The late Head of State, General Ignatius Kutu Acheampong, is frequently credited for turning the Black Stars of Ghana into the actual light of African football as they advanced to their fifth final in the Africa Cup of Nations and won the 1978 AFCON.
General Ignatius Kutu Acheampong, the Head of State from 1972-1978 is often praised by the players who participated in the 1978 AFCON because of how he took a personal interest in the well-being of the team while they were preparing for the tournament.
Mohammed Polo, Abdul Razak, George Alhassan, and others have all praised the former Head of State for the role he played in preparing the team for the tournament.
According to Isaac Acquyae, General Ignatius Kutu Acheampong would place a call to them before every game to ask about their well-being and encourage them to die for the country and make sure that they win the trophy.
He added that the Head of State also visited them frequently during their camping for the tournament and gave them provisions as he described the preparations as "wonderful".
The former players including Isaac Acquyae gave them more confidence to play in the tournament because they knew the Head of State cared for them and will reward them handsomely if they win the trophy.
"Acheampong promised that the state would give us houses and other benefits if we win the AFCON but the state never fulfilled its promise to us even though we kept our end of the bargain," Isaac Acquyae said in his last interview before his death.
However, the fairy tale didn't end well after winning the tournament because they didn't get the house they were promised even before the Head of State was overthrown.
General Ignatius Kutu Acheampong was overthrown in a Palace Coup on July 5, 1978, four months after the Black Stars had won Ghana's third AFCON trophy.
The players petitioned his successor, Lt. Gen. F.W.K. Akuffo to fulfill the promise of his predecessor but they never got what was promised to them.
Its been 44 years since Acheampong was overthrown from office but none of the seven people who have occupied the Presidency in the past four decades has fulfilled the promise made to the 1978 AFCON squad on behalf of the Republic of Ghana.
Watch Isaac Acquyae's narration in the post below:
