Baba Yara

Asante Kotoko

He was a former player of Kumasi Asante Kotoko in Ghana. He was signed by Asante Kotoko in 1955. Three month later in March 1955, he made his debut in a match against Dunkwa Town IX. The final score was 3–3 and Yara had managed to score all three of Asante Kotoko's goals. His third match was against the Hearts of Oak of Accra, one of the best teams across Ghana. It was during this match that for the first time, Yara played right-winger adorning the number 7 shirt. The end result was 0–0, but his game was still excellent, meaning that Asante Kotoko would go on a long run of great performances against their arch-rivals Hearts of Oak. For two years running, Baba Yara was handed the then unofficial, Ghana Player of the Year award, in 1959 and in 1960.

Real Republicans

In the early 1960s, President Nkrumah asked the powerful Ghanaian sports chief, Ohene Djan, to build a team with some of the best players from all clubs in the country, to help the senior national team dominate African football. As predicted, the Real Republicans proved to be a practically unbeatable team, also reaping successes at the continental level. During this time, Yara would team-up with one of the greatest African goalscorers of all-time, in Edward Acquah. Both would link-up well during most games and Yara was the main man supplying Acquah with the majority of his goals. However, it was while playing for the Republicans, that a car accident suddenly ended the supreme rise…

Baba Yara was originally named Osman Seidu Maada, after his father, Seidu Maada, and his uncle, who was named Osman. However, due to him having the same name as his father, his mother called him "Baba", meaning father. One day, upon striking the ball hard against a wall, behind which his mother sat, she exclaimed, “Ei, Baba Yara!”, therefore, his nickname stuck with him forever. He started his career as a horse jockey player as a youngster at the Accra Turf Club from 1950 to 1955.

Footballer of the Year Distinguished Member of the Black Star Group: 1961