The year 2018 seems to be another happy one for Ghana’s dancehall king, Shatta Wale, after his track Freedom was adjudged the best and most listened to song of the week in Ghana.
Although, the song is made of six words —Shatta, Wale, Freedom, My, name, is — and received public backlash from a section of Ghanaians, it has been the tune many use to dance at parties and other places of interest.
Stonebwoy’s ‘I’m a hero‘ came third and Dem Confuse by Shatta ended up in second place as the best dancehall tunes in Ghana currently.
Shatta Wale is expected to be nominated this time around by Charter House for 2017 Ghana Music Awards after being banned since 2015.
He released hit after hit in 2017 including Ayoo, Umbrella, Taking Over, Forgetti.
Careers of three young Ghanaian soccer players were given a major boost during the 2018 Major League Soccer (MLS) SuperDraft held in Philadelphia on Friday.
Members of the 2018 Generation adidas, Francis Atuahene and Emmanuel Twumasi were selected by FC Dallas for their first ever professional contracts.
Atuahene of Michigan University was picked 4th overall while Wake Forest’s Twumasi was the 11th overall pick by Dallas.
Dallas traded $200,000 of General Allocation Money to the Montreal Impact for Atuahene (4th overall pick) and latter settled on Twumasi (11th overall pick) as their second pick.
Atuahene, 21, played three seasons at the University of Michigan. The forward scored 24 goals and had 11 assists in 49 matches for the Wolverines from 2015 to 2017.
The 20-year-old Twumasi scored 16 goals and had 11 assists in two seasons (47 games) at Wake Forest University.
Atuahene and Twumasi who are both Generation adidas players from the Right to Dream Academy in Ghana were full of praise to all those who contributed to their success stories.
“Where I come from in Ghana, not everyone has an opportunity. Back in my village, there were kids that were even better than me that did not get this opportunity,” Atuahene said.
“For me, part of being a professional player, part of having an education is making a difference in other people’s lives. That is what I plan on doing. There is a lot talent in the world but people just don’t have the opportunity. I want to give opportunities to people. Being in Dallas, I will be able to help do that while also focusing on giving my best on the field”, elated Atuahene noted.
In a related development, Columbus Crew SC’s insatiable love for Ghanaian players was on display again as they settled on another young Ghanaian talent in the second round of the draft.
University of Virginia forward Edward Opoku, also a member of the 2018 Generation adidas class, caught the eyes of the handlers of the Crew with the ninth pick in the Second Round (32nd overall).
Just like Atuahene and Twumasi, opoku, 21, was born in Konongo, Odumasi in the Ashanti region of Ghana and came to the US through the Right to Dream Academy.
He attended the University of Virginia from 2015-2017, making 53 appearances (all starts) while registering 16 goals and nine assists. Opoku was named to the USC Second Team All-American in 2016 and 2017, as well as to the USC First Team All-South Region in 2016. Prior to attending the University of Virginia, went to high school at Millbrook School and was named the MVP of the 2014 High School All-American Game.
The third and fourth rounds of the 2018 MLS SuperDraft will be held via conference call on Sunday, January 21.
Abdul Majeed Waris has revealed that countrymen Christian Atsu and Daniel Opare who previously featured for FC Porto advised him to join the club, amid several offers on his table.
The 26-year-old signed a season-long contract with the Dragons with an option of making the deal permanent which will cost the Estadio Dragao side £6 million.
“I’m not here for personal glory. I am very happy and ready to give everything I have so that the club can succeed and win trophies,” Waris told Porto Canal.
“It is probably the club in which my dreams can come true, to play in a top league and in the Uefa Champions League. I talked to some friends, Christian Atsu and Opare, who had been here before. They helped me decide to come here,” he added.
Waris praised Aboubakar, Marega and Brahimi and believes he will team up with them easily upfront since they have have similar qualities.
“They are fantastic players, they pretty much score all the time. I am also here to help the team score more goals and win. We can probably score a few more goals together. That is the most important thing, not who scores, but that we do it together.
