Big Men playing football: money, politics and foul play in the African game Pannenborg, A. Citation Pannenborg, A. (2012). Big Men playing football: money, politics and foul play in the African game. Leiden: African Studies Centre. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/1887/20224 Version: Not Applicable (or Unknown) License: Leiden University Non-exclusive license Downloaded from: https://hdl.handle.net/1887/20224 Note: To cite this publication please use the final published version (if applicable). Big Men playing football African Studies Centre African Studies Collection, vol. 43 Big Men playing football Money, politics and foul play in the African game Arnold Pannenborg Published by: African Studies Centre P.O.Box 9555 2300 RB Leiden [email protected] www.ascleiden.nl Cover design: Heike Slingerland Cover photo: A director of Hearts of Oak waves the club colours before the big match against Asante Kotoko at the stadium in Accra, Ghana. Cover photo: Sanne Terlingen Photos: Sanne Terlingen, Arnold Pannenborg Printed by Ipskamp Drukkers, Enschede ISSN: 1876-018X ISBN: 978-90-5448-118-8 © Arnold Pannenborg, 2012 Contents List of figures and photos vii Acknowledgements ix 1 INTRODUCTION 1 The de-virtualised world of football 2 A study of Big Men in the African game 13 2 A SHORT HISTORY OF FOOTBALL IN AFRICA 22 Africa, football and the early days 23 Football after independence: The good old days 29 The lost decade: Economic crisis and structural adjustments 35 The new millennium: Exodus, commercialisation and Europe 41 3 LOOKING FOR A WEALTHY BIG MAN 48 From community-based clubs to one-man shows 49 Who is the boss? 62 Wanted: A Big Man 69 How Big Men become FA officials 77 4 HONOUR, PRESTIGE AND THE OTHER 81 Football and identity 82 Histories, traditions and rituals 87 The prestigious side of the game 99 5 POLITICS, POWER AND THE FOOTBALL MAP 110 Mixing football with politics 111 The club and the party: Hearts vs Kotoko 124 PWD Bamenda and the Anglophone problem 131 6 THE FOOTBALL BUSINESS 140 The business side of football 141 The commoditisation of the player 153 7 POWER PLAY, MISMANAGEMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY 170 The Big Man as boss 171 Big Men, factions and power struggles 179 Incompetence, mismanagement and corruption 188 Transparency, accountability and FIFA 197 v 8 THE ART OF WINNING 205 Match-fixing, hospitality and gift-giving 206 The power of juju 221 Intimidation, violence and no-go areas 234 9 FRIENDSHIPS, NETWORKS AND THE SEARCH FOR PROFIT 248 Friendships and the promotion/relegation struggle 249 Fortune, failure and the spiritual factor 256 Networks and Big Man politics 262 Player selection, age cheats and tournaments 272 10 CONCLUSION 282 Notes 288 Bibliography 329 vi List of figures and photos Figures 1 The forms of capital in football 5 Photos 1.1 Flanked by his entourage, Hearts of Oak Board member Alhaji Fawaz Zowk observes a practice session at the El-Wak Stadium in Accra, Ghana 15 2.1 Football infrastructures throughout Africa are largely inadequate. Players of Tiko United (Cameroon) practice on a barren ground inside the town stadium 28 2.2 Clubs in Africa have suffered from low patronage in recent times. A Hearts of Oak supporter watches his team play at the Len Clay Stadium in Obuasi, Ghana 39 2.3 Playing abroad has made some African players rich. One of Ghana’s national team players leaves Accra’s military airport in his expensive SUV 45 3.1 A supporter of one-man show Yong Sports Academy shows his self-made flag at the stadium in Bamenda 60 3.2 Through a public signpost in a Kumasi suburb, members of Asante Kotoko’s Circle group 98 are reminded of a six o’clock meeting on a Thursday 70 4.1 Asante Kotoko’s nickname (Fabulous!) and motto (Kum apem a, apem beba) are written on the side of the team bus 90 4.2 Ghana’s national team player Harrison Afful receives a welcome by FA officials and other Big Men after having played a World Cup qualifier 102 5.1 A Hearts of Oak player performs a prayer before the match between Hearts and Asante Kotoko at the packed Ohene Djan Stadium in Accra 121 5.2 President Eteki Charles of Tiko United is standing near the Mungo river. In 2007, supporters rolled out a red carpet over the bridge (left) to celebrate their team’s promotion to the top league 135 6.1 Hundreds of players show up at a gravel field behind a church in Bamenda for a recruitment period of top league club Yong Sports Academy 150 6.2 Businessman Yong Francis has ordered workers to turn a bush area near Nkwen into an academy ground, featuring