Sly Tetteh, What manner of man?

How time flies. Almost five years to day when an illustrious son of the land passed on to glory.

The death of Sly Tetteh on that fateful day was an enigma; having travelled with him from Accra to Cape Coast in his usual vivacious elements, only to ‘slumped’ down on the field of play without any bodily contact, and to be pronounced dead on arrival at the Cape Coast hospital.

Alhaji Sly Tetteh, died around 9:30 am, and by 9:45am, calls were coming from all over the world for confirmation. Michael Essien called from outside, as well as Coach Ghost from Kenya, and surprisingly, my wife, who was then on a visit to our son in the USA.

Every FM station in Ghana was carrying the news of Sly’s death, and that showed the manner of man Alhaji Sly Tetteh was.

Alhaji Sly Tetteh died in a way he would have loved to go. He died on the field of play, displaying his usual soccer antics.

During the funeral obsequies, which brought down friends from KENYA, SIERRA LEONE, NIGERIA, TOGO, and other parts of the world, there were promises from the authorities on Sports, as well as Football, to establish a ‘monument’ in remembrance of the significant role Alhaji Sly Tetteh played in the development and promotion of Football in Ghana.

But alas! Five years later there is still nothing to show that there was once a personality who was like a Colossus in the scheme of things when it came to Football issues.

My last year’s article was supposed to have been my final piece on Alhaji’s Sly Tetteh memory, but then, having realised that there was nothing on Alhaji Sly Tetteh in the form of a ‘Monument’ in his honour, I decided to draw our authorities attention to this unfortunate Omission.

I don’t think it is late to honour this great son of the land for his selfless service to Ghana in the area of Football development and promotion.

May I take this opportunity to also appeal to those who, through Alhaji Sly Tetteh, have been able ‘to make it in life’, to come together and honour this great gentleman.

We did love him once, not without curse. What curse withholds us now to honour Alhaji Sly Tetteh?