• Mohammed Kudus (left)receiving a citation from the Mr. Ben Abadallah Banda

Black Star mid-fielder, Moham­med Kudus, was recently hon­oured with a mural for his stellar performance at the just ended 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

The exquisite painting by contem­porary artist, Moh Awudu, located around the Kanda Highway in Accra, is to inspire the youth at Nima and its environs where the player grew up.

The artist whose works have re­ceived international acclaim, stated that the art work was to remind the youngsters in the community that they could achieve whatever dream they put their minds to.

“Negative narratives come to the minds of many, whenever Nima is mentioned. Therefore, this mural is to encourage the youth to persevere despite the stereotypes they face daily,” he said.

The painting which went viral on November 30, 2022 was well received by the Ajax midfielder as he took to his social media platform to appreci­ate the efforts of the artist.

Mohammed Kudus who was in Gha­na for the Christmas period, attended the unveiling ceremony with his en­tourage who were hailed by members of the community.

The dexterous player who scored Ghana’s winning-goal in the game against South Korea at the tourna­ment, described the mural as a mo­tivation for his career adding that he was proud to be idolised by the youth of Nima.

“Mostly, people are celebrated after their completion of their career but I am just starting now and having this sort of recognition, comes as a big motivation for me to keep going,” he noted.

The Nima Mentorship Centre proj­ect which has an ICT centre, art stu­dio, library, gymnasium, skill training auditorium and other facilities, was also launched to empower the youth.

Some dignitaries present were, Ben Abadallah Banda, Minister for Zongos and Inner Cities Development; Mo­hammed Polo, Veteran Footballer, and other football enthusiasts.

By Yunusah Essandoh