Ghana Football Association tribute to Alhaji Hearts
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has paid a glowing tribute to the Alhaji Suleiman Braimah, popularly known us Alhaji Hearts.
The Hearts of Oak icon departed into glory last week, and his Adua, the Moslem prayers for the departed, is being held in Accra on Sunday.
Advertisement
Below is the GFA's tribute to Alhaji Hearts
The Ghana Football Association learnt with utmost sadness the passing of the charismatic Alhaji Suleiman Braimah, popularly known as Alhaji Hearts.
Alhaji Hearts was an epitome of our beautiful game as his persona stood for what the game was all about; humility, peace and togetherness.
Alhaji Hearts dedicated his life to football, and the fact that he is better know as Alhaji Hearts, clearly underlines his commitment and contribution to football.
To say that Alhaji Hearts was an outstanding football administrator is an understatement; he contributed immensely to the Accra Hearts of Oak until the Almighty Allah called him.
His wealth of immeasurable experience as a football administrator also benefitted our national teams, as he served on national team management committees under various administrations of the GFA.
As a person, Alhaji Hearts was a man of peace, who brought football people together during times of disagreements.
He made the sporting rivalry between his beloved Accra Hearts of Oak and Kumasi Asante Kotoko looked very friendly, as he related very well with fans of the Porcupine Warriors even ahead of crucial encounter.
He would normally call into radio programs and calm the nerves of feuding fans after crucial football battles, which ended in controversy.
Everyone here will have their own special memories of Alhaji, either as a husband, father, brother or as your grandfather or football person.
To us all he was a family man; one of a team of two hearts of Oak and the Ghana national teams.
For us in the football fraternity he was, above all, a gentle, caring and kind father.
He was thoughtful and honest…a man of strong principles.
Alhaji Hearts enjoyed simple pleasures. He found it easy to smile and taught us how to forgive each other and appreciate the good things in life.
He always seemed to have time to solve problems. Not for him the hurried patching up of differences.
The end result would be carefully inspected.
He taught us to share his many interests and passions.
On a like day this as we mourn Alhaji Hearts, on behalf of the Ghana Football fraternity, let's reserve our heartfelt and deep condolences to his family particularly his children and the Hearts of Oak family.
The GFA and the Ghanaian football fraternity have indeed lost a great oak tree, a unifier, and a humble man.
May the Almighty Allah grant him Jannatul Firdaus.
