C.K. Gyamfi goes home Dec. 20
Burial and final funeral rites for Ghana’s football legend, Charles Kumi Gyamfi (C.K. Gyamfi) who died on September 2, this year will be held between Friday, December 18 and Sunday December 20 , 2015.
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Abusuapanin Kwasi Aniagyei Kumi , Larteh Asokyede family head, who announced the funeral arrangements, said the late C.K. Gyamfi would be laid in state at the forecourt of the State House in Accra at 7a.m. on Friday, December 18 followed by memorial service at the same place.
Burial and memorial service will, however, take place on Saturday, December 19 at the Okorase Methodist School Park at 10 a.m .
Thanksgiving service for the late Black Stars coach, who was the Guantoahene of the Benkum Division of the Akuapim Traditional Area, will take place at the Rev. Joseph Clegg Memorial Methodist Church, Kaneshie in Accra on Sunday, December 20.
His death, which occurred at the Cocoa Clinic in Accra, brings to four the number of former national stars who have recently passed this year. The others are Jones Attuquayefio, Nana Agyeman Gyau and George Arthur.
Popularly known as C.K. Gyamfi who died aged 85, was not only Ghana’s first player to play abroad but also Africa’s first footballer to play in Germany, featuring for Fortuna Dusseldorf in 1960.
Before then, he had played for three of the most glamorous clubs in Ghana -- Cape Coast Ebusua Dwarfs (1948-49), Asante Kotoko (1949 to 1954) and Accra Hearts of Oak ((1956-1960).
After captaining the Black Stars, he went on to become Ghana’s most successful national team coach, leading the team to their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) titles for three times in 1963, 1965 and 1982.
He coached a number of clubs around Africa after his playing career and returned home to handle Ashantigold before he finally retired in 1993.
Later in life, the football legend was enstooled a chief with the stool name Nana Gyamfi Kumi I and was also a Patron of the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) until his death.
For his selfless service to football, he was honoured with the Order of the Volta (Civil Division) as well as the African Merit Order of Achievement Award. Nana Gyamfi was survived by his wife, Mrs Valerie Quartey Gyamfi, a former national tennis player, and eight sons.
