Happy FM celebrates legendary Black STARS ’63’ team

Happy 98.9 FM, Ghana’s No.1 sports station has honoured the iconic Black Stars squad that won Ghana’s first Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) trophy in 1963 at an emotional and glamourous event held at the Accra Tourist Information Centre.

The event was a nostalgic journey back in time to celebrate the remarkable achievements of the ex-footballers who brought immense pride and joy to the nation. The ceremony, attended by sports enthusiasts, dignitaries, and media personalities, was a fitting acknowledgment of the pivotal role played by the Black Stars team in shaping the nation’s football history.

The five surviving members of the iconic squad, Kofi Pare, Leonard Acquah, Wilberforce Mfum, Anum Okai, and Dodoo Ankrah, were honored for their historic achievement of clinching Ghana’s first-ever AFCON title.

These football legends etched in the memories of fans and revered across generations, were presented with special citations, cash and food items for the festive occasion by Happy FM. The ceremony featured emotional speeches recounting the challenges and triumphs of the 1963 Black Stars team, highlighting their fighting spirit and dedication to the sport.

In his welcome address, Chief Executive Officer of Global Media Alliance, Ernest Boateng stressed the importance of honouring these legends, urging other entities in the country to emulate the step the Global Media Alliance Broadcasting Company (GMABC) had taken in recognizing the dedication and commitment of these legends. “We often don’t celebrate greatness in Ghana but we determined to change the narrative. We believe in giving our sports heroes the right recognition they richly deserve and therefore effective today; Happy Sports has launched the Happy Sports Hall of Fame with the five legends and Mr. Ken Bediako; the veteran sports journalist as our first inductees. We urge corporate Ghana to work with us as we recognize the legends they truly are” he said.

On his part, Director of Broadcasting at GMABC, Timothy Kwakye Karikari said the event will motivate the current black stars team drive the country to victory in the upcoming 2024 AFCON. “We organized this to inspire this generation of Black Stars players and to everybody not necessarily in football who have the passion and aim to reach for gold that you can do it no matter the endeavor you find yourself in”, he said.

While the event was a joyous celebration of the living legends, there was a poignant acknowledgment of the other members of the team who had passed away. Their contributions were remembered with a moment of silence, emphasizing the enduring impact of their legacy on Ghanaian football.

The honorees expressed gratitude to Happy FM and its partners for the recognition and to shared experiences from their playing days. They emphasized the importance of unity, hard work, and passion for the game, encouraging the current generation of players to carry the torch forward. “I want to use this opportunity to thank the management of Happy FM and its partners for recognizing our efforts over the past years. We say a very big thank you and God richly bless them. I will also encourage the Black stars to take their training seriously because that is the only way they will become successful” Anum Okai said on behalf of his colleagues.
Reputable organisations in Ghana who contributed to the successful honouring of the successful 1963 black stars team include Samsung, Suntory, Ghana Tourism Authority and SES HD Plus. Samsung Ghana presented brand new phones in its new range of devices to all awardees whilst Suntory presented Lucozade products and souvenirs to the legends. Whereas SES HD Plus presented HD+ decoders with one year free subscription to the awardees, the Ghana Tourism Authority celebrated the legends with a weekend for two tour package to any hotel or resort of their choice in Ghana.

Personalities present at the event included; Akwasi Agyeman (CEO of Ghana Tourism Authority), Anthony Baffoe (General Secretary of PFAG and former Black Stars player, Gloria Hiadzi (Executive Secretary of GIBA), Kwame Owusu Ameyaw (CEO of Kay Sports), Emmanuel Agyeman Badu (fomer Black Stars player) Samuel Inkooom (former Black Stars player), Communications Director for the Ministry of Youth and Sports Charles Amofa, Deputy Director-General of the National Sports Authority Majeed Bawa, Director of the Ghana Football Association Foundation Malcom Frazier Appeadu,Veteran sports journalist, Ekow Asmah, Hearts of Oak Legend Mohammed Polo among others.