The first thing I do when my eyes open in the morning is to
check my phone for WhatsApp messages or scan through social
media for trending issues back home. This day was no
different, except I kept seeing status updates with the name
Christian Atsu. It felt weird. You only see such things when
something is wrong. Why is his name all over? Is everything
ok? A million thoughts were running through my head with no
immediate answers. Quickly, I switched to Facebook, and
there it was. The Ghanaian international, who played for
Turkish football club Hatayspor, had been trapped in the 7.8
earthquakes that hit Turkey and Syria on February 6. It
happened just a few hours after he scored a 90th-minute
stunner for his club in a thrilling 1-0 win over Kasimpasa
in the Turkish Super Lig on February 5. I exclaimed and
prayed to God to have him rescued alive. My day was
shattered after seeing footage of the destruction caused by
the earthquake on major news outlets and social media.
Like
many Ghanaians, I could only hope and pray, considering
hundreds of victims were pulled out alive 24 hours after the
disaster. 48 hours and there was news that Christian had
been pulled out with some injuries. You can not imagine the
joy and thanksgiving in the Ghanaian social media space.
However, this was short-lived after news of mistaken
identity spread that the rescued individual was not
Christian. After 12 days of intense searching, anguish, and
agony of uncertainty, Christian was found. Found but among
the more than 50,000 people who died in the disaster. It
hurt like a dagger slowly piercing through the chest. While
death is inevitable for every human, I was deeply pained by
how such a kindhearted person who gave hope to so many
people had to endure such a painful death.
Tributes
quickly began to pour in for the former Newcastle United
favorite whose life on and off the pitch symbolized a leader
in every word. He played for top league sides, including
Chelsea, FC Porto, and New Castle United. Atsu was not only
a great player but also a fantastic human, as documented by
his incredible charity work back home. It was no surprise
that top English Premier League games observed a minute
silence for the 31-year-old whose exploits on the pitch
earned him the title “Ghana Messi.” Like many Ghanaians, I
never met Christian Atsu personally except through more than
60 times he played for Ghana’s senior national football
team, the Black Stars, which were shown on TV. He scored on
his debut as a 20-year-old in 2012, was part of the Ghana
2014 World Cup squad, and starred at the 2015 African Cup of
Nations, scoring two goals to help Ghana to the final. The
2015 Africa Cup of Nations appearance was one of his most
dazzling on-field performances, as he won the Player of the
Tournament and Goal of the Tournament awards.
His
sudden passing was a devastating blow to many who looked up
to him for support. He provided home protection, education,
and support for children orphaned or abused in different
parts of the world, mainly in Ghana. He is known to have
paid the fines of 113 prisoners and got them released
through the Crime Check Foundation. He also successfully
reintegrated 46 ex-convicts by supporting them financially
to start their own businesses. He was known to visit
teammates at the close of every league season to collect
used boots for kids in Ghana who wanted to take up football
as a career. Since 2016, Christian has made yearly trips to
Ghana to support the British charity Arms Around the Child
by sending gifts and football equipment and even building a
new school for orphaned children and the local community. In
one of his memorable interviews, Atsu could not fight back
the tears as he talked about how homeless children in Ghana
are orphaned, abused, affected by HIV/AIDS, and in danger of
being trafficked or sold. His commitment to public service
and philanthropy has left a lasting impact on Ghanaian
society. His legacy serves as a reminder that each of us has
the power to make a difference in the world and that our
actions can leave a lasting impact long after we are gone.
You will be buried this weekend but we are comforted by the lessons you taught us. To be compassionate and empathetic, to lead by making others live, to work tirelessly to make a positive impact in society, to advocate for policies that improve people’s lives, and be willing to put in the hard work necessary to achieve our goals. While we still tarry here, may our life in time hold value in eternity
“Damirifa due, Christian Atsu Twasam”.
