Azumah gives to GOIL
The last time Prof. Azumah Nelson stepped into the ring was July 11, 1998 at San Antonio in the United States. Unfortunately, he lost an IBA lightweight title bout against James Leija. It was the second time he had lost to Leija whom he had fought four times in five years, winning twice, both WBC World title bouts on September 10, 1993 in Texas and June 1, 1996 in Nevada.
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When he lost that last fight against Leija in 1998, Azumah knew the end had come for him as a professional boxer. It was better he retired while the ovation was still loud, he believed.
Nobody needed to tell the professor that his best days in boxing were over. On November 11, 1998, he announced his retirement. Many had expected the decision.
For millions of his admirers, it was the end of a glamorous and glittering professional career for Azumah, who brought joy to his compatriots and others across the globe for his sheer bravado, discipline and fighting spirit.
From the day he made his professional debut with an eight round decision over Billy Kwame on December 1, 1979 in Accra to that last fight he lost to Leija in July 1998, Azumah was able to post a record of 39 wins, 28 of them by knock-out, five losses and two draws.
Achievements
He was a three-time world boxing champion in two weight divisions. He fought some of the greatest fighters of his age: Salvador Sanchez, Wilfredo Gomez, Juan La Porte and Jeff Fenech. Others included Pernell Whittaker, Mario Martinez, Pat Crowdel and Marcos Villassana.
We cannot forget that he also won the Ghana, African and Commonwealth feather-weight titles before he took the world by storm, fighting mostly in the US, Europe, and Australia.
The boxing professor also had a stellar amateur career which he climaxed with a gold medal at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, Canada, compiling an amateur record of 50 wins and only two losses.
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It is for these exploits that Azumah is regarded as the greatest boxer to come out, not only from Ghana but the entire African continent.
There have been great African boxers who also achieved fame for themselves and their countries. They included Roy Ankrah (the Black Flash), D. K. Poison, Floyd Klutei Robinson, Love Allotey, Joe Tetteh and Ike Quartey, all from Ghana, and Hogan, “King” Bassey, Dick Tiger and Joe Rafiu King, all from Nigeria, but none of these come anywhere near Azumah. He stands tall among the best from Africa.
It is not unusual for many great boxers who made millions of dollars during their careers to slip into oblivion after their boxing days are over. They are soon forgotten by the world as a number of them die as paupers.
Azumah continues to shine
Not so for Azumah who continues to make waves and be loved and admired 18 years after he hanged his gloves in his native Ghana. Azumah has gained a national hero status and he draws attention to himself anytime he attends a public function. Boxing fans and critics recognise him as the greatest boxer ever to come from Ghana.
Outside Ghana, he is a well-respected sporting personality who is regularly invited to WBC conventions in the USA and elsewhere. He was selected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame on January 8, 2004 and was inducted on June 13, 2004. He is also a member of the World Boxing Hall of Fame.
What has, however, endeared Azumah to his compatriots is his patriotism and humility throughout his illustrious career. Azumah, whether as an amateur or a professional, believed that he was fighting for his motherland, his dear Ghana. It was always Ghana first and nothing else. One could see how he was charged anytime the Ghana National Anthem was played before he stepped into the middle of the ring.
It is this sense of love for Ghana that has made Azumah and continues to make him a national asset. He remains one of Ghana’s greatest exports and the nation’s gift to the rest of the sporting world.
Azumah is GOIL Brand Ambassador
Therefore, when I attended the unveiling of Professor Barimah “Zoom Zoom” Azumah Nelson at the Tang Palace Hotel at Roman Ridge in Accra on March 16, 2016 as the GOIL Brand Ambassador, the chemistry was never in doubt.
I am sure the Chairman of the GOIL Board, Professor William Assomaning, a renowned Chemistry professor, would agree with me that it was a perfect match, two national assets coming together in a relationship that can only be of great benefit to Ghana.
As the Managing Director of GOIL, Mr Patrick A. K. Akorli, said at the ceremony: “Over the last 50 years, GOIL has undergone significant changes, evolving from a private entity into a government controlled company, becoming public listed and subsequently rebranding itself to become what it is today.
Mr Akorli did not mince words when he told the gathering at the Tang Palace Hotel that “over the last five decades, GOIL has shown enough resilience, having braved the storms of a turbulent industry, even in the face of deregulation, to remain the leading Oil Marketing Company (OMC) with 20 per cent share of the retail market.
“There can be no equivocation that the modest achievements have been as a result of sound management practices, discipline, consistency, hard-work and above all, the can-do spirit of the Ghanaian. We have defied the naysayers, proving the ability of the Ghanaian and most importantly, giving practical meaning to the usefulness of relying on indigenous talents and local content development.
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I say “Kudos” to the MD. I think it is to the credit of the management of GOIL to have identified in Azumah those qualities that made him a national asset and try to partner with the professor in order to push GOIL to a higher pedestal.
Not too long ago, I learnt some powerful individuals wanted government to sell its shares in GOIL so that it would be privatised. The government probably took a wiser decision not to do this.
The role GOIL played in the deregulations of the oil industry has placed it in good stead, ever ready to champion the national interest. Now GOIL shows the way for the rest of the oil marketing companies to follow.
Today GOIL, certainly, has become a national asset that must be handled with care. It is poised to contribute significantly to the growth of the Ghanaian economy as the foremost oil marketing company in Ghana.
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One cannot but agree with the closing remarks of Mr Akorli at the ceremony under review:
“Today, we are celebrating an icon that from a humble beginning fought his way to the top and brought honour to the country. GOIL is indeed by this recognition sending a message that we want to remain at the top and stand poised to achieve more laurels as a proud Ghanaian entity. By making him the face of GOIL, we want to tell him and Ghanaians at large that we are walking in his footsteps. GOIL is also informing Ghanaians we will defend the country’s interest and uphold its honour just as this great patriot did.
“From today, the partnership between him and GOIL, we believe, will radiate every corner and make the country proud. By this partnership too, we appeal to Ghanaians to stand by their own just as they stood by this amazing champion in all his exploits. We implore Ghanaians to patronise the products of GOIL to help build a solid local oil conglomerate capable of staying above competition.”
Azumah was certainly overwhelmed by all the accolades. In his acceptance speech, he had this to say: “For many years, my name has been associated with boxing, but after this ceremony anytime Azumah Nelson is mentioned it won’t be just for boxing but also good energy that fuels the nation. And that is GOIL. This is a company we must all support to grow. I will therefore encourage all drivers to stop at GOIL the next time they want to fuel their vehicle.”
May the partnership endure.
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