(World cup 2014) Ezekiel Ansah – The famous Ghanian player

Ezekiel Ansah, born May 29, 1989 in Ghana, is an American football player expertise in defense end. He plays for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). As a youth, he has played soccer and has never seen American football. In his youth, he was also playing basketball in addition to soccer. His caliber in basketball gained the attention of missionaries and was baptized at the age of 18.  Ansah developed friendship with Frei, an LDS Church missionary, who taught him and baptized him. Frei returned to the United States and suggested Ansah to come over to the United States and try his fortunes in becoming a basketball player.

Ansah took active participation in sports such as basketball, field and track events and on graduating High school in Ghana, joined as a teaching assistant and trained people in basketball. On getting a scholarship from Brigham Young University, he moved to the United States but could not be successful in the basketball teams. Later, during sophomore and junior seasons, he continued with his football with the college team and in 2012, he resumed his role of situation player.

It was March 2013, when reports about Ansah’s age started to circulate and questioned its accuracy. However, his passport shows 29th May 1989 as his date of birth. The Detroit Lions drafted Ansah for the NFL draft (in 2013). Ansah also signed a contract of 5 years (Rookie contract) on 10th May 2013 with the Detriot Lions. Finally, he persuaded a BYU Cougars football team and played for the Cougars from 2010. Ansah was also named as “Mel Farr” – 2013’s Rookie, honoring the best Detroit’s rookie. Born as the youngest amongst the 5 children his father had, Ansah is an active member of the LDS church.

It is a matter of speculation to all us to see whether as a Detroit Lions defensive end and a former star of BYU, he will have more enthusiasm  in the 2014 world cup match between the United States and Ghana and he would be cheering Ghana as a native of Ghana or cheering United States, the current home country.

(World cup 2014) Christian Emeka Okoye – The Nigerian Nightmare

Christian Emeka okoye, a Nigerian- American, born August 16, 1961, is a former American football running, played for the Kansas City Chiefs during the year 1987 to 1992. Although the name Okoye in the Igbo language means q peaceful reflection of a Sunday, he had a tranquil life growing in the city Enugu, Nigeria with a population of 8, 00,000. During the initial days of his liking to football playing, he thought that it was a boring game to play. He was not happy about the roughness of the football and when he thought of quitting the game, he was convinced by his friends to stay on with playing the game.

When his name did not appear in the Nigerian Government’s list for the probable players for the Olympics, he pursed track & field leaving American football.  He possessed remarkable running skills than most players during that period and his capacity and ability to break tackles and his running styles earned him the nickname ’The Nigerian Nightmare”.

During his career, he played six seasons in the NFL (1989, 1991) and thereafter he ended his career as he sustained multiple injuries. The power play exhibited by him during the games wearing his number 35, was a treat to watch.  His capacity to do a 40 yard dash in around 5 seconds and 100meters in about 11 seconds was a rarity when compared with his height of over 6’ and weight around 260 pounds.

As this was a rare combination with talent, the Kansas City Chiefs selected him in the second round of the 1987 NFL draft. His skill with speed made him barge to an NFL rushing title and became the Chief’s career leading rusher during his time and he became a U.S. citizen. Although he came to the U.S at the age of 21 he ever renounced the love for his native country which was exhibited though his anger when 276 school girls were abducted last month by the terrorist group Boko Haram.  He recalled his nightmarish experiences he had in his younger days of people carrying machine guns in the streets of Nigeria and his hiding in the basement of their house. He presently lives in California.