two training pitches and dormitories 164 7.1 Coach Herbert Addo (left on the bench) watches a practice session at Asante Kotoko’s training ground near the military barracks in Kumasi 177 7.2 In April 2009, the Otumfuo Challenge Cup and other festivities were organised in honour of the current Asantehene’s ten year anniversary on the throne 190 8.1 Winning increases the chances of converting capital. An Asante Kotoko player celebrates his team’s victory over arch rival Hearts of Oak 211 8.2 Coaches C.K. Akonnor and Nii Lamptey of Eleven Wise give instructions during a home match against Asante Kotoko at the Essipong Stadium in Sekondi. Their white shirts signal victory 225 8.3 A match between Eleven Wise and Asante Kotoko at the Essipong Stadium in Sekondi ends in a victory for the visitors. Immediately afterwards, armed police officers escort the referee and his linesmen off the pitch 239 vii 9.1 Big teams such as Hearts and Kotoko are thought to receive favour upon favour. Kotoko players watch their team win an away match against Bechem Chelsea at the stadium in Sunyani 255 9.2 Teams belonging to ethno-political minorities, such as PWD Bamenda, are said to be obstructed by the powers that be 268 viii Acknowledgements This is the time and place to express my gratitude. The origins of this study can be traced back to 2003, the year I carried out my MA fieldwork in the town of Buea, Cameroon. It was Professor Sjaak van der Geest and Dr. Robert Akoko who each helped me in different ways to finish writing my thesis on the spiritual side of football. The African Studies Centre Leiden later published my thesis How to win a football match in Cameroon as part of their African Studies Collection. This PhD research project would not have seen the light of day without the help of Professor Wouter van Beek. He first of all encouraged me to pick up the topic of football again at a time I was busy doing something else entirely. I since started a blog on African football, wrote articles for magazines, newspapers and websites, appeared on radio programmes and participated in public seminars and debates. At one point, Wouter proposed to enrol me as a PhD candidate. I visited Ghana in 2008 to watch African Cup of Nations matches and to do preliminary fieldwork. When Wouter managed to obtain funds for my fieldwork I resigned my job and left for Ghana early in 2009. I am very grateful for Wouter’s help in bringing this PhD project to completion. Before saying thanks to a multitude of people I want to thank my girlfriend Sanne Terlingen. Without hesitation she abandoned her life in the Netherlands to accompany me on a five-month fieldwork journey to Ghana and a subsequent four-month journey to Cameroon. Apart from providing moral support, she occa- sionally joined me in doing interviews and accompanied me on my trips from our “homes” in Kumasi and Bamenda to watch matches. She also took several of the pictures printed in this publication. I wish to thank those who helped me in one way or another during the periods I did my fieldwork in Ghana in 2008, 2009 and 2011. First of all, thanks to Ed Corts and his wife Beatrice for renting out their home in Kumasi to Sanne and me. Also, thanks to Desmond, Ibi and the others at the shop across the street whom I engaged in numerous talks about football in Ghana in general, and Asante Kotoko in particular. Also deserving of my gratitude is Emmanuel Prempeh, a journalist who was a great help as an assistant/fixer. Another thank you goes to Kwaku Anor, spokesperson for one of Kotoko’s Circle groups. I also owe a debt of gratitude to the Big Men, other club and FA officials, coaches, players, referees, journalists and others who were kind enough to share their experiences. A final thank you goes to Mr. X. ix With regard to my fieldwork in Cameroon in 2009 and 2010, I wish to thank Mirjam de Bruijn and Francis Nyamnjoh for allowing Sanne and myself to stay at Langaa Centre in Bamenda. Also a big thanks to Essomba, Ashu and Zé, whom I first met in Buea in 2003. Essomba, thanks for driving us around on your motorbike! A thank you to Amah Cleopas Chi, a staunch supporter of PWD Bamenda, who helped me throughout my fieldwork. I am also much obliged to the Big Men and other club officials, coaches, players, referees, journalists and others who were kind enough to share their experiences. Finally, a word of thanks to Eteki Charles, president of Tiko United, for receiving us in such a friendly manner. I wish to express my gratitude to Tilburg University and the African Studies Centre Leiden.