I’ve received a number of requests from friends and readers who followed my blogs (https://nanaboakyeyiadom.wordpress.com/) while I was on the YALI programme in the US; that I should blog about my experiences in the UK too. I’ll try to keep up, but before I attempt it, let me start from how I eventually ended up here in Wales.

The trigger

I’m not exactly sure what we were talking about in my office but one of my colleagues commented, “But Boakye, as for you don’t complain, your life is perfect… Do you have any problem in this life?” The person retorted and was supported by the others in the conversation.

Another quickly started listing the perceived successes in my work, family and my life in general; “You are a director in this office, you fly around to different parts of the world regularly and doing well with your iJourno Africa project”. Charley don’t even bring yourself”, he jokingly threatened.

Those comments rather struck me differently and I recoiled to think about it a little bit more. Indeed I have shared some success stories in my career and projects I have championed outside my regular job. In 2014 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, I picked up the first place award in the African Story Challenge competition for African journalists. There were over 200 journalists across the continent that competed and I came up tops.

Later, that story – ‘Phone Farming’, earned me the Best Online Story award for 2013 at the Ghana Journalists Awards. The prize for that award was for me to choose any international media organization on the planet to work with for a month – it wasn’t a difficult decision – The BBC. So I was in London for a month, all expense paid.

In 2015, I started iJourno Africa, a pan-African data journalism training not-for-profit organization to teach student journalists for free. It’s currently in Ghana, Kenya and South Africa is ‘warming up’.

In 2016, I got selected for President Barack Obama’s leadership initiative for young Africans called the Mandela Washington Fellowship, under the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI). As part of the programme, I was camped at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and subsequently met Mr. Obama in Washington with the other cohorts.

This year, I’ve been selected for the prestigious UK government-sponsored Chevening Scholarship for my master’s degree in the UK and I am studying at Cardiff University.

So ‘Charley’ I won’t fault my colleagues, real and virtual friends who follow me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram who also see this as a perfect life. Fair!

How about the failures I didn’t post on Facebook, etc?

True, the above-listed sound really good especially on a CV. But I believe strongly it’s the favour of God upon my life, what I usually hashtag #UnmeritedFavour. You may or may not fully understand it, but that’s another discussion. Apart from my wife, very few people know about the several “We are sorry” emails I have received after applying for scores of international training programmes or fellowships or scholarships when I was looking for support to further my education.

At the 2nd of the two send of parties my colleagues and management of Citi FM organized for me before I left, our MD, Samuel Attah-Mensah, popularly known as Sammens, told my colleagues of how to the best of his knowledge, I had attempted and failed on three occasions to secure scholarships with Chevening and Tullow Oil over the last years. “I know Boakye did the first and second world war and failed. We thank God on his third attempt, he finally got it,” he said.

Yes, he only knew about the three main ones. And in fact, on this occasion, he wrote one of the two important and powerful referrals to back my Chevening application.

I chased various scholarships for my master’s degree for five years. Yes, five! I applied to numerous scholarship programmes; about 15 different times over the period. I wrote a countless number of essays usually between 500 – 2,000 words for each of these scholarships without success. Each application usually demands a minimum of three essays; so do the math on how many words and essays I wrote in all these essays over five years.

Tullow scholarship – When the Tullow Oil scholarship started I tried to secure that scholarship as well, sometime in 2014. That was my first attempt and I made it to the semi-final stage. By this time, I was almost always on the Cardiff University website. Watching videos about my course and the school. Looking at the beautiful greenery, flowers, ancient buildings and testimonials from past students saying amazing things about the school. I would go to bed still thinking about them and dream that I was on campus, only for reality to hit in the morning lol. But at this point, I was almost certain that I was going to be in Cardiff soon. There was no way I won’t pass this interview.

When the final list came out a few weeks later, I was eliminated.

I was crushed!

Nothing made sense to me. I was angry, disappointed, deeply hurt to the extent that tears even failed me.

But I had to get over it. I prayed and said to God to take over and that I won’t ask Him any questions about how he allowed this to happen to me. He should just take control.

