The former pundit was attacked by one of the security personnel deployed to guide the Black Stars
Former Asempa FM panelist and Ghana Premier League statistician, Seidu Adamu, was verbally and physically assaulted at the Black Stars hotel few hours to kick off in the friendly against Mexico in Charlotte, United States of America, AshesGyamera.com can confirm.
According to eyewitnesses report, Seidu arrived at the team’s hotel to welcome fellow journalists who travelled from Ghana to cover the game and initially exchanged pleasantries with Ghana FA president Kurt Okraku as well as other Executive Council members and General Secretary Prosper Harrison Addo.
However, things turned from good to bad and later worse when one gentleman, who is allegedly part of the Black Stars security, warned Seidu to leave the premises as he had been labelled as ‘persona non grata’. He further insisted that Seidu has been monitored constantly criticising the current Football administration especially Kurt Okraku and also support opposition leader George Afriyie.
The gentleman, known as Aziz, pounced on Seidu, strangled him in an attempt to choke him to death in the presence of Ghana FA director of communications Henry Asante Twum until people intervened to separate them.
After the unfortunate incident, a helpless Seidu sensing danger called the police to file a report and make an arrest. However, some top officials at the scene convinced him to drop the charges and settle the issue in a Ghanaian manner as Aziz was made to apologize for the fear and panic as well as emotional and mental damage caused.
“It happened in a flash and I couldn’t believe my eyes,” an eyewitness told AshesGyamera.
“I cannot imagine things like this still exists in this modern age. When Seidu Adamu came to the hotel, we were all happy to see him because he has been away for some time. I don’t know what the security was told to launch such an attack.
“In fact, every well meaning person would be extremely worried because what happened to Seidu can happen to any journalist if care is not taken.
“The fact that the gentleman could muster courage to attack a journalist unprovoked means someone might have given him that order to do it. He is currently complaining of pains around his neck and back” the eyewitness added.
Two second half goals from Hirving Lozano and Uriel Antuna were enough to hand Mexico a well deserving victory over the Black Stars as Chris Hughton finally suffered his first defeat after taking over from Otto Addo.
Although, United States is seen as one of the safest places to practice journalism, compared to Ghana, recent surveys seem to point to the fact that journalists are somehow suppressed and not allowed to freely practice their profession.
The survey of 11,889 U.S. journalists, conducted Feb. 16-March 17, 2022 by Pew Research Center, identified several specific areas of concern for journalists, including the future of press freedom, widespread misinformation, political polarization and the impact of social media.
More than half of journalists surveyed (57%) say they are “extremely” or “very” concerned about the prospect of press restrictions being imposed in the United States.
At the same time, four-in-ten journalists say that news organizations are generally doing a bad job managing or correcting misinformation and that makes their job and safety come under threat.
Ghana will face United States in another friendly game on Wednesday.