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0 Dear Kurt Okraku,
Be strong.
Given your busy schedule, you may not have had the time to read the many open letters I, or others, have written to you.
But today, I am here to ask you to be strong. Knowing I am not counted among your cheerleaders, you may ask yourself: why is Muftawu Nabila Abdulai the one saying this?
To be honest, I don’t even think I’m in a position to tell you to be strong, especially in the face of the storm of negativity that has greeted your elevation to the CAF Executive Committee.
But, as usual as the voice that often disagree and challenges the status quo, I have received some of the insults for saying the abuse online is reprehensible. People say I am your “Sergio Ramos.”
I’m not entirely sure what they mean, but if the comments are anything to go by, they imply I am your defender.
Ramos, after all, was a great defender for Real Madrid. The best of his generation.
They say I’m “your boy”, that you give me $100, and that I’ve lost my credibility and conscience as a person to stand for what is right. I tell those twerps often that some of your employees are far more well-to-do and educated than I am—so being “your boy” is inconsequential.
What I don’t understand is what they mean by saying, “I don’t stand for what is right when it comes to you.” I’m not going to list the many things I’ve said or written that you personally might not have liked.
Whether those critiques were seen as fair or not, being a lone voice in the storm seems to have earned me the label of someone who lacks credibility—simply because people believe you pay me.
I would be glad, to be honest, if you eventually gave me that money. A hundred dollars is a lot for many young men like myself in this economy. So, Mr Okraku, do the needful so I can defend you better (pun intended).
As the current Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu once said during his vetting before the Parliamentary Committee: “Am I a fish in the market to be bought?”
There’s this bunkum out there that everyone has a price so when you disagree with some people, they think you have been paid.
For whatever reason, it appears our society is happy at tearing down people either based on assumptions or falsehood, but this is not about me, it is certainly about you.
Again, be strong.
From the first day, I broke the story that you had filed nomination to contest for a seat at the CAF ExCo to story that you’ll be elected unopposed, it has been one negative comment or another.
When you were elected unopposed to the Executive Committee of CAF, I believed it should have been a unifying moment for Ghana football—a milestone of pride for the country.
It should have been one of those rare occasions where, regardless of our differences, we rallied around a single figure, simply because his achievement reflected not only on him but on all of us.
And yet, since returning from Cairo, you have faced a barrage of negativity, the kind that makes one pause and ask: what happened to the joy of celebrating our own?
I don’t know what influenced that, but I guess your popularity within the game, especially fans in your home country has diminished drastically. Whatever took that love away, fight and bring it back that’s why I say, be strong.
But as he you fight to “Bring Back The Love,” not just for yourself, but football in general, may I direct this to fellow Ghanaians.
Kurt’s elevation to one of the most powerful football decision-making bodies on the continent is not just a personal leap.
It is an institutional gain. It is a golden key that could unlock doors Ghana has been locked out of for years.
It is the beginning of what could be a new chapter—one where Ghanaian football, now bruised and battered, begins to find its rhythm again on the continental and global stage.
It is okay to question why he hasn’t unlocked the doors of success as head of the Ghana FA. That’s a fair question to ask. All the ills about league, all the ills about national teams failures. These are genuine questions.
But everyone deserves a chance at the high table.
It’s worth recalling that this isn’t the first time Ghana has had a seat at the high table of African football politics. Under Kwesi Nyantakyi’s stewardship as GFA President and later CAF First Vice President, Ghana’s influence on the continent was profound.
Because of his position, Ghanaians held key roles in CAF and beyond: former Chief Justice Anin Yeboah rose to serve as FIFA Deputy Disciplinary Committee Chairman, the late MND Jawula was a stalwart on the AFCON Organising Committee, and George Afriyie also had a seat at that influential table.
Lawyer Thaddeus Sory became CAF’s Deputy Appeals Committee Chairman. Frederick Acheampong is a CAF and FIFA match coordinator. Anthony Baffoe, one of Ghana’s finest exports, served as CAF’s Deputy General Secretary in charge of competitions.
Emmanuel Newton Dasoberi continues to serve football at the continental level.
Even the likes of the late Mark Addo and former club executives like Albert Commey found themselves working in high-capacity roles within the football ecosystem. And let’s not forget Ibrahim Sannie Daara, who continues to serve as a CAF media expert, keeping Ghana in the loop of continental storytelling.
