Yaa Gifty, the wife of Francis Frimpong, the football fan tragically killed during the Ghana Premier League match between Nsoatreman FC and Asante Kotoko, is still in disbelief over her husband’s untimely death.
Gifty had eagerly awaited her husband’s return after he left Kumasi to attend the first game of the second half of the season. However, what was meant to be a routine trip turned into an unimaginable tragedy.
Speaking to the press, Gifty, overwhelmed with grief, struggled to come to terms with the reality of her husband’s death. “I am waiting for my husband; they claim he is dead, but I do not believe that. All I will say is, I am waiting for my husband,” she said, her voice filled with disbelief.
She shared how they had spoken earlier in the day, recalling their last conversations. “When the bus set off, he called. He did the same when he arrived at his destination. Even when he called to tell me he wasn’t being allowed into the stadium, I assured him that he would get in.” But what she never expected was that by 3 p.m., her husband would be brutally stabbed to death.
In the wake of this tragedy, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) has suspended the league starting from matchday 20 and prohibited games from being held at the Nsoatre Stadium. It has also been reported that the owner of Nsoatreman FC, who is also the former Member of Parliament for Sunyani West, Honourable Ignatius Baffuor Awuah, along with two others have been apprehended by the Bono Regional Police Headquarters in connection with the altercation.
The GFA has also scheduled an emergency meeting with club officials and supporters’ group leadership to discuss the incident and implement measures to improve safety at league matches.
As the football community mourns the loss of Francis Frimpong, popularly known as Pooley, his widow is left grappling with the shock and grief, clinging to the hope that somehow, this tragic incident can be reversed.