BODY OF GHANA FOOTBALL PLAYER ATSU ARRIVES HOME IN ACCRA

Christian Atsu, a winger for Ghana, was found dead under a collapsed building in southern Turkey on Saturday, and his body was brought back to Accra that evening.

After an apartment building in Hatay collapsed on February 6, Atsu has been missing ever since. He was 31.

Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia and a sizable military honor guard met Atsu’s coffin at the Kotoko International Airport in the capital while it was draped in the national flag of Ghana.

“We prayed constantly as each day went by, hoping against hope. On the tarmac, Bawumia addressed a group of grievers and said, “But unfortunately, when he was found, he was no more.

Hours before the earthquake, Atsu was supposed to leave southern Turkey, but Hatayspor’s management revealed on Friday that the Ghanaian decided to stay with the team after scoring the game-winning goal in a Super Lig encounter on February 5.

After stints with English Premier League giants Everton, Chelsea, and Newcastle United, he joined Hatayspor in September of last year.

He also helped Ghana reach the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations final, where they lost to Ivory Coast on penalties. He earned 65 caps for Ghana throughout that time. In 2019, he was last chosen to play for Ghana.

The Ghana Football Association issued a statement on Saturday saying, “We would like to convey our sincere condolences to his wife and children, the family, loved ones, and the football community. “May God grant peace to his soul.”