Ghanaians and the football community are mourning the loss of Black Stars winger Christian Atsu, who passed away suddenly after spending days trapped under rubble in Turkey due to an earthquake.
Many Ghanaians, especially football fans, would remember the 31-year-old for his quick play from the right wing. He captured the affection of Ghanaians from the very start of his international career, capping an outstanding debut with a goal against Lesotho in 2012.
He even acquired the moniker “Ghana Messi” due to his skill in overcoming defenders and scoring from awkward angles.
Atsu is praised as one of Ghana’s greatest wingers of all time, but little is said about the many people he touched off the field.
He stood up for the defenseless and helped the less fortunate.
A visually impaired man named Peter Enin was sentenced for an undisclosed criminal offense in 2019, and Atsu paid for his release.
Atsu was moved by the fact that prisons in Ghana lacked the facilities needed to make them accessible to people who have disabilities.
He funded the release of 10 prisoners who had been sentenced for small thefts through the Crime Check Foundation.
Some of these guilty individuals committed the specific crime of stealing food and abandoned aluminum items.
In response, the former Newcastle winger paid them to absolve them of their punishment.
Following Christian Atsu’s intervention, a lactating mother and her two daughters who had been given a three-month prison sentence were released.
After it was discovered that the three had stolen corn to help themselves, they entered a guilty plea. The food that was stolen, according to the Crime Check Foundation, was only worth about 10 cedis, but Atsu had to pay GHC 1,000 to ensure the women’s release.
In addition to being passionate about freeing prisoners, Atsu also gave young football players who were struggling financially football boots.