A new wave of football talent is emerging from the grassroots following the successful staging of the Kojo Odame Mission Assin (KOMA) Cup, a football “justify” exercise aimed at identifying and nurturing young footballers in the community.
The final day of the competition took place at Presbyterian Park on Saturday, April 4, 2026.
It brought together football legends, traditional leaders, scouts, coaches, and passionate spectators, creating a vibrant atmosphere of unity and opportunity in the Assin South District.
After playing through the various stages, six communities, including Akrofuom, Adadientem, Nyankumasi-Ahenkro, Aworoso, Krowa, and Akyeasi, battled it out for the ultimate prize and bragging rights.
The tournament, spearheaded by Reverend Kojo Odame, seeks to bridge the long-standing gap between talent and opportunity in underserved communities, with the involvement of seasoned football figures and scouts, as a launchpad for aspiring footballers who lack exposure.
“I expect that after the scouting process, we will definitely go through all the necessary steps to place selected players where they are supposed to be. After scouting, you will be prioritized for available opportunities,” he said.
He encouraged the youth not to limit themselves to football alone but to pursue excellence in all endeavors.
“Wherever you are, don’t be discouraged. Whatever you are doing, do it well. If today it is football, tomorrow it could be school or another opportunity. When you pray and don’t work, even when grace comes, you won’t benefit,” he denounced.
Speaking to a member of Ghana’s 1995 FIFA U17 World Cup champions, Awudu Issaka, he emphasized the need to refocus attention on grassroots development rather than relying solely on the national team.
“The future of Ghana football is here, but there is a need to put things right. We are all focusing on the Black Stars, and that’s part of the problem. We have to focus and build the grassroots,” he said.
He also commended the organizer for attracting top football personalities to the district, describing the effort as both visionary and impactful.
“When you bring people like Rev. Kofi Osei, Yaw Preko, Maxwell Konadu, and Yusif Alhassan Chibsah, it shows you have something great in mind. I will even call him ‘Honourable’ because what he is doing is a job for honourable people,” he added, urging community members to rally behind the initiative.
Mr. Issaka further advised young players to remain disciplined and focused to succeed professionally.
“If they want to go far in football, they should avoid tramadol, be disciplined, and present themselves well. They must humble themselves and stay God-fearing because without God, it will not be possible.” he urged.
On his part, former Black Stars and Asante Kotoko midfielder, Yusif Alhassan Chibsah, described the initiative as timely and aligned with professional scouting efforts.
“I see these initiative is very important, that’s why we are here to support, and since it falls within my line of business, we came here to get some of the talents here so that we can help them
“It’s a good thing that will help because most of the children here have the talent, but the helpers who don’t have the expertise will be able to identify the talents,” he highlighted.
Mr. Chibsah stressed that these initiatives should boost patriotism and unity in Ghana’s sports sector, noting its socio-economic benefits.
“And you know football is a full-time profession, some of the youth here don’t really have jobs to do so, this initiative will also help create employment for them. If employment is created, income will come, and it will also grow our GDP.
“I will congratulate Rev. Odame and his organizers because it’s a good initiative.”
He added “We have to make sure this initiative extends to other communities to emulate this, so sports will be used to unite the communities and Ghana at large,” he pointed out.
Source: Ernest Kelvin Okanta
