace but soon lost control to Englebert whose 80,000 spectators at the Tata Raphael Stadium roared for action. Englebert responded by laying a siege on the Kotoko goalmouth. It was a fierce attack and soon Robert Mensah, Africa’s number one goalie had made two dramatic saves from Kalala and Tshinabu’s close range bullets.
These dramatic saves fired Kotoko into action and within a short time Abukari demonstrated his dangerous scoring ability by firing a great shot past Keeper Kazali. It was the result of a three man move with Osumanu Orlando and Malik Jabir.
The goal naturally infuriated Englebert whose attacking machinery of Abuyi Saidi, Kapata, Kalala and Tsinabu exploded into action. They harassed the Kotoko defence but Ben Kusi, Oliver Acquah, Clifford Odame and Ohene Brenya in the rear backed by Robert Mensah in the posts, held the fort until the 17th minute when the homesters levelled up. Left winger Tsinabu who had been a bother to the Kotoko defence took a perfect corner kick which was headed home by skipper Kalala.
With the scores at par, fortunes kept fluctuating till half time. Before the commencement of the second half, Kotoko brought on young Albert Essuman, affectionately called Baby Pele, for Sulley on the right flank in an attempt to revitalise their attacking machinery. Englebert replied by pulling off inside right Saidi for Kawango.
Both sides resumed play with renewed determination..With eyes on the coveted trophy, the goalmouth of the two teams were kept boiling interchangeably. In fact at certain stages it looked as if Englebert were getting the upperhand putting the Kotoko defence under severe pressure. It was at this stage that Robert Mensah proved that the sportswriters who picked him as Africa’s leading goalie a year earlier did not make the selection for fun.
Robert stood between Englebert and victory until his men upfront were clearly inspired by his brilliance in the posts. The Porcupine Warriors went onto action with shots from all angles until Malik Jabir grabbed what turned out to be the match winner in the 77th minute.
Inside left Osumanu who had just returned to the pitch after being treated for a slight injury, was the chap who provided the ammunition for the kill.
Kotoko at this stage played with absolute finesse and were completely on top of their game. Suddenly Senegalese referee Mustafa who had already booked four Kotoko players, Clifford Odame, Malik Jabir, Osumanu Orlando and Yaw Sam crowned a day of open biased officiating by awarding a penalty against Kotoko when the ball hit Odame’s thigh in the 85th minute.
Like a chorus the entire stadium shouted the name of their expert penalty taker Tsinabu.
Clifford Odame broke down in tears. All the Kotoko players were visibly shaken. It was at this stage that Robert Mensah showed immense leadership qualities. The well-built goalie quickly collected the ball, adjusted his famous cap on his head and placed the ball at the penalty spot and returned to the goalposts to face the ordeal.
The so called Congolese experienced penalty taker walked confidently to the spot and contary to expectation, he shot the ball miles over the bar. Hurray Asante Kotoko. The die was cast. The stadium was quiet like a cemetery. Asante Kotoko of Ghana had won the Africa Cup for the first time at the expense of a favourite home team in far away Congo Kinshasa. No wonder President Mobutu was not amused in the least.
Back home, Kotoko fans were chanting
with pride “we are the original Continental Club Masters”.
Cheers everybody and keep loving sports.