I got over it and made a second attempt the following year. Guess what? I wasn’t even shortlisted for an interview. The same scholarship programme I went all the way to the semi-final. It didn’t make sense to me but again, “I let go and let God”. I tried my hands on other ones; Commonwealth Scholarship, World Bank Scholarship, Mastercard scholarship for Africans, Japanese, South Africa, China and many others that didn’t even look credible. I think I was getting desperate at this point. All those returned with “We are sorry you were not selected because, this year, the number of applications… Blah blah blah.”

Charley ‘Man Taya’! (Man is tired!)

YALI

But I decided to do other things, if (In my mind), God didn’t want me to pursue my master’s degree anytime soon. So I applied for Barack Obama’s initiative called the Mandala Washington Fellowship, under the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI). Let me also disclose to you that getting onto the YALI programme last year wasn’t on my first attempt. Yup! I had tried in 2014. Again, an email came, patronized me and finally delivered the uppercut. “You were not selected for the interview stage!” Again, I re-grouped and applied in 2015, the results came out in 2016 and BINGO!

Chevening Scholarship

My family and friends are really excited about my selection for the Chevening Scholarship. But guess what? This is not the first time I’ve applied for this scholarship, I tried it first in 2012 but I couldn’t even make the cut for an interview session. You can imagine all the rhetorical questions I asked myself. Again, “I let go and let God”. I applied again in 2016, the results came out this year and BINGO!

The trick though

I am an optimist, but there were many times I nearly gave up. There were many times I said to myself that perhaps I was not meant to pursue a masters degree abroad so I should just look for the funds and study right here in Ghana, even though I had told myself several times that I’d pursue my second degree in a good university outside because of certain advantages I believe it comes with – (Doesn’t mean schooling in Ghana is bad). But when the frustrations set in, you’re most likely to doubt yourself, God and blame everything else and anybody around you, including the witches in your house.

How did I finally get results?

Truth is, the reason somehow I managed to claw back and finally got the opportunities in YALI and Chevening is that I kept doing the things I needed to do at Citi FM and took on leadership roles I was offered and tried to execute them as best as I could.

Outside Citi FM, I tried to learn new things, take on new challenges – and that’s how iJourno Africa was born. And I can confidently say the new challenges I took on and the new things I learned during the “fallow period,” finally got me what I wanted, and of course the #UnmeritedFavour.

When I got the opportunity for interviews on YALI and Chevening, I put in so much effort; I researched, spoke to past beneficiaries and even did mock interviews with some of them. Before I went for the YALI interview, I did a mock interview with Ethel Cofie (Founder of Women in Tech Africa) and Tonyi Senayah (Horseman Shoes). Before I went for my Chevening interview, I also had mock interviews with Sammy Bartels (A former Chevener who now works with Vodafone) and my boss Bernard Avle (Host of the Citi Breakfast Show). I just did not want to take chances and in the end, it paid off.

Consider these while in distress
1.Maybe it’s not time yet.
2.But keep your eye on the ball.
3.And while at it, do other things to improve yourself. Don’t mark time.
4.Keep believing God will do it eventually.

Don’t give up. Keep pushing. And finally, when you get what you want, write a blog like this. Who knows, it might encourage someone in a similar situation.

I’ll share my experiences in the first month in Cardiff soon.

I’m out…

–

By: Nana Boakye-Yiadom

The post Nana Boakye-Yiadom writes: Rejections and disappointments I never shared appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Messi, 27, received the Golden Ball after scoring four goals in Brazil but was subdued against Germany.

Sabella said Messi’s award was “very deserved”, adding: “He played a great World Cup to get us where he did.”

Barcelona star Messi said of the award: “The truth is it doesn’t interest me at this moment.”

The four-time world player of the year added: “We wanted to win the World Cup for all the people in Argentina and we couldn’t do it. We tried, but we didn’t have the luck we had in other games.”

Midfielder Javier Mascherano added: “The pain is immense. We wanted to win this for the people of Argentina, for those who came here to support us, but we lost.

“We have represented our country the best we could. We have to lift our heads despite the pain. We gave everything we could out there.”

Messi’s goals came during the group stage, with a double against Nigeria following strikes against Bosnia-Hercegovina and Iran.

