THE UPRISING OF A YOUNG FEMALE GHANAIAN FOOTBALLER

It is an auspicious day in Ghana. Claps, Cheers, Chants and a trendy Ghanaian Dance, fills the Cape Coast Sports Stadium as Ghana’s National under 20 Women Football team, the Black Princesses, wins the Gold Medal at the 13th All African Games. Aside the fact that this win is causing another hilarious series of Social Media banter between Ghana and Nigeria, both teams relished in the massive support they received from the huge number of people, present at the stadium on the 21^st of March 2024.

Cheers fill the Cape Coast Stadium as the princesses win the gold medal at the All-African Games. Video Credit: Pulse Ghana.

I was truly surprised at the turnout of fans in the stadium. It was outstanding. For a while I thought a Conservative Nation like Ghana, did not care about our National Women’s team. Attention has always been given to the Ghana Black Stars (the Senior National male Team) but now, the narrative is changing. And I wonder why?

The Cape Coast Stadium bustling with massive crowd. Photo Credits: The All-African Games

In search for answers, I decided to speak with one of the players with aims of understanding what it took for her to reach this level of success. It was hard trying to get in contact with any one of them but, through persistence and the intervention of a sports journalist I was successful in meeting Mafia Nyame.

Who is Mafia Nyame?

Born and raised in Accra, Ghana’s capital city, Mafia Nyame is the second of three children born to Mr. Frank Okyere Nyame and Mrs. Faustina Opoku Nyame. Her parents, just like the majority of Ghanaian Parents, had dreams of seeing their children succeed academically and climb the corporate ladder. Mafia is partly achieving that dream. Yes, she is currently succeeding but not in the corporate world. She is educated to the Senior High School level and completed in the year 2021 from Anum Presbyterian Senior High School located in the Eastern Region of Ghana.

Mafia Nyame is a 19-year-old who plays in two of Ghana’s Female National Team.

Determined not to let her financially disadvantaged background deter her from achieving her dreams, Mafia plays amongst two of the Ghana National Female Football Team. She occupies the position of midfielder both in the Black Princesses and the Black Queens.

Discovering her passion for football.

When asked if she knew she would pursue football as a profession, Mafia exclaimed with excitement, “Yes!” She continued to narrate how she would follow her older sister to a community football park, sit and just watch the game. “It was between the ages of Eight to Ten. I did not understand why I was so excited to be on the field at that age. I always thought it was just a normal feeling to see my sister play and enjoy the sport. I believed with all my heart that she will become a footballer in the near future, but the tables turned.” – Mafia Added. Soon, the spirit of excitement manifested in her feet as She began playing football at Basic School level, continuing through to Senior High School.

“One day, my older sister just decided to stop playing Football. I did not know neither did I understand why she quit. That moment of confusion was a fire match, lighting the dream in my heart to pursue football as a profession” – Mafia Narrated. To set her dreams in motion, she took on her older sister’s training kits and essentially began playing, using the little knowledge she gained from watching her sister play. It was at that moment she understood why she used to sit on the field and watch her sister play, “That was a season of observance, preparing me for this day” – Mafia Stated in the interview.

Mafia Nyame displays her football skills during training. Video Credits: Ghana Black Stars

As Mafia grew older, Football became all she could think off. It also become the thing that made her feel out of place in her school and community. She added – “I use to dread going to school. It is not easy for a woman to aspire for a profession that is deemed – For Men Only. I mean the stigma, discouraging words, critiques and perception that playing football will only make me more of a man than a woman was unbearable to live with. To escape the dread, I would go to the field and play more football. Which I know was a terrible idea because what you get in return is more scolding. But it is that zeal, that nudge to push past the discouragement. That, got me here.”

Pushing through the discouragement got me here – Mafia Nyame. Photo Credits: GFA Communications

After Junior High School, Mafia spoke to her parents about quitting school to pursue football full time. “It was not an easy conversation to have but I felt the educational system was being biased to only students who wanted to become academic elites.” She Continued “There was no space for students wanting to break into sports arena. Physical activities were deemed as – Extra Curricula Activities. And that did not sit right with me. Should education push you towards achieving your dream?”

