The Former Upper East Regional Minister Prof. Ephraim Avea Nsoh has waded into the debate on the omission of Andre Dede Ayew from the Black Stars squad for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Mali and the Central African Republic. Prof Avea said the decision is ethnocentric, disrespectful and shameful.
“There is a reason why Dede was removed the way they did. It’s nauseating and very mind boggling,” Prof Avea stated.
“No player in the history of the team has been treated the way Dede has been treated by these tribal bigots. When we see their acts, we immediately recognise them. We don’t need any special glasses. That is who they are: tribal bigots,” he said in a Facebook post.
Prof Avea’s message was in response to former Black Stars captain Stephen Appiah’s statement that it was a miscommunication that led to the outburst of football fans following Andre Ayew’s omission. Stephen Appiah called on Ghanaians to remain calm since coach Oto Addo did not close the curtains on the Le Havre midfielder.
Read Professor Avea’s Facebook full bost
Dear Stephen Appiah, you have a great point but let’s keep our eyes on the ball. You might just be straying us out of the core of the debate.
We don’t want to go there. Don’t strategically lead us out of the motivation of this disrespectful, shameful, hypocritical and tribal bigotry. Today, it’s Dede Ayew. There is a reason and a history about how a player was removed from the Black Stars team. Don’t let us generalise the issue and trivialise it. No!
There is a reason why Dede was removed the way they did. It’s nauseating and very mind boggling. No player in the history of the team has been treated the way Dede has been treated by these tribal bigots. When we sew their acts, we immediately recognise them. We don’t need any special glasses. That is who they are: tribal bigots.
Let’s call them out and shame them and it’s so shameful that even their many years of working with multicultural football organisations has not purged them of it. So, Stephen Appiah, you have a great point but I am afraid it could be playing into the hands of these ethnic bigots. Let’s call a spade a spade. But thank you for providing another perspective.