Baba Yara wanted to return to Kotoko – Dogo Moro

Those who saw him play describe him as the greatest Ghanaian footballer of all time. Those of us who did not see him play have heard about his heroics.

Though he played for Ghana’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah’s Real Republicans after he was commandeered to join the team, Baba Yara is well known to be a legend of Kumasi Asante Kotoko.

The King of Wingers as he was called was not born Baba Yara but rather Usmanu Seidu Maada.

Sports journalist, Sadick Adams took it upon himself to do a documentary on him and those who saw him play and also played with him have described how he was like.

Baba Yara was warned by his colleagues and teammates not to quit Kotoko but the young man refused to listen to the advice and left Kotoko.

His close friend, Dogo Moro who joined Real Republicans with him from Kotoko when the team was formed revealed in the documentary: The Untold Goat that his friend told him he was going to return to Kotoko.

“He told me he was not happy [at Real Republicans].”

His unhappiness in Accra started after his friend Moro left the club after a year.
But that did not stop him from tormenting his beloved Kotoko.

According to Moro who is the only surviving member of Kotoko’s 1957 squad said his friend told him he was going to play his final match for Nkrumah’s team after which he will return to Kotoko. That match was against the Volta Heroes at Kpando.

Yara could not see his return come to pass as the team bus of the Republicans was involved in an accident at Kpeve in the Volta Region on their return and it affected his spinal cord.

Baba Yara retired at the age of 26 and it is on record that he scored over 90 goals for Kotoko and also scored 49 goals in 51 matches for the Ghana national team.

On 5th May 1969, Baba Yara died at the Korle-Bu teaching hospital.

If you have ever wondered by the Kumasi Sports Stadium was renamed the Baba Yara Sports Stadium then you must watch the documentary to understand why.

by: Nana Asabere