Today, Sunday October 25 marks exactly a year since Kurt E.S. Okraku was elected as president of the Ghana Football Association.
The argute football administrator who had served Ghana Football well was duly rewarded by the kingmakers during a fiercely contested election at the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Accra.
It was a bright day that paved way for a new Ghana Football journey to begin.
It was a moment to usher in a new football administration after the fallen Kwesi Nyantakyi empire.
It was a return of the football powers to the ‘football people’ after a very dire period of reign under the beleaguered GFA Normalisation Committee.
The atmosphere was tense, the crowd was pregnant with anticipation while the media were as usual pen-ready to note every key detail as regards the day’s happenings.
So 6 candidates- 5 distinguished men with one strong and powerful woman, showed up to be voted for by the delegates.
Kurt Okraku contested against former FA vice presidents George Afriyie and Fred Pappoe, the young but vibrant Nana Yaw Amponsah, the facile Lawyer George Ankomah Mensah and the modern day ‘Yaa Asantewaa’; the unyielding Amanda Clinton.
Amid the cheers and jeers as the candidates entered the venue, there was double-dyed optimism expressed by the campaign managers of almost every candidate.
After the first round however, the dust had settled and the boys started to distance themselves from the seating of men.
Round 1 saw Kurt Okraku poll 44 votes with George Afriyie coming close with 40 votes while Nana Yaw Amponsah and Fred Pappoe got 27 and 6 votes respectively.
The two lawyers Amanda Clinton and George Ankomah, kissed the process goodbye as they failed to secure a single vote.
With a candidate deserving 50% + 1 of votes cast to be declared a winner, the process required a second round.
Fred Pappoe also gave way, leaving the remaining trio of Kurt Okraku, George Afriyie and Nana Yaw Amponsah to contest.
After Round 2, Kurt Okraku was still the leading candidate but he failed to secure the required quota to declare him winner.
The Game Changer secured 59 votes whiles George Afriyie got 43 votes with Nana Yaw Amponsah also earning 16 votes.
The election was then thrown into a third round of voting in accordance with the GFA Statutes and to elect a winner who can cross the 50 plus one mark.
Before Round 3, George Afriyie did as expected as he selflessly announced his decision to pull out from the race and congratulated Kurt Okraku in advance.
That single action was monumental as it showed how united and forward thinking the football industry was in their bid to elect a new leadership that would spearhead the quest to restore Ghana Football’s tainted reputation and lost glory.
After a ceremonial third round of voting was held, Kurt Okraku as the sole candidate secured 93 votes to emerge as the winner of the elections.
He was eventually sworn in alongside the other elected Executive Council Members.
A dream became reality and the reality after a year has been a worthwhile.
One year of the Game Changer has paid-off as the game keeps changing for good reasons.