–

Source: BBC Sport

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The post Germany clinch 2014 World Cup glory appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The substitute settled a tie that was in the balance from the first minute until the last with a finish of startling composure given the circumstances, pressure and surroundings. His strike proved the ultimate difference, with Argentina simply unable to respond in what little time remained, crowning the European heavyweights once more following their triumphs in 1954, 1974 and 1990.

A naturally frenetic beginning to the encounter brought an early sight of goal for Gonzalo Higuain. The genesis of the chance was actually a Germany free-kick, with rapid pressure from Ezequiel Lavezzi on the loose ball ultimately forcing an opportunity for his team-mate, who sought the far left corner with a low drive from an acute angle but dragged the effort too wide.

Initial Nationalmannschaft dominance in possession petered out before the quarter-hour and, in succession, Lionel Messi, Pablo Zabaleta and Philipp Lahm were left bemoaning a lack of reachable targets inside the danger zone as they carefully picked out crosses from wide.

Neither participant in the finest opening of the first 20 minutes had anybody to blame but himself. Toni Kroos miscalculated a header back to his goalkeeper, merely finding Higuain unmarked and uncatchable. The Argentina forward seemed a certain scorer as he bounded towards Manuel Neuer but contrived to instead slice a right-footer off target to the left.

With 30 minutes on the clock, the Albiceleste No9 did fire the ball into the net, but luck continued to desert the South Americans as the officials rightly adjudged him offside. After collecting a pass in freedom on the right flank, Lavezzi had swept a vicious centre along the corridor of the Germany penalty box to Higuain, who expertly guided home first time with a side-foot. But the flag was correctly raised and it remained goalless.

A moment later, Andre Schurrle was introduced by Joachim Low in place of the injured Christoph Kramer, who himself had been named in the starting XI at the last moment following an issue in the warm-up for Sami Khedira. The Chelsea attacker was involved almost immediately, controlling a Thomas Muller delivery and quickly blasting at goal – Sergio Romero saved.

Though Germany largely contained Messi in the first half, the Barcelona superstar caused alarm before the break when he galloped along the right touchline and to the near post before being crowded out by a combination of defence and goalkeeper. At the other end, composed hold-up play by Miroslav Klose teed up Kroos for a shot that was simple for Romero.

There was still time in an absorbing period for defender Benedikt Howedes to thunder a header from Kroos’ precise corner against Argentina’s right post, with Muller ruled offside as he attempted to acrobatically send in a rebound from close range.

When the two sides returned after the break, Alejandro Sabella had decided on a change, with Sergio Aguero replacing Lavezzi in an advanced position. They started the brighter too and, as previously with Higuain, Messi dispatched a shot off his strongest foot wide of the far post from a narrow angle, having been found by a cute Lucas Biglia pass.

Trademark movement from the World Cup’s all-time top scorer, Klose, married with a lofted Lahm cross but the clinical forward’s header was little trouble to Romero. With each passing minute, the match became increasingly stretched, with neither team yielding in their attacking ambitions.

Enzo Perez was somewhat fortunate to pick out talisman Messi in the 75th minute, prompting the 27-year-old to arc around a series of German challenges at the outer edge of the area. The strike was always coming but when the No10 did unleash a curler and the massed ranks of Argentinians in attendance drew breath, it skewed harmlessly off target.

Back to the other end, Mesut Ozil was accurate in passing across the field to the onrushing Kroos, who realised the need to hit the ball instantly as opponents closed in. However, Romero was able to watch his cool side-foot drift wide. The Albiceleste goalkeeper was then equally comfortable in keeping out a Gotze daisy-cutter, heralding extra time in Rio.

The pace from the outset of the additional period was relentless; Schurrle smacked straight at the keeper, Aguero looked for a colleague from the left at the conclusion of a counter-attack and saw none, while substitute Rodrigo Palacio looped the ball over Neuer but lost control after taking down a fine Marcos Rojo inswinger in space.

Then, with seven minutes of the 120 remaining, the decisive moment arrived. Schurrle bulldozed past three Argentina defenders on the left flank, drawing Sabella’s charges out of shape and clipping over them to Gotze. The 22-year-old’s technique was exquisite, scissor-kicking at an awkward height to rifle beyond the body of Romero and write his name into German and World Cup football folklore.

