Brazil 2014: I wish I had been proven wrong as a prophet – Ebo Whyte

Renowned playwright, James Ebo Whyte is not amused about key lessons in his ‘Games Men Play’ production coming to reality at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

Ghana’s participation in this year’s World Cup was rocked with series of controversies including a match fixing scandal, a player revolt due to unpaid appearance fee, and the subsequent suspension of Sulley Muntari and Kevin Prince-Boateng from camp.

Ebo Whyte’s last production, ‘Games Men Play’ which was staged in May 2014 at the National Theatre captured scenes from the senior national team, the Black Stars’ hotel in Brazil.

Series of interesting tales unraveled when the coach was caught in an undesired, but not too strange a web of an arrogant ‘Best’ player – who was ‘suspended’, offers from a match fixer, interference from the football federation and government, and a sex scandal.

Many have said the play, unfortunately, was a prophecy of what was ahead of the Black Stars in this year’s tournament.

Speaking on the development in an interview with Myjoyonline.com Monday, Ebo Whyte lamented that “I wish I had been proven wrong as a prophet”.

According to him, “If I am a prophet, and if ‘Games Men Play’ was a prophecy then this is one prophecy I was wishing that it will be proved to be wrong because Ghana deserves better and Ghana has what it takes to do better.”

The renowned playwright and host of ‘Food For Thought’ on Joy FM wondered why Ghanaians continuously create the environment for these misfortunes to bear fruits.

“The question then is why do we shortchange ourselves continually like this and I believe that the blame should be put exactly where [it is supposed to be put] we need to get to the facts not the emotional thing where” we blame some people especially the players christening them as “greedy [people] asking for too much money… why did it even come to the point….where they had to threaten,” he noted.

Asked whether the play was inspired by a vision, Ebo Whyte replied, ‘Games Men Play’ was borne out of consistent mistakes the country makes at such tournaments.

“I did not receive any vision just that I’m a Ghanaian, I have the benefit of history of knowing some of the things that have gone on in the previous tournaments. I have followed soccer very closely because I used to be a player myself.

“It’s just a question of looking at what we have done to ourselves and trying to tell a story around it but hoping that again that I would be proved wrong. I am not a happy man that some of these things were repeated,” he said.

Ebo Whyte revealed that he was heartbroken and totally shattered by the unfortunate development.

“I’m disappointed with the performance on the field because I think we could do better, what breaks my heart is what happened off the pitch because those things were so avoidable and yet for some reason they’ve happened and they’ve happened before.”

He warned that “if we don’t find the right solution, ask the right questions and get the right answers, unfortunately,” these mistakes will be repeated again.

source:

myjoyonline.com