The players held him aloft, and sang, "Otto yeee!!! Otto yeeeee yeeeee!!!, yeeee!!!, Otto yeeee!!! Otto yeee, Otto yeeee yeeee heeemama heeemama!!!"

Ghana FA President Kurt Okraku joined in unison. Ghana's High Commissioner to Nigeria, Bawa Rashid would not be left out.

They sang their lungs out, bouncing up and down even under security protection.

The team had been pelted when the Eagles could not fly. Bawa Rashid was hit with a bottle, Kurt had to run through for safety, too, but that did not deter them from charging up the dressing room in celebration.

When the atmosphere was calm, Otto, the man the GFA President tasked with the responsibility of overseeing the two ties against Nigeria, took a back step, readjusted his body to his left, and let out a few words.

'I want to say thank you to you, Kurt for the opportunity to lead this team. I am grateful. Let me add, thank you for giving me the space to work.'

Mr Okraku could not smile. Emotions overfilled him.

The joy knew no bounds. There was a fire in those passionate eyes. Beads of sweat had swelled up his face and drowned him wet in his suit. Not only him but the entire team.

This was a man a little over a month ago, who was censured for spearheading Ghana's woeful AFCON performance in Cameroon. The four-times champions of this prestigious tournament exited with only a point.

To make matters worse, he left the team in Cameroon after the second group game against Gabon and returned to Ghana, and his failure to gauge the temperature of the country allowed him to go loose, with comments that gave ammunition to his critics.

He led attempts to hire Otto Addo, a man many felt did not have the CV of Chris Hughton, a known government choice. Many doubted, but he pulled through the storm, to steady the ship and was here, a point where he wanted to make history.

History as the second FA President to lead Ghana to World Cup after Kwesi Nyantakyi. 

And history, as the man who hired one of the players who wore the national colours in Ghana's first-ever world cup in Germany, where he was born, trained both as a footballer and a coach, becoming the first of his generation to qualify the three-times World Cup participants to another Mundial.

He had everything to prove. To prove that hiring the Borussia Dortmund man was the best decision, and proving his critics that this is my way, and it is the way to the light.

The 51-year-old had consulted his predecessors, sought advice and asked for blessings. They blessed him to do it, and he showed up and did it.

Many claim he is so emotional that it often gets the better of him. But, this was different.

This emotional Kurt gave Otto space to operate as he revealed. The first time, maybe, a coach had 100% say in his choice of players under this administration. It was Otto Addo, Chris Hughton, George Boateng, and Didi Dramani who named this squad.

Maybe, for the first time, Kurt knew he had to play a different role, and allow the coaches to handle theirs, too. So, he stayed away, just to lead.

This emotional Kurt made his presence felt at Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport from the onset.

When the team arrived, he and his right-hand man, Michael Bogdan Osekere, walked toward the Immigration officers at the exit. 

They wanted to scan Team Ghana's documents. With what looked like a green diary in his left hand, he walked much closer to the officers. Black Stars Management Committee member, Samuel Osei Kuffour was next to them, directly opposite Kurt. 

Within the twinkling of an eye, his index and middle fingers were in the air, the little and ring fingers pointing backwards, with the thump on them. Those fingers spoke volumes per their movement. It was quick. 

First, they went left, second, they went right. The words that followed were "No! No!! No!!!" When the officers won't budge, then he said loudly, "I said nooo! That won't happen. When they came to Ghana, we waved immigration protocols for them, and we won't allow you to do it to us."

Osekere joined. He was less abrasive. It is understandable because his boss was around and took responsibility. An Immigration officer said, "even if the President comes here, we will scan him." 

Kurt took a step forward and said, "you won't do it to us." With fire in his eyes. On the other end, Thomas Partey had love. Almost every Nigerian was taking pictures with him, the others were on their phones. Otto Addo went to the right side, far away. Chris Hughton, Didi Dramani, and George Boateng were all observing closely.

What would happen next was "boys, let's go!" Then, someone, maybe an official of the Nigeria Football Federation walked into the middle to calm tempers. Kurt hugged these boys, kissed Partey on the forehead, gave Alexander Djiku a tap on the back with what looked like a hard hit, but the message was clear. "We won't have it easy."

They never had it easy. No one expected it to be easy. But, with Kurt, the atmosphere was under control. When he was calm, it was infectious. More of a communicable disease that transmits to others.

He transmitted his leadership to those who followed.

This was a different Kurt. A different Kurt in the sense that, his leadership qualities have been questioned by many. There are many examples one can cite: the unparagoned extraordinary congress readily comes to mind. The conversation with one of the national teams that, he has made it in life and has nothing to lose, and the issues with former Black Stars coach CK Akonnor that showed their ugly heads.

In Abuja, he led when Ghana needed him to. He didn't need to speak much, but whenever he stepped forward, one could tell there was an aura of a man who felt about 30 million Ghanaians were expectant. He shouldered those expectations and led.

When he showed he was available, everyone followed. The belief was palpable.

And, now, Ghana heads to Qatar, the country Nigerians said "Ghana Must Go!"