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On Friday, May 9, 2025, the heart of Kumasi pulsed not with chants of rivalry or competition, but with solemn remembrance and unity. Thousands of Ghanaians from Accra, Kumasi, and beyond gathered for the 24th annual walk to honor the 126 football fans who lost their lives in the tragic Accra Sports Stadium disaster of 2001. The streets, usually filled with the bustling rhythm of everyday life, became a moving tribute to the departed.
What made this year’s remembrance especially powerful was the remarkable unity across sporting communities. Executives and national team players from the Ghana Rugby Football Union walked shoulder-to-shoulder with football fans, students from KNUST, the Ashanti Regional Directorate of the National Sports Authority, various keep fit clubs, and even the bereaved family of recently murdered football enthusiast “Pooley.” It was a striking moment of solidarity—a symbolic handshake between sports, grief, and national healing.
Herbert Mensah, former Asante Kotoko chairman and now President of Rugby Africa and member of the executive board of World Rugby, once again led the walk, just as he has done every year since that fateful day in 2001. Through the May 9 Foundation, he has ensured the memories of the fallen are never forgotten. The walk concluded with heartfelt donations of food items, products, and financial aid to families of victims—acts of compassion that echo the mission of the Foundation.
Speaking to the media, Mr. Mensah emphasized the significance of the event:
“We have done this for 24 years because of the relevance of the day and the respect we have for the departed souls. We will continue to observe it so long as God gives us life.”
This year’s observance carried a heavier burden, following the recent stabbing of “Pooley,” a devoted Kotoko supporter, during a league game in Nsoatre. It was a chilling reminder that while the 2001 disaster may be behind us, violence in sports remains a present threat. Mr. Mensah called on fans to cultivate greater tolerance, urging them to remember that “we are brothers and sisters off the field” and to channel the passion of sport into positive energy.
He further appealed to government and sports administrators to invest equitably in all sports, not just football. “The tragedy,” he said, “should inspire broader change—compassion, inclusion, and commitment to safety and development across all sporting disciplines.”
The participation of the Ghana Rugby Football Union underscored that spirit. As national team players and executives walked alongside football fans, they not only honored those who died but also made a powerful statement: true sportsmanship transcends the game. It unites, uplifts, and heals.
Supported by companies like Sunda International, Kivo Gari, and Interplast Ghana Ltd, this year’s remembrance walk was a testament to the resilience of Ghanaians—and a promise that the lives lost will never fade from memory.
May 9 is no longer just a date. It is a movement. A memorial. A message.
We remember. We walk. We unite.