“I think I can match well with them, because they have an offensive mentality, which I also have. It’s a matter of understanding each other and working together”.
The Ghanaian has joined the Dragons until next season after a failed move to England
Ghana striker Abdul Majeed Waris has completed a season-long move to Portuguese top-flight FC Porto from French Ligue 2 side Lorient, with an option of making the deal a permanent, the two clubs have confirmed.
The 26-year-old has been pushing for a move away from France after falling down the pecking order and reports suggested earlier that Premier League sides West Ham, Swansea City and Bournemouth had expressed interest in his services.
However, he has opted to join the Portuguese side after being promised first team action.
After making 31 appearances and scoring nine goals for Lorient last season in Ligue 1, they couldn’t survive the relegation scares but his form has dipped and could only boasts of six appearances in the second-tier including four starts and has one goal under his belt this season.
Waris will be hoping to make his Porto move count since he has been recently overlooked by head coach Kwesi Appiah as he has scored four goals in 22 appearances for Ghana since making his debut in 2012.
He was touted as one of the brightest talents to replace captain Asamoah Gyan who is at the twilight of his career.
The Ghanaian forward came off the bench as he marked his debut game but failed to prevent the Blues from losing their first game in 2018
Ghana Premier League goal king Hans Kwofie finally played his debut game for Smouha SC in their 1-0 defeat to Tanta FC in the Egyptian Premier League on Friday at the Tanta Sports Stadium.
The 28-year-old joined the Blues from Ashanti Gold in a deal which is expected to run through to 2021 but had to wait and be cleared by the football association before he made his bow.
Seifeddine Jaziri gave Tanta the lead which proved to be the match-winner by the 43rd minute after he curled his free-kick through a human wall.
Kwofie had the brightest opportunity to draw Smouha level by the 79th minute, when he was played through by a teammate but the Ghanaian miscalculated the ball and couldn’t find a great touch.
Countryman Augustine Okrah was handed his first start for the club after scoring a screamer on his debut but he failed to replicate that feat and was substituted in the second half of the game.
Tanta brought on another Ghanaian in the shape of Joseph Ato Bissah by the 82nd minute and, he defended brilliantly as well as helped in quick counter attacks.
However, former Berekum Chelsea striker Stephen Sarfo was not named in the matchday squad and will have to wait for his turn.
AshesGyamera understands that the coach wants to work on his fitness and speed before unleashing him as he plans to bring the Ghanaians into his setup one after the other.
The teenager is in the Police custody after allegedly murdering his mother following a missing memory card
A 17-year-old Junior High School pupil, Emmanuel Gyan is in police custody for allegedly killing his own mother over his missing mobile phone memory card.
Gyan is said to have hit his 52-year-old mother, Faustina Agyeiwaa several times in the head with a pestle until she fell down, and thereafter he followed up with naked flames in attempts to burn her.
The incident is said to have happened at Wassa J.Y No.1. in the Sefwi Wiawso district on Monday, January 15.
The Sefwi Wiawso police who are holding the murder suspect, told Graphic Online that Gyan was arrested and brought to the station by his own father, Isaac Somuah, aged 58, assisted by one stephen Amponsah.
Somuah and Amponsah told the police that Gyan had accused his mother of taking his memory card, which the mother denied. They said Emmanuel became furious and started attacking the mother with a pestle by hitting her on the head several times until she died on the spot.
Her body has since been deposited at the Bibiani government hospital mortuary awaiting autopsy.
Ghana’s hottest ‘commodity’ in music currently, Shatta Wale, has advised new sensation Ebony to pray without stopping in order to win the 2017 Ghana Music Awards’ Artist of the Year accolade.
According to Shatta Wale, if his pending case against the award organisers is settled, there is no way Ebony will be crowned artist of the year despite her incredible hard work in the year under review.