–

Credit: FIFA

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The Holland defender’s penalty was initially saved by Argentina’s Sergio Romero – but did it cross the line after bouncing?

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Defender Ron Vlaar stepped up but Sergio Romero – a player who was “taught how to stop penalties” by Van Gaal at AZ Alkmaar – saved his kick.

Argentina won the shootout 4-2 and will face Germany in Sunday’s final.

“I asked two players to take the first ball before ending up with Vlaar,” said new Manchester United boss Van Gaal.

“I thought he was the best player on the pitch so should have confidence.”

Van Gaal was also left to rue the intervention of goalkeeper Romero, who he signed for AZ from Buenos Aires-based Racing Club in 2007.

The Argentine spent two years working under Van Gaal before the 62-year-old departed for Bayern Munich.

“I taught Romero how to stop penalties, so that hurts,” Van Gaal said. “We were the club to bring him to Europe.

“He was a big talent, and someone who has the qualities to do that.”

Romero sought out his former manager at the end of the match.

“I went to the dressing room to thank him,” he said. “He is someone who helped me a lot when I arrived in the Netherlands, in a completely different country, with different customs.

“At the beginning I didn’t speak a word, and he spoke Spanish and he helped me a lot.”

The last-four tie in Sao Paulo was decided by penalties following a goalless draw where both sides barely threatened in an uninspiring 120 minutes.

The Dutch scored all four of their spot-kicks to beat Costa Rica in the quarter-final shootout when captain Robin van Persie converted their first effort.

But with the Manchester United striker substituted in extra-time, Van Gaal was forced to turn to Aston Villa centre-back Vlaar.

His low effort was stopped by Romero, who then denied Wesley Sneijder as the Dutch missed two of their four penalties.

“It just goes to show it’s not easy scoring in a shootout,” said Van Gaal. “It’s the most terrible scenario, to lose on penalties. At the very least we were equal with them, if not the better team. It’s a big disappointment.

“Winning on penalties in your previous match should give you confidence. We took those penalties in an incredible way against Costa Rica,”

Van Gaal’s side now face Brazil in Saturday’s third-place play-off in Brasilia but the Dutchman said: “In a tournament you shouldn’t have players play a match for third or fourth place.

“There’s only one award that counts, and that’s being world champion.”

Against Costa Rica, Van Gaal brought on substitute goalkeeper Tim Krul in place of Jasper Cillessen for the shootout – a tactic which worked as Krul saved two spot-kicks.

But he was unable to call on the Newcastle player again, having already made his three substitutions after withdrawing Van Persie in favour of Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.

“If I had had the opportunity to substitute Jasper I would have done that but I had already used three substitutes so I couldn’t,” Van Gaal said.

“I thought it was necessary to get Van Persie out because he was on his last legs. My feeling was that Huntelaar would make the goal.”

–

Source: BBC Sport

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The first half was a tense, chance-shy affair. Lionel Messi had Argentina’s best opportunity, with a centrally-positioned free-kick from the edge of the box, but he curled it straight into the arms of Jasper Cillissen.

Ezequiel Gonzalez bravely ducked his head between flying boots from a corner, but the 27-year-old centre-back was unable to keep his effort down, while the sliding Ron Vlaar did well to intercept a low Ezequiel Lavezzi cross before Gonzalo Higuain could pounce.

The Netherlands, for their part, struggled to get the ball to danger man Arjen Robben and failed to force Sergio Romero into a save before the half-time whistle sounded.

If the first half was tame, the second was even tamer. Argentina finally sprung to life on 75 minutes, however, when Messi spun his man ner the right touchline but was felled. The referee played the advantage, allowing Enzo Perez to surge forward and cross for Higuain, whose first-time stab hit the side-netting.

After the contest crawled into added time, the Netherlands conjured up what was, indubitably, its best chance. Sneijder’s crafty flick sent Robben racing into the Argentinian area. The 30-year-old nevertheless took too many touches, which enabled Javier Mascherano to make a superb sliding block from his strike from point-blank range.

Shortly into extra-time, Klaas-Jan Huntelaaar replaced Van Persie. It was Louis van Gaal’s third substitution, eliminating the possibility of quarter-final saviour Tim Krul coming on should the game go to penalties and signalling the Oranje coach’s desire to go for it.

