It is now common for me to be bombarded with names of famous Ghanaian footballers whenever I disclose my nationality.
The Maestro, Abedi Pele, is undoubtedly the most famous Ghanaian sportsman globally, among the older generation of football fans, and his name often comes up, upon mentioning you are a Ghanaian, anywhere in the world.
But for both the old and young generations of football fans around the world, the name Asamoah Gyan, and other contemporary stars, are most recognizable.
Last year, I shared a story of how a taxi driver, taking me from Mecca to Jeddah, was on cloud nine and waved off a percentage of the fare, upon discovering my nationality and also finding out I knew his idol, Michael Essien, after showing him a picture of Essien and I!
This year, it’s been the turn of Asamoah Gyan, the man who prefers to be called Baby Jet. The love for Asamoah Gyan, here in Mecca, has been amazing!
Gyan is well known and appreciated here, and almost every taxi I pick, the driver mentions Asamoah Gyan as soon as I mention my nationality.
But last night was on another level.
I met a young man, who surely, must be Asamoah Gyan’s biggest fan in the city of Makkah! Something interesting happened.
Here it is!
I walked into a perfume shop, right on the premises of Masjid Al Haram, the Sacred Mosque. After completing my transaction, the young shop attendant asked, “which country from you?”
“Ghana’, I replied, proudly.
“Oh Ghana, Asamoah Gyan, Asamoah Gyan,” screamed the shop attendant in excitement.
“Do you like Asamoah Gyan,” I asked him, and he enthusiastically responded, “yes!” and preceded to show me pictures and videos of Asamoah he had taken himself, during a match Asamoah Gyan played in Saudi, with his then UAE team Al Ain, against Saudi’s Ahly.