Ebony started 2017 with hit song Kupe, before she released Sponsor, Date your Fada and Maame Hwe, which is doing very well in the new year.
“Ebony is my girl and I really love her and what she is doing but as for the artiste of the year, unless they don’t nominate me,” Shatta told Okay FM.
“It will be the only reason before she can win. So she should just pray they don’t nominate me,” he added.
Shatta Wale beat Ebony to win the People’s Celebrity Award artiste of the year in 2017 last month, with his hit songs, Taking Over, Forgetti, Ayoo, Hossana, Umbrella and Freedom.
Shatta won the 2014 edition of the VGMA but has since been ban from the event following a feud between him and the organisers, resulting into verbal attacks.
The Black Stars skipper hopes to have an improved performance in the second half of the Turkish league after a slow start
Ghana captain Asamoah Gyan has admitted he has been ‘terrible’ this season after joining Turkish Super Lig side Kayserispor.
The 32-year-old has been struggling with injuries, making only five appearances and lasting 171 minutes with only a goal under his belt.
“I got [other] offers from Turkey before Kayserispor,” Gyan told Anadolu Agency .
“Over 20 managers called me. It was Kayserispor who convinced me.
“The first half of the season was unlucky for me but I’m working very hard for the second half.
“Our team did a very good job in the first half. We have a very good technical director, a good understanding of tactics [and] a very important place.”
“We have a great president. They have supported me since the day I arrived.
“What is important to me is not how you started, but how it ends. Some things are too early to talk about, let’s see how I finish, not how I began,” he added.
Gyan last scored a goal for Kayserispor in October against Fernebeche. He lasted 67 minutes in the 2-0 victory over Antalyaspor on Thursday after Silvestre Verela replaced him.
Kayserispor currently sit fifth on the log, tied with Besiktas on 30 points.
The Ghanaian forward has been cleared and likely to feature for the Blue and Whites on Friday
Ghana Premier League goal king for 2016-17 season, Hans Kwofie, has been included in Smouha SC’s 18-man squad to play against Tanta FC in the Egyptian Premier League at the Tanta Sports Stadium on Friday.
The 28-year-old joined the Alexandria-based club in a three-and-half-year deal last month from Ashanti Gold alongside Stephen Sarfo and Augustine Okrah but, apart from the latter, the rest are yet to taste any action in the North African country.
Kwofie was included in the squad following an injury sustained by Hosam Hassan and Hamzi Zaki and he hopes to take his chance to command a starting place.
Okrah who scored a screamer on his debut for Smouha in the 4-0 drubbing of ENPPI has retained his place but Sarfo is yet to join the first team.
Tanta also have two Ghanaians in the shape of Dennis Tetteh and Joseph Ato Bissah in their setup
Smouha sit fifth on the log with 29 points, three points below the automatic qualification slot for Caf Confederations Cup next season.
Ghana Premier League returnees Dreams FC defeated Medeama 6-5 on penalties after a goalless draw in regulation time to qualify to the final of the 2018 Ghalca G8 tournament on Thursday at the Cape Coast Sports Stadium.
The Still Believe out had a larger share of the exchanges in the first half of the game but couldn’t turn their possession into goals.
By the 22nd minute, Dreams thought they had taken the lead after Richard Addae was played through by his teammate but his lob failed to hit the back of the net.
Minutes later, Addae made amends to his earlier miss but he was rather unfortunate as the referee failed to award his effort as a legitimate goal. Sharani’s pass found Addae and the striker saw his shot hitting the underneath of the crossbar and crossing the goal line but referee Alex Nsiah and his assistants failed to see it from their angle.
The second half produced similar episodes like the first half, as few chances came the way of the two sides.
After a pulsating 90 minutes without any goal scored, the two clubs needed penalty to separate them and Dreams won 6-5.
They will square it off with Hearts of Oak on Sunday in the final, after the Phobians also defeated rivals Asante Kotoko 4-2 on penalties on Wednesday in Kumasi.