Her father understood her passion for football but not going through the high school educational level was non-negotiable. So, Mafia and her father came to an understanding where she will pursue the three (3) year High School education and afterwards pursue her career in Football. At Anum Presbyterian Senior High School, she joined the Football team and participated in the Inter Schools Competitions. After school, Mafia received extensive support from her father to pursue her football career. “We did not have the financial capacity, but my dad did all he could to support me. He is my biggest fan and support. No one cheers like daddy” – Mafia describes.

Her Journey to the National Team.

As part of her time in High School, Mafia also joined a Division One ladies team called “Rock Ladies Football Club”. She achieved successes during her tenure with the club and that quickly opened the opportunity for Mafia to be called into the under 17 National Women Team, the Black Maidens. She stated – “I did not think anyone would notice me at that age. I was only sixteen and was just bent on putting in much effort to grow in this field. I had no one paving the way for me. I guessed my resilience and hard work were key in opening the doors.”

Mafia played briefly for Rock Ladies Football club and that opened the opportunity to join the Under 17 National Team. Photo Credits: Rock Ladies Football Club

In the early months of 2020, Mafia got the call and was set to play her first official match in that same year with the Black Maidens. The team qualified to play against Liberia but, the unfortunate happened, Covid 19. “I thought that was the end of my career with the national team because by the end of the year I would turn 18 and would no longer be qualified to play for the Black Maidens. If I had played that match, I would at least have something to show for my work.” – Mafia Added.

Fate intervened for Mafia after the Covid 19 died down in 2021. She was promoted and joined the Under Twenty National Women Team, the Black Princesses. Furthermore, Mafia got the opportunity to play for the Black Queens. “I was super excited and determined to make every match count. To share in this joy was my dad. I wish I had a video of him dancing when I told him the news.” From 2021 to date, Mafia has had the opportunity of playing many matches including playing against Liberia where she was substituted at the last minute and assisted a goal for Ghana to win 2-0 against Liberia. She has also played for the FIFA 2022 women under 20 World Cup qualifiers and travelled with the Black Queens to play against Zambia as part of the CAF Women’s Olympic qualifying tournament, WAFCON.

Mafia Nyame speaks on joining the black queens from the Black Princesses. Video Credits: Ghana Football Associations.

The impacts of Football on her life.

“I always knew I would tryout to join the national team, but I never imagined achieving that height at Nineteen years old and now, winning a Gold Medal for the country is just amazing”. Mafia also revealed that she is currently part of the Association Sports of Forces Armed Royal (AS FAR): a women football club based in Morocco.

“I had the opportunity to play for the CAF Women Champions League on the 18^th of November 2023 as part of the AS FAR team. We secured third place, winning a bronze medal in the Champions league. Guess who scored a goal in that match, contributing to the win? Me!!!” Mafia exclaimed hilariously and with excitement.

Mafia Nyame also plays amongst a Moroccan Team, AS FAR. Photo Credit: CAF

“With that said, Football has quickly put me on an international platform. The opportunity granted to represent this country on an international podium is beyond the expectation I had for my current age. I do not only represent Ghana when I play as part of the Black Princesses or Queens by with my team in Morocco. I mean when they describe who I am it starts with, she is a Ghanaian” – Mafia Describes. The impact of Football is also felt in the community she was raised in as she is a role model for the youth, both boys and girls, who wish to pursue career in football and in any other sports.

Her message to aspiring athletes.

As we brought the interview to a close, Mafia had a leaving message for females aspiring to pursue football as a profession or venture into any form of athleticism: “A dream is given to you for a purpose. It has the capacity to isolate you because no one might understand it. Instead of letting it stop you, let it motivate you, allow it to push you towards achieving that dream, learn from the very best and build the attitude of discipline needed to pursue that dream. All the Best.”

A dream is given for a purpose – Mafia Nyame.