Rastafarians invade Kotoko

By Thomas Boakye-Agyeman

 25th June 2007

The most important thing in the career of every footballer is to continuously be in the news for great performances but one thing is also clear-that footballers do not joke with what they wear, including their hair do. Every player want to look different from the rest and as explained by former Asante Kotoko player Maxwell Konadu, every player chooses a particular hair do for various reasons but chief among them is the one that will attract most attention from fans.

Suddenly the craze to go for what is called dreadlocks or Rasta is spreading fast among players of Kumasi Asante Kotoko including those who are on trials with the club. About ten players currently spots the dreadlocks in the Kotoko set up and it has been confusing for the Kotoko supporters who sometimes argue as to the player with the ball is player A or B.

Samuel Arthur, formerly of Power FC and Gabriel Kwabena Kwarteng Pele who had stints in the Middle East spots what seems to be the longest of the locks and together with Cameroonian import Justine Manga Manga confuses spectators so much. Even several commentators kept referring to Kwarteng in Kotoko’s match against Arsenal last week as Manga Manga.

Kobina Dodzie has been in the Rasta business for the past year and so is midfielder Adamu Mohammed. Aduse Poku, the joined Kotoko from Bofoakwa Tano also wears the dreadlocks and its sometimes watching them train and play together at the Ridge Park.

Showbobo Emmanuel Osei Kuffour is also Rasta haired now and two Kotoko Youngsters Kwame Obeng Darko and Francis Akwaffu are set to join the “Jah People” in Kotoko as their hair is fully grown and have ready started following the footsteps of the others.

It is not known which of these players are true Rastafarians and who are just wearing it for its sake but the craze is likely to continue as about three more players have been seen with bushy hairs and it will not be surprising very soon to see eleven players on the pitch for Kotoko, all wearing dreadlocks. Do not mistake them for the Jamaican national team, they love fashion and love to wear locks.