Captain Alec Grant Sam And Robert Mensah: Ghana Must Pay Tribute to Its Great Historical Figures

A nation's history is influenced not only by the people who fought for it but also by those who accomplished unique feats in various fields that add to the fascinating tales that are told about it. As I look around, I see that, following Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the father of Ghana's independence movement, many Ghanaians deserve special recognition for their contributions to the nation. Two of these individuals are Captain Alec Grant Sam and Ghana's legendary goalkeeper, Robert Mensah.

A country without heroes or compelling historical stories is like a tree without roots. How long will Ghanaians continue to watch those who have contributed to improving Ghana's reputation throughout history die without receiving the credit they merit? Great singers, football players, scientists, pilots, and other notable individuals have been honored with statues and monuments in the developed world, and many of these have become tourist attractions. Why can't Ghana do the same for its great men?

Established on July 4, 1958, with an initial investment of £400,000 by the Ghanaian government, Ghana Airways was the country's pride and flag carrier, operating flights from Accra's Kotoka International Airport to other national airports. Ghana Airways owned 60% of the company, with the remaining 40% controlled by BOAC. However, as many of Kwame Nkrumah's factories have been grounded, the airline shut down in 2004 due to poor management, incapacity, corruption, and negligence.

Captain Alec Grant Sam, a retired aviaviation expert, was the first to pilot Ghana Airways' inaugural DC-10 trip from London to Accra. Although Ghana Airways is no longer in existence, its intriguing history stands, revealing that Captain Sam was one of the great individuals who contributed to the success of the country's aviation history. According to the news released first by the Ghana News Agency, the former pilot, who was 94, died peacefully at home in Teshie-Nungua Estates with his family at his side.

History will never forget the accomplishments of Captain Alec Grant Sam and another outstanding sports personality, Robert Mensa, who was born in Cape Coast, Ghana's Central Region, in 1939. He was a great goalkeeper who was well-known for his efforts with the national team and Asante Kotoko. He made it to the Africa Cup of Nations final in 1968 and competed in the Olympic Games in Mexico City in the same year, but was eliminated from the Hungary and Israel groups.

With the Asante Kotoko, they won the Champions Cup of Africa in 11971 and advanced to the finals in 1967. Robert Mensah lacked adequate documentation during his heydays since he was heavily covered by print media. He is about two meters tall and incredibly agile for his height, which gives him an advantage, dignity, and the ability to move like a machine in the goal post. Due to the superstitious nature of the continent, many people in Africa thought he had magical abilities in his cap.

The former goalkeeper passed away suddenly while still active with a football team on November 2, 1971, a few days after being stabbed in a drinking bar in Tema. He was 32. Apart from Ghanaians, numerous African nations, particularly Ivory Coast, were furious over Robert Mensah's tragic end. I wrote a comprehensive article about his ascent to prominence and eventual demise after meeting his killer, Isaac Melfah, in person while in Lagos, Nigeria, in the early 1980s. It was published by ModernGhana News on August 18, 2019, with the title: Robert Mensah: The Forgotten Great Ghanaian Goalkeeper?

https://www.modernghana.com/news/950666/robert-mensah-the-forgotten-great-ghanaian-goalk.html

Familes don't need to plead with the Ghanaian government to recognize those who have made significant contributions to Ghana's history, just as citizens of any country don't have to beg for facilities like hospitals, schools, and jobs that improve people's quality of life. To promote the country's rich tourism tradition and history as well as to educate the world about our pride, I hope the authorities will think about creating statues of these two outstanding men.