Football administrators in the country have been advised to approach the running of their clubs in a more scientific and more modern way rather than opting for the negative phenomenon of spiritism and occultism.
“If juju or voodoo plays football, then countries that are known to be practicing these things should have been world champions long ago but they are not and would never be.”
These advice and observation were made by the Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, Nii Nortey Dua, at the launch of a book entitled “Juju, magic and witchcraft in African football, myth or reality?” at the Accra Sports Stadium on Wednesday.
According to him, many football teams these days are duped by confident tricksters who parade themselves as magicians, witchdoctors and jujumen, who claim they have spiritual powers to help them gain competitive advantage over their opponents and this he believed was destroying the image of the beautiful game.
For him, the perceived influence of religion in African football cannot be over emphasized. Many football fans, players and team owners are of the view that nothing happens in football by chance and that supernatural powers play critical roles in the outcome of a game so there is a need for one to seek for these things.
“Such acts are unsporting and destructive, I believe that all that happens in football are the will of God and should be taken as such and we should not see the game of football as life and death. It is a game and we must regard it as such.”
Ending on a biblical note, Nii Nortey Dua quoted Matthew 19: 26 and Luke 1:37 which states that 'with men this is impossible but with God all things are possible and for with God nothing shall be impossible.' He further called for the education of footballers to take their profession very seriously, train and practice the skill for playing football and top it up with prayer to God to help and all things shall be possible and they will become very great stars.
The Deputy Minister congratulated the author Rev. Francis J. Botchway (Editor, Christian Messenger) for venturing into an area where people have shied away for ages and refused to accept that there is juju and spiritual practice in football even though they are deep into it.
Director General of the National Sports Authority (NSA) Mr. Worlanyo Agra, tasked club owners in the country to purchase the book which he believed will enlighten them and their players more on the phenomenon of spiritism and occultism in football and how they are being duped by these so-called juju men.
The author Rev Botchway who holds a Master of Theology degree in Media and Theology (Edinburgh) said the 11-chapter book made up of 238 pages with pictures was inspired after having a rare interview with good-old S.T Nettey (deceased), the then spiritual father of Accra Hearts of Oak Sporting club, whose revelations gave him the leeway to write the book.
He revealed that the book was the outcome of seven years of intensive research into the influence and significance of religion in African football and examines the significance of the ‘Christian Cross’ to footballers and other sports people across the globe and why these players cross themselves (or make the sign of the cross).
Also the book examines amongst others the question: How Real Are Juju, Magic and Witchcraft? Giving brief definitions of ‘juju, magic and witchcraft’, and presents a 12-point arguments to justify the peculiarity and ‘beauty’ of the game of football, ‘Genesis of Religion in African Football’ with insight into how some early juvenile (colts) and adult football teams practiced ‘spiritism and occultism’, including the use of the ‘Pentagram’ (or ‘Star of David’), the invoking of saints like St. Anthony of Padua, Moses and Joseph, and also angels like Michael, Gabriel and Raphael.
Proceeds from the launch, he stated, would go to support the Retired National Footballers Association (RENFAG).
The first three copies of the book were bought by Mr. David Abbey, executive director of Fidelity Securities, R.B Perbi, a chartered accountant and Rev Col D. Adoteye Asare.
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