That his charges did. Robben sped in behind the Albiceleeste defence, only for Mascherano to divert his cut-back behind, before the Bayern Munich player tested Romero’s hands with a fizzing 25-yard piledriver.

After 115 minutes, Argentina had their finest opening of the match. A long ball over the top bounced into the path of substitute Rodrigo Palacio, but he failed to generate sufficient power on his header to trouble Cillessen.

Both goalkeepers had had little to do in normal and extra time, but Romero did plenty thereafter to send the masses of Argentinians in Sao Paulo delirious.

Source: FIFA

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The FDA says it “has reliably been informed that the Manufacturing Plant of Exeter Corned Beef in Argentina has been shut down for some time now and that the product is now being manufactured in Brazil”.

The FDA, sounded the  alarm in a press statement signed by its Chief Executive Officer (CKO), Hudu Mogtari.

Despite this development, some persons are still importing Exeter Corned Beef indicating the country manufactured to be Argentina.

“The public is, therefore, being cautioned against the patronage of Exeter Corned Beef purported to be manufactured in Argentina since the FDA cannot guarantee its safety”.

The statement said, “Consumers of Exeter Corned Beef are advised to patronize only the ones from Brazil; which the FDA has approved currently”

The FDA further advises that report should be made to any FDA office nationwide or the police on any shop or persons found distributing or selling Exeter Corned Beef purported to be manufactured in Argentina.

Furthermore, the general public is being assured of FDA’s readiness to ensure public health and safety at all times and therefore appeals to the general public to give any information on persons suspected to be engaged in any practice which has the possibility of endangering public health and safety, through any of the following contacts: 0244337235, 0244337243, 0244337249, 0244563764 or 0244337251.

Source:Herald

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Veron came out of retirement last year to play another season in Argentina’s top flight, having already taken a role as a sporting director at the club where his father Juan Ramon was known as ‘La Bruja’ – ‘The Witch’ – for his spellbinding runs on the left wing in the 1960s.

Nicknamed ‘Brujita’ (Little Witch), captain Veron played every minute of his final game in Buenos Aires, battling in vain in defence as home side Tigre overhauled an undermanned Estudiantes, who were reduced to nine players after two were sent off with red cards.

With away fans banned all season in an effort to curb crowd violence, Veron was given a standing ovation by Tigre supporters as he came off the pitch.

“I was lucky to start at this club when I was five and I’m leaving at 39,” the shaven-headed, goatee-wearing Veron told reporters.

“There’s no reason to cry. If you gave everything, you don’t have anything to recriminate yourself for.”

A Serie A champion with Lazio in 2000, Veron’s big-money move to Manchester United the following year was later judged an expensive flop for the Premier League giants as he struggled to make an impact while battling injury.

He was also blamed by Argentine fans for the national team’s disappointing World Cup finals in 2002, where they crashed out at the group stage.

Following struggles at United, a stint at Chelsea was similarly ill-fated but he returned to Italy on loan to Inter Milan, where he was part of the squad that won domestic trophies in 2005-06.

After heading home to Estudiantes in 2006, Veron repaired his image with a majority of Argentina fans after a comeback for his country at the Copa America the following year, playing in a side boasting Juan Roman Riquelme and Lionel Messi that lost in the final to Brazil.

He led Estudiantes to a fourth Libertadores Cup title in 2009, carrying on from his father who was involved in the hat-trick of South American club championships from 1968-70.

Much more than a captain, Veron has become the club’s elder statesman, donating part of the fortune he amassed in Europe to improving facilities for their base in La Plata, the capital of Buenos Aires province. “In the near future I’ll see how I can carry things forward on a personal level, with a staff, to face another stage in my life as a director,” said Veron, who has dreamt of one day becoming Estudiantes president.

“There are no regrets. I just would have liked to play a Champions League final … (and) win something with the national team.”

A player who stood out for his busy, all-running style in central midfield, Veron reached the semi-finals of Europe’s elite club competition with Manchester United 12 years ago and played for Argentina at three World Cups. Having earned the respect of his peers and won over detractors, Veron will hope for similar success off the field if allowed to hold positions of power after hanging up his boots.

Source: Reuters

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