The very heartbeat of the game — the players — have not been spared the horrors of hooliganism, a scar they carry for life.
A Hotline documentary on this enduring menace that has seeped into the very fabric of Ghana football airs on JoyNews on Monday, June 23, 2025.
This is the story of footballers who have endured brutal, inhumane treatment at the hands of enraged supporters.
Their only crime?
Wearing their club’s badge with pride.
Abubakari Nawass was living his dream, leading the line for Tamale-based Real Tamale United. A dominant force on the pitch, the gifted forward was known for his strength and striking precision — earning him the nickname Emmanuel Adebayor.
He even met the legendary Togolese striker who made headlines with Arsenal in the Premier League.
Abubakari Nawass (left) with Togolese star Emmanuel Adebayor (right)
But in a Division One League clash against Nsoatreman in Nsoatre, Nawass experienced the darkest moment of his footballing journey — a nightmare that would haunt him forever. That day, among others, shattered the dream he had spent years chasing.
In the upcoming Hotline documentary Scars of Hooliganism, airing Monday, June 23, 2025, Nawass recalls:
“Stones were coming everywhere from all angles,” he said.
“A boy shouted ‘Adebayor.’ When I turned, a stone hit my head. The stone was heavy and God really saved me. I was injured, bleeding, with my dress full of blood.”
On why he eventually quit football, Nawass added:
“[Hooliganism] is one of the major reasons [I stopped playing]. Another incident also happened in Nkoransa — that day was very serious.”
In this powerful JoySports documentary, Haruna Mubarak revisits football’s darkest moments to tell the untold stories — and exposes how, 24 years after the May 9 Disaster, the menace of hooliganism still haunts the beautiful game in Ghana.
It airs Monday, 23rd June 2025, at 8:30 am on the AM Show (JoyNews) and the Super Morning Show (Joy FM).
Catch the repeat at 8:30 pm on JoyNews. Tuesday, 24th June at 9 pm on JoyPrime.
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