Fredua-Agyemang: Augusco’s Midfield Trailblazer

At close to 67 years, Gerald Anthony Freduah-Agyemang (Big Ben), one of Augusco's football legends still reflects the qualities that earned him the College team captainship in his days.

His attention to detail, commitment to duty and discipline is striking. Unless he is indisposed, Big Ben makes it a point to exercise regularly for 30 minutes five days a week.

I first met Big Ben at the St. Augustine's College 85th Anniversary celebration and subsequentlyat the funeral of Mr. Michael Plas Otwe in the last week of March 2015. Mr. Otwe, popularly called Coach, was a Teacher of History and Mathematics at Augusco from 1969-1983, during which period he doubled as the school's football coach.

Big Ben entered Augusco in September, 1961 and left upper six in 1968 as the St. Stephen's house prefect. He succeeded in finding a good balance between his academic work and sports, something that earned him a number of academic and sports awards. He was an integral part of the all conquering school team that formed the nucleus of Cape-Coast Mysterious Dwarfs, and

can be described as Augusco's midfield trail blazer; setting the pace for the likes of Charles Paintsil who played for the Ghana Academicals team and AC Milan's Michael Kojo Essien. He played for Dwarfs from 1964 to 1972.

Some of Big Ben's Augusco play mates were: The late Amisssah (Joe Ami), late Douglas Owuo, late Mills (VC 10), late Mingle, Andrews Obeng (Rago), J. B. Mensah (Stormy weather), Atta Doodu (Piccolo), Edward Boye (Gibraltar), Mike Alhassan (Soccer Engineer), Ato Mensah (Romotwe), Atta Mensah (Steeve), Ato (Black Cobra), Alex Nutsugah (Baby Pele), Brefo(Garincha) and Blay Morkeh.

With Dwarfs, his team mates included: The late Robert Mensah (Yashin), late Wilson, late Assani, Late Moses, late A. K. Mensah, late Awona, late Conduah, Late Grant (VC 10) and John Taylor (Lapanto).

Not surprisingly, today Big Ben is the President of Cape Coast Mysterious Dwarfs Old Players Association and among other things the Abakomahene of Jenjemirejah in the Brong Ahafo Augusco Region (Abakomhene is the head of all the princes).

For starters, the nickname Big Ben was given to him by Coach Assebi Boakye, a Central Regional Sports Coach because he considered, Freduah-Agyemang a bigger and better player than Ben Akyeampong, who at the time played in the same midfield position for the Republican Club and Black Stars.

Coach Boakye's contention was complemented by the hype, motivation and counsellingfrom Mr. Otwe who coached Dwarf's in the sixties and seventies. He was noted for grooming Augusco players, most of who he later drafted to Dwarfs.

As is the norm, college coaches rightfully brag about having players who graduate with very good grades and progressing to become successful in life. Coach excelled in this and was thus revered. One reason for Big Ben being such a disciplined, dedicated and outstanding player was because of the motivation and influence of Coach Mr Otwe.

Coach challenged the system, gave it his own identity and won. He made college sports more fun, more appealing and more rewarding thus bringing out the best in you. Indeed he was sports personified.

"I wish to acknowledge the impact of his mentoring, discipline and motivation to our lives. Mr. Otwe was a great Teacher, Mentor, Inspirer and above all a Father to thousands of students and sportsmen who had the privilege of encountering him during his years at Augusco".

"Coach Otwe hyped my status by adding that I was more intelligent with superior interception and ball distribution, not to mention the thunderbolt shots as a midfielder which mostly resulted in goals. These accolades made me feel so confident that I saw myself filling the imaginary large space the coaches had created for me".

During his time, the Sixth Form seniors formed colts teams and organised a competitive football league on campus. In form two Big Ben played for a team called Morocco Wizards (Morowee) managed by one Snr Assase. Coach Otwe spotted him during one of such games, and encouraged him. He was subsequently called to the school team, then to Dwarfs and then to the Ghana Academicals, which at the time was captained by a gentleman called Quarcoopome.

He recounts a story which underscores his love for Dwarfs. On 2nd June, 1968, while preparing for his A-Level Exams, he risked travelling to Nigeria with Dwarfs to play Stationery Stores; to top it up he again played in the return match at the Accra Stadium.

He remembers his errands boy at the time, Oduro (now a medical doctor), saying: 'Ei! Prefect, you are tough paa, with A Level Exams looming, you are travelling to Lagos, anyway I trust you because you won the best student in sports and academics and are also the President of the school's History Society'.

Together with his close friend Anthony Egyir (St Theresa's House Prefect) and Benin McCarthy, Big Ben passed the A Level Exams and gained admission to the University of Ghana, but coming from a poor home with a divorced mother taking care of nine surviving children, he decided to work to cater for his siblings; not even another offer from the University to pursue a course in Hospital Administration in 1969 could change his mind.

Freduah-Agyemang is very proud of this sacrificial decision, which he today describes as divine, because it not only helped to lift up the family, but has produced one of the most outstanding students ever to grace the campus of Augusco and KNUST - Dr Charles Appeadu (Apisco de Tiger, Augusco Assistant School Prefect 1978/79). His younger brother, Dr Appeadu (PhD, CFA, FRM, CAIA) is currently the Global Head, University Relations, CFA Institute, Charlottesville, VA.

Freduah-Agyeman pursued a career in Insurance and held Management positions both in Ghana and Nigeria, where he retired as Snr. Underwriting Manager at Russel Insurance Brokerage firm.

Freduah-Agyemang has been married to Nee Beatrice Abban for 46years, and they are blessed with five children: Eric (UK), Nicholas (USA), Archibald (GHANA), Freda (USA) and Abigail(UK).

His hobbies include: Reading, playing/watching the game of draughts and listening to gospel music and is addicted to Multimedia's Newsfile Radio/TV programme broadcast on Saturday mornings.