THE MOTHER OF FOOTBALL STARS

By Aba Lokko

Following a remarkable sixth form education, she broke the jinx and became the first in her family to enter the University to pursue a degree program. But today, Maha Pele is so far removed from the law degree she went to the University of Ghana to pursue as a young woman. This is because she abandoned it to follow the love of her life – football legend, Abedi Ayew Pele.

Relaxing in a serene environment, birds chirping in her well manicured garden, a fluffy cat coiled cozily in a warm sofa, trophies won on football on display, assorted cars arranged in the car park and domestic staff everywhere, Maha Pele sways smoothly in a short elegant dress that befits her status as wife to a football maestro and mother of three up and coming football stars – Rahim, Dede and Jordan. She also has a lovely daughter, called Imani.
Contrary to gossip that despite pleas from her parents and friends she dropped out of school, Maha Pele emphasized there was no pressure from her parents to go to school or to get a degree. She had a choice and school was not forced on her.

“I did not just drop out of school,” Maha Pele explained. “Before I entered university we were already dating. I got married, went to England and took a six-month course in physiotherapy just in case…Now all that intelligence has melted into family life.”

She says she does not pester her children to get a degree, “since there are other professions.” But she does insist they learn the basics to read and write or get a school certificate at the least.

Although Mrs. Pele insists she is fulfilled and has no regrets she admits that the road to success and fame has not been easy. It has come with hard work, determination and perseverance.

Interestingly, Mrs. Pele countenances her husband’s accomplishment and fame in football together with her children’s success as a normal fact of life, only she counts herself lucky to share in this glory.

“I thank God the children are succeeding in their chosen profession,” she said, adding that the family has always lived in the football environment, and the fame associated with it. “Their father and their uncles have always played football and so the children’s success is considered just another competition and another trophy to be won. Football has always been in the family.”

She claims she has been lucky because her boys are affable, even though as children they have their crazy moments.

“These children gave me a rough time with school, making me a frequent guest of school authorities; I used to cry over them,” she said. She recalled often being summoned by the French School just down the road from where she lives about her children’s school work. “The teachers would complain, these children don’t like learning,” Mrs. Pele said.

On one such occasion at the school, she was so upset about what a teacher had said about one of her children. And then she met this European teacher in the school who told her, “madam don’t be so upset, you should be happy that at 13 years, your son Dede knows what he wants to do. He wants to play football. I am 35 years and have still not figured out what I want to do with my life.”
That struck a chord and caused her to refocus her energy on encouraging the “boys.”

She says football professionals retire early, and as such the “boys” can pursue whatever they want to do later but she does not see law in the scheme of things.

Maha describes her 21-year-old stepson Rahim, as exuberant and jovial. “I raised him, he’s been with me ever since; he is my son, “she said. Rahim, the oldest of Abedi Pele’s three sons started his football career in his father’s football team, FC Nania. He was then loaned to Sekondi Eleven Wise and finally transferred to FC Zamalek in Egypt, until he was invited to play for the Blacks Stars. Mrs. Pele said it was strategic to move him from his father’s Club to Eleven Wise, because football is business.
Dede Ayew, Maha Pele’s first son, confident, loud and assertive as described by his mother, was born in Lille, France, when his father was playing professional football at OSC Lille. He has dual French-Ghanaian nationality. The teenage prodigy has long been touted as one of the best youngsters in France and actually received four call-ups into the French National Youth team, but was prevented from joining them because of minor injuries. He began his career in 2003 under the tutelage of his father at Nania F.C.
“As for Dede, he has always played football in this garden since he was young with over 20 other kids who have turned into professional footballers,” Mrs. Pele said proudly. “His dream has always been to play for the Blacks Stars and to emulate his father.”
The Ayews did not force their children into football. “The whole environment is football; they eat, breathe and sleep football. Their uncles and father play football so I guess it’s in the genes and their father’s football club FC Nania served as the training grounds for the “boys,” Mrs. Pele said.

The youngest of the sons is Jordan, 18 years old, described by his mother as “a very quiet and reserved person always reading his books and listening to music.” Jordon plays in the Marseille youth side with his older brother, Dede, who is 20 years old. Their mother believes it is good they are together in Marseille because they support each other in the absence of the whole family. Jordan is 18 years and a striker. It is rumored in football circles that he is the most talented amongst the three siblings but his mother refuses to compare her sons. “He is good at the position he plays’, we are waiting for his time,” She says. Jordon has not yet decided which country to play for – Ghana or France but when he decides, his mother says the family will support him, just as Dede, who plays for Ghana, was supported.

Dede and Jordon were sent to the Marseille youth academy when they were barely 14 years, it broke their mothers’ heart even though they came home during their break for three days, during Easter and Christmas.

“It’s difficult to send your children away when they are so young to an academy outside the country, when they have a well balanced life at home.” She said, “As a mother, it is not easy, a lot of mothers will not agree. However, their father believed it will make them strong and will get the results. It indeed has gotten the results,”
She spends most of her time in Ghana but she communicates with her children constantly on the phone. She said she has a close knit family and her brothers and sister constantly check on the children in France.

“On the field of play, their father psyches the boys up to handle the pressure. Abedi insists the children do not live in his shadow. Though there are people who believe Dede and Rahim get to play in the national team because they are Abedi Pele’s children, Ridwan Ibrahim Asante, a childhood friend and a sports journalist holds a contrary view. Ridwan says Dede and Rahim justified their inclusion in the Black Stars team during the Orange African Cup of Nations championship in Angola by dint of hard work at their clubs level.

“It’s rather the father who is lucky to have three sons who can play football very well. In football you can get a son and not sons to toe a father’s profession.”

In Cote D’Ivoire Rahim impressed