B.K. Edusei Foundation calls for national recognition of football heroes

The B.K. Edusei Foundation has made a passionate appeal to Kumasi Asante Kotoko and Ghana’s football authorities to lead the charge in properly celebrating and honouring the country’s forgotten football heroes, starting with the late Wilberforce Mfum, a Black Stars icon and Kotoko legend.

Mfum, fondly known as the “Bulldozer” for his strength and goal-scoring prowess, passed away on May 11 at the age of 88 after a period of ill health. 

A national trailblazer, he famously scored Ghana’s first-ever Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) goal and bagged a brace in the 1963 final as the Black Stars defeated Sudan 3-0 in Accra to lift their maiden continental crown.

In a statement marking the 47th anniversary of the death of revered football administrator and philanthropist, Benjamin Kyem Edusei — after whom the foundation is named — the foundation expressed deep regret over the neglect and lack of institutional recognition accorded to Ghana’s sporting heroes, many of whom fade into obscurity after their playing days.

“It is sad to see that most of our sporting heroes have not been properly celebrated and honoured over the years, unlike well-established systems in Europe and other parts of the world where clubs and nations revere their legends both in life and, immortalising heroes in statues, stadiums and stands.

In Ghana, we lack a proper system for preserving the legacies of our sports icons and too many of our legends have been left uncelebrated,” said Maame Yaa Edusei, President of the foundation.

The foundation insists that Mfum’s death must serve as a wake-up call for the Ghana Football Association (GFA), government, clubs and all stakeholders to rethink how the country honours its heroes. It proposed a state burial as a fitting tribute to Mfum’s legendary status, much like what was done for some of his illustrious contemporaries.

“It was touching to learn that FIFA observed a minute’s silence for Mfum during its 75th Congress in Paraguay. That international recognition contrasts sharply with how little we’ve done to honour not just Mfum, but also living legends such as Osei Kofi, Ibrahim Sunday, Malik Jabir. We must do better.” 

Trailblazer  

Mfum’s legacy stretches far beyond that iconic 1963 AFCON triumph; he was a central figure in Ghana’s golden generation. A powerful forward who led the line with courage and finesse, he earned 26 caps for Ghana, scoring an astonishing 20 goals.

He also represented Ghana at the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo and captained the national team, although injury ruled him out of Ghana’s title defence at the 1965 AFCON in Tunisia. 

At club level, Mfum was a talismanic figure for Kotoko and played a key role in their dominance in the early 1960s.  After leaving Kotoko in 1965, he became one of the first Ghanaian players to venture into the professional leagues in the United States.

He later played for Baltimore Boys and Ukrainian SC before joining global icons Pele and Franz Beckenbauer at the star-studded New York Cosmos in 1971.

Call to action 

The B.K. Edusei Foundation, formed in 2019 to preserve the legacy of Kotoko’s long-serving board chairman, has been instrumental in providing financial assistance to former players, particularly members of the 1971 squad that delivered Kotoko’s first CAF Champions Cup title.

The foundation bemoaned the lack of structured efforts by clubs and national institutions to support retired footballers, many of whom, despite dedicating their lives to national glory, end up in poverty and obscurity; hence.

Remembering B.K. Edusei

The late B.K. Edusei, a revered businessman and football administrator, was the first board chairman of Asante Kotoko and a key financier behind the club’s success and continental glory.

He bankrolled the recruitment of top players, ensured their welfare with generous incentives, including cars and is credited with funding the appointment and salary of Kotoko’s first expatriate coach, Hungarian tactician Jozef Ember.