This string of appointments wasn’t accidental. It was the result of a deliberate political arrangement to ensure Ghana had a say in football governance in Africa. Our seat at the table meant more than prestige—it meant influence, opportunity, and strategic partnerships that filtered down to benefit football.
Today, Kurt Okraku stands on the threshold of a similar moment. Even before his elevation, his presence and influence in WAFU Zone B had already brought significant returns, including Ghana hosting nearly every youth tournament in the region in recent years.
The signs are clear—his new position on the CAF Executive Committee could be a turning point, and with the right support, it could usher in another golden era for Ghanaian football diplomacy.
Yet, instead of celebration, he has returned to an avalanche of online abuse. The comments on social media are not only unhealthy—they are hurtful. It is baffling how, in a moment so pivotal, a section of the public finds more joy in tearing him down than in lifting him up.
If you won’t celebrate with him or be happy for him, why tear him down?
Make no mistake, Kurt Okraku has his flaws. He has made mistakes—some may even be costly.
The most glaring has been the Black Stars’ uninspiring performances in recent years. He would wish some of the decisions that impacted the team negatively never happened.
The Ghana Premier League has been an eyesore in multiple facets of late under his leadership, the Maidens were banned for alleged age-cheating…enumerating them would be a daunting task.
He won’t shy away from this truth, and neither should we. But must one’s lowest moments completely erase their efforts, their wins, and their potential?
It’s often said that the buck stops with the leader—and that’s true. But leadership also requires a community, a team, a support system. This is the moment Kurt needs his trusted people the most—those who understand the weight of the responsibility on his shoulders, and who, instead of pointing fingers, offer hands of help.
Mr Okraku, listen to them. People believe power can influence others to the extent that they won’t listen to any suggestion, but do not be drowned by power.
Now, let me be clear again: I am not Kurt Okraku’s cheerleader. I don’t believe in cheerleading people. I’ve written things, I’ve said things—honest critiques that, in quieter moments, may have left him wondering what he or the FA ever did to me.
The fact is that his success a leader the country’s most loved sport has direct impact on journalists, businesses, fans, and almost every aspect of Kwame Nkrumah’s Ghana.
I have benefited from one of his successes by not only travelling to Qatar for the World Cup, but I was the only Ghanaian journalist engaged as a correspondent for the FIFA+ channel and contributed to the FIFA+ World Cup Daily Show.
That was not a small feat.
That opportunity changed my life and shored me up at a point the economy collapsed and I suffered a haircut like many Ghanaians.
That haircut nearly paralysed me, but FIFA came through for because the Black Stars was in Qatar through the ingenuity of the FA.
And if Ghana continues to rise, many more journalists will benefit same.
Others were in Germany, South Africa, and Brazil simply because Ghana qualified under the Kwesi Nyantakyi administration. So, while I may not always agree with Kurt or his methods, I will be the last person to wish him failure—because his success has a direct impact on my own life and that of many others.
We can disagree, we can critique—constructively—but to tear down our own, to drag them every step of the way, is a self-inflicted wound we may never heal from.
Remember number 12? Many say Ghana football is still reeling from the impact of that film. There’s something called collateral damage. When that happens to football, we will be same people who will bear the brunt.
There’s absolutely no guarantee that if Kurt is taken out of the GFA and a new leader is installed, the fortunes of the game will change. No guarantee!
Ghanaian football can only soar when we are united in pushing it forward, even as we hold our leaders accountable.
Mr Okraku’s term as GFA President runs until 2027. Between now and then, he deserves the chance to lead without the toxicity that continues to plague our football discourse. His position at CAF could open doors for investment, development programmes, and more representation for Ghanaians in influential football circles. Time will tell—but if the seeds bear fruit, we’ll all enjoy the harvest.
So let’s do better. Let’s embrace the spirit of celebration, not just for Kurt Okraku, but for what his success represents. Let us build an atmosphere around him that allows him to grow—not for himself alone, but for all of us. For our football. The game is not his. We all have an opinion how to manage or govern football, but for now, he’s the chosen one.
If you wish to succeed him, your tenure will come work God says so.
Mr Okraku, you must also find strength in the silence. Ignore the noise and focus on creating that enabling environment that will reflect the progress we all desire. Ghana football needs vision, but more importantly, it needs unity.
Mr Okraku, be strong!
Muftawu Nabila Abdulai
Your critic cum fan
