The afternoon sun burned over Nima, the air thick with the familiar rhythm of boys chasing dreams on dusty streets.
Among them was a small-framed boy weaving through traffic cones made from stones, a ball glued to his feet as if he was obeying a secret code.
Watching from the roadside, one man stood silently, studying every move.
That man was Joshua Awuah, known in the community as “Ayoba.”
He didn’t see just another street kid with a football. He saw something more, an elegance in touch and a balance that defied the rough ground beneath his feet.
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And right there, on that crowded street in Nima, a football journey began.
“I discovered him in Nima. He was playing football by the roadside. I saw that he had a special technique. So, I went to his family to ask if I could train him. At first, they didn’t understand the game, so they were reluctant to release him. But Kudus had the passion for football, so I used to pick him up from school and then train him,” Ayoba later recalled in an interview with Ghanasoccernet.
That boy was Mohammed Kudus, and Ayoba’s instinct turned out to be prophetic.
The strong tower begins
Ayoba took Kudus under his wing and brought him to his grassroots club, Strong Tower FC, a humble setup in the heart of the Nima Zongo.
It wasn’t about money or fame. There were no jerseys with names, no polished pitches. Just discipline, dusty footballs, and dreams.
At Strong Tower, Ayoba became more than a coach; he was a father figure. He taught his boys punctuality, respect, and belief, drilling them not just to play football, but to represent their community with pride.
“Most of the talented kids in Zongo have come from him. He’s a good man, and we have to celebrate him. If you people know Kudus today, it’s because Ayoba gave him a chance,” says journalist Rahman Osman, who recently paid tribute to Ayoba in a Facebook post.
A bold step to Right to Dream
When Kudus began dazzling everyone in training, Ayoba knew he couldn’t keep him hidden.
He marched to the Right to Dream Academy, Ghana’s elite football school, determined to get the boy a chance.
“I then went to Tom Vernon of Right to Dream and told him Kudus was better than all their players. They didn’t believe it. So, they asked me to bring him over, he played and scored two goals in the game, and they admitted him”, he told Happy FM back in 2020.
That confidence changed Ghanaian football forever. Kudus joined the academy, graduated into professional football, and went on to shine for Ajax, West Ham, and the Black Stars.
But through all the fame, one thing never changed: Kudus’s gratitude.
In June 2025, during the Bazaki Football Tournament at Kawukudi Park, Kudus returned home.
He met his old coach again, this time not as a barefoot boy, but as an international footballer.
He hugged Ayoba and presented him and the boys of Strong Tower FC with new boots from his sponsor, Skechers.
It wasn’t a show; it was a homecoming. The same hands that once guided him through Nima’s narrow lanes now received a token of appreciation from the boy who made it.
The maker of men
Kudus may be the headline, but Ayoba’s influence runs deeper. He has shaped the paths of other stars, too, according to reports.
Kamaldeen Sulemana, Ibrahim Osman, and many more have passed quietly through his team.
His name has become folklore in Zongo football circles. Mention Strong Tower FC, and people nod with respect.
For every boy who could’ve gone astray, Ayoba offered football and a second chance.
Despite his legacy, Ayoba hasn’t left the grassroots. He’s still there, at the same park, with the same whistle, training the next Kudus and Kamaldeen Sulemana.
He doesn’t chase headlines or payment. What drives him is the moment when a kid who had nothing finally believes he can be something.
In a football world obsessed with polished academies and sponsorships, Joshua “Ayoba” Awuah remains the opposite: raw, grounded, real.
He finds beauty in chaos, diamonds in dust, and heroes in ordinary boys. Because for him, Zongo isn’t a limitation. It’s a launchpad. And that’s why, on the streets where dreams begin, his name still echoes.
FKA/JE
Meanwhile, watch highlights of Ghana’s 5-0 win over Central African Republic in World Cup qualifiers
