You would hardly see many individuals contributing to national issues until it comes to directions and directives on football. These individuals stand tall before their friends and debates about football are meaningless until they are present. One would switch from one radio or television station to another until they get their favourite presenter. Football brings the hidden joy in most people and probably for total African unity. Football should be played more frequently. No wonder coaches boast about the amount of money they pay their footballers because they know the benefit of good footballers. Mixed reactions Araba and the husband have had problems about childbirth for a long time. They had been to many doctors, both orthodox and native, without results. Quite recently, Araba got pregnant and there was joy and excitement in the community, but Araba and the husband are financially crippled and cannot afford the fees charged at the antenatal clinic. Moreover, they live in the village where health workers are few and facilities at the clinics are limited. Araba has been bleeding on and off and the pregnancy is always threatening to abort. This is a precious pregnancy but Araba and her husband do not have a choice but to hope and pray for the continuity of the pregnancy. Araba's friend, Amina, had four Children without problems. Amina easily gets pregnant, unlike Araba, and delivery has not posed any problems with regard to her four children. National teams and women Araba's problems could be compared to some natiorul1 football teams which struggle to participate in the African tournament. The sad news is that they start "bleeding" from the first match just like Araba's threatened pregnancy which could abort anytime. These national teams struggle to qualify for the Africa Cup tournament but since they are scantily resourced, they do not prepare enough towards the matches and their dreams are easily aborted. They are not like the big teams which have participated many times in the tournament and have won or given birth four or more times like Egypt, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroun, etc. Even though these teams have won the Africa Cup a few times, they still work lard to win again, just like Amina who easily gets pregnant and the husband has enough money to support her to attend hospital for proper management of the pregnancy. When will African players get total preparation without interference from their "pay masters" in Europe to show their proper skills during African matches? When will pregnant women in Africa be given the necessary help to prevent them from dying during pregnancy and delivery so that we could enjoy the 'outdooring' with fanfare, just like winning football matches! Indiscipline or lack of mentorship! Kojo is a great footballer. When he is absent from the team his mates struggle to win a match. He can take the ball from one end of the field and dribble everybody including the goal keeper! Kojo's presence in the team helps Kwesi to score beautiful goals because Kojo's control of the ball and the accurate passes put other players at an advantage to score goals easily. Kojo uses both legs with agility and the reaction time of turning on the ball to score from acute angles is a joy for football loving people to behold. However, Kojo has a problem. Anytime he loses control of the ball to another he would invariably kick that player from behind and get a yellow card. He easily loses his temper and hardly respects the orders of the referees who are quick to pullout the yellow card. Is this indiscipline or 1ack of mentorship to a perfect player? Are we talking to our players outside the field or just waiting to enjoy them when they are playing? Violence against women Mr Mensah also has a similar problem. He is a perfect gentleman and a prayerful man. His presence in the house makes the children happy because he is full of jokes and his children love him. But Mr Mensah is quick tempered and easily clashes with his wife and assaults her. He knows that what he is doing is wrong but domestic violence has become his stock-in-trade at the least provocation. Mr Mensah needs counselling to behave at home, just like Kojo on account of his behaviour on the football field. Many women are going to the stadium with their partners to support the men playing football. The women are, in effect, echoing encouragement and unity to Africa. Let us look at the African football tournament again and use it to unite our countries. Source: Prof. E. Y. Kwawukume/The Mirror