Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Black Star Victory in South Africa Sparks Spontaneous Jubilation All Over Ghana

Spontaneous Jubilation All Over

28th June 2010
Ghana Daily Graphic

There was spontaneous jubilation across the country last Saturday night following the victory of the senior national team, the Black Stars, over the USA in their one-sixteenth encounter in the ongoing World Cup which ensured the Stars’ qualification to the quarter-final stage of the tournament.

The euphoria and ecstasy that greeted the victory were unprecedented in the football history of the country, as millions of Ghanaians all over the country, draped in the colours of the national flag, poured onto the streets, amidst singing, dancing, drumming and blowing of vuvuzelas to celebrate the gallant Black Stars for their impressive performance that ensured that they continued to fly the flags of Ghana and Africa at the tournament.

Motorists took centre stage, as they put on their headlights, amidst the tooting of horns and waving of miniature Ghana flags.

The celebration went on deep into the night, with drinking spots, night-clubs and other entertainment joints providing fertile grounds for revellers to savour the victory.

Up north in Tamale, many people poured onto the streets of the metropolis, draped in red, yellow and green as they danced and sang the praises of the players for what they said, was a marvellous performance.

Some of the jubilant fans hugged one another, danced and sang together, while others, mainly the youth, went on processions through some of the principal streets of the metropolis.

A female fan, Abiba Iddi, said, “I have no words to describe the performance of the boys today. All I can say is, ‘May Allah bless them for their untiring efforts because what they have done has succeeded in uniting us, even if for a moment’.”

In the harbour city of Takoradi, immediately after the referee had blown his whistle for the end of the match, there was an eruption of spontaneous jubilation across the city.

The celebration was characterised by “jama”, street carnivals and live band music which travelled throughout the night until the early hours of Sunday.

Many drinking spots and entertainment centres in the twin city-Sekondi/Takoradi-were filled to capacity as jubilant fans danced and sang, with Nana Boroo’s latest song, “Aha aye de” as the main song for the celebration.

At one stage, the celebration nearly turned sour as lawlessness broke out, with drivers and bikers driving and riding recklessly in their jubilant mood. It took the timely intervention of the Western Regional Police Command to bring the situation under control.

From the Axim Road Roundabout to the Jubilee Park at West Tanorkrom through to Effiekuma to Sekondi Konfoase, the crowd was thick as of 4 a.m. when the Daily Graphic visited those places.

Deputy Western Regional Minister, Ms Betty Bosumtwi-Sam, said, “I am happy we have won to progress to the next stage.”

Residents of Wa, the Upper West Regional capital, poured onto the streets in their numbers, amidst the tooting of horns, motorcycle displays, singing and drumming after the end of the match.

Everybody was excited about the victory and kept shouting the praises of the entire Black Stars team whose victory over the USA has raised the hopes of many fans that Ghana can reach the final of the competition.

From the SSNIT Flats through Konta and the Wa Market to Kambale, all the streets were jammed and the jubilation could be felt everywhere in the municipality, particularly, at popular drinking spots.

Ms Sadiyya Akuba Annor, a student of the Wa Campus of the University for Development Studies (UDS), said for once she supported Coach Milovan Rajevac in all the decisions he took during the match against the USA.

Mr Kras Arthur, also of the UDS, who led a group of youngsters with some cheer songs, stressed the need for the team to concentrate throughout the 90 minutes of play.

Meanwhile, many churches and mosques in the municipality continue to offer special prayers for the Black Stars to enable them to proceed to the final of the competition.

In the Upper East Regional capital of Bolgatanga, the Black Stars’ victory was greeted with an uproar by jubilant fans, as they stormed the streets to celebrate.

Throwing caution to the wind, some motor and bicycle riders displayed their riding prowess in their jubilation.

However, the presence of policemen deployed on the streets of the municipality, especially around the Bolgatanga Taxi Rank, averted what would have been a nasty incident, similar to what happened recently when a fan died after Ghana won the opening match against Serbia.

The celebration continued deep into the night, with joyous celebrants filling pubs and night-clubs to dance away the performance that saw the Black Stars defeat the Yankees.

The party continued in some churches visited early on Sunday morning as the congregants waved, danced and stomped during the praise and worship sessions in thanksgiving to God for granting Ghana victory.

In Kumasi the waving of flags and the tooting of horns greeted the Black Stars’ victory as fans celebrated the qualification of the national team to the quarter-final stage of the World Cup.

Chants of “Go, Black Stars” filled the air from Santasi through Patasi to Bantama, Asafo, Ashanti New Town, Fante New Town, Asokwa and Atonsu as the fans came out in their numbers to show their appreciation to the Black Stars.

The jubilation caused vehicular traffic in many parts of the metropolis. At Santasi, the main Kumasi-Obuasi Road was blocked for some time, while vehicular movement on the Bantama High Street also came to a standstill.

Bartenders busily served patrons at the various drinking spots in the metropolis, which were packed to capacity.

In Koforidua in the Eastern Regionj, hundreds of youth from the various suburbs of Koforidua paraded through the streets before converging on the main street in the New Juaben municipality to celebrate the victory of the national team.

The jubilating crowd, carrying the national flag and wearing T-shirts and other attire in the national colours, blew their vuvuzelas, amidst dancing and singing, taking over the streets in the area and blocking the flow of vehicular traffic.

The jubilation was given a boost when some trucks loaded with sound systems played loud music which the revellers danced to and sang along.

Cape Coast in the Central Region, was filled with the sound of vuvuzelas till dawn on Sunday as enthusiastic football fans forfeited their sleep to celebrate the Black Stars’ victory.

The drinking spots overflowed with jubilant fans, some shouting and dancing.Cars intermittently hooted their horns in celebration all through the night.

Earlier, many jubilant fans, dancing to brass band music, had gone on procession through some of the principal streets of the metropolis.

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