By Kwame Bediako
Former Ghana Football Association (GFA) president and FIFA Executive Council member, Kwesi Nyantakyi, has publicly stated he was a strong contender for the Confederation of African Football (CAF) presidency prior to his 2018 departure from football.
The revelation came during an interview on Joy News, where he reflected on a career halted by scandal. It spotlights Ghana’s fleeting shot at continental dominance.
Nyantakyi emphasized his pivotal role as CAF first vice president, making him Africa’s second-in-command in football administration.
“It was very possible. At the time I exited CAF and football, I was the first vice president of the federation,” he said, noting he was the “next most senior football official on the continent of Africa.”
This seniority, he argued, primed him for the top spot. His trajectory imploded following Anas Aremeyaw Anas’s Number 12 documentary, which alleged corruption and prompted resignations from the GFA, CAF, and FIFA in June 2018.
The exposé dismantled entrenched networks, ushering in reforms but leaving Ghana without a CAF leader. Nyantakyi’s downfall remains a defining moment in local football lore.
In hindsight, Nyantakyi sees his exit as a squandered opportunity for Ghana. “So, Ghana would have had a CAF president.
Although it is still possible… anybody who works hard can be the president,” he observed.
His forward-looking tone inspires while acknowledging past pitfalls.
As Ghana football evolves post-scandal, Nyantakyi’s words fuel discourse on leadership and legacy.
They remind stakeholders of the fine line between triumph and turmoil in pursuit of African supremacy.
