Ashanti Excursion Part 2: The Big Ticket in Kumasi

Adum, downtown Kumasi

As Mrs. O and Little Miss made their way back to Accra, Mr. O hitched a ride with the Cocoa Village owner to Kumasi, Ghana's second city and the capital of the historic Ashanti people. The reason? The Ghanaian national football team (the Black Stars, after the flag) had reached the final qualification stage for the 2014 World Cup and was engaged in a two-match playoff with perennial African champions Egypt (the Pharoahs). Once upon a time, Mr. O was privileged to see Ghana qualify for its first World Cup appearance in Kumasi as well and he was eager to rekindle the feeling.

Tickets to the big match were in high demand and in short supply. Thus, he massaged his local contacts to procure a ticket once they went on sale, took two days off work for the event and connected with old friends to find a place to stay in town when thousands of visitors (including several hundred from Egypt) were descending upon the city for the match.

The Golden Ticket.

Compared to Accra, Kumasi is a very different city. The downtown business core is historic, but well-maintained compared to Accra's crumbling old offices. There is very little government presence, instead focused primarily on business, including trading (West Africa's largest market, Kejetia, is in Kumasi) and few NGOs. So the few foreigners in the city are mostly in the private sector. There is also a small Indo- and Lebanese-Ghanaian business class that controls key industries.

Also, going to Kumasi (or anywhere in Ghana, really) reminds one of just how expensive and overpriced Accra is. Transport, rent, food - all of these things are significantly cheaper. Without the glittering office towers and flashy cars, Kumasi feels a bit more like Ghana proper, rather than an otherworldly This Island Accra.

To top this, Mr. O was slumming it. His friends in town are working on a start-up with a limited budget, living communally and working in a house in the suburbs. They buy from the local market, eat chop, ride tro-tros, live without hot water and air conditioning, while being subject to the power surges and blackouts of the Ghanaian electrical grid. In short, basically like University of Ghana students. So Mr. O was taking a trip down memory lane as well.

The fans are Black Star-struck as the team buss passes through.

On Tuesday, Mr. O and a friend from home went downtown for some delicious and cheap Indian dosas, butter chicken and lassis at Vic Baboo's (as well as a healthy dose of Indian wistfulness and unhealthy dose of pointed opinions on Ghanaians). The manager was heading to Baba Yara Stadium, so they followed him through busy Asafo Market towards the stadium. On the way, a large motorcade passed through, including the Black Stars' team bus, with all players on. This drove the fans nuts. (Interestingly, the Egyptian team bus quietly went through the stadium parking lot with barely a turned head.)

Entering the stadium, people jostled to get in and ticket scalpers looked upon Mr. O for easy money. Once inside, things calmed down as Mr. O and friend found the rest of the group. Sitting on the Ghanaian goal line, the seats they claimed were great. However, an hour before the match, a massive storm passed through, drenching the fans and the practicing players alike. The match started at 4PM, so there was no getting dry that evening, only embracing the rain.

Our friends eagerly anticipating the match.

The atmosphere was electric (not just due to thunder) and the crowd was on fire. To see a world-class football match in a place like this is truly worth the effort. In this crucial match, the entire country was on pins and needles, as many were privately unsure if Ghana could equal and better Egypt, who was stronger on paper, but with unrest following the Egyptian Revolution, was not in best form and was in desperate need for anything to raise the national spirit.

When the match started, Ghana wasted no time in getting ahead, scoring five minutes in. From there, they barely looked back. Though Egypt would score a penalty kick to edge up to 2-1, their side simply did not have the skill and coordination to match the Ghanaians, who were . By half-time, Ghana held a comfortable 3-1 lead and would not let up, making the final score 6-1. The game was fantastic, with so many highlights - Essien running circles around the defense, Muntari's bicycle kick to Gyan's header or Atsu's surprise late long-bomb. This was the performance of a World Cup-class squad.

The team takes a well-deserved victory lap.

With so many goals, fans of all colours and nationalities at the stadium (save for Egypt) were high-fiving, hugging, dancing, chanting and enjoying the day. Mr. O's group had photos taken with so many people, they lost count. Leaving the stadium, they were caught up in an impromptu parade and with the traffic jam, ended up walking most of the way back, where they dried themselves off. Such a fantastic game, such a great day. With the win, Ghana simply needs to not do the inverse in the second play-off match with Egypt in Cairo and they will secure their seat to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

The following morning, Mr. O took the long bus back to Accra. Reliving the magic of the game and the life of a student was exhausting and when the sweaty and soggy Mr. O walked back into his big air conditioned modern house, he was very thankful to return to his present (especially since the power was out as the generator was providing power). It was a good reminder that he has changed quite a bit and although he can still hack it on a tro-tro and eating roadside chop, he is now living in a different world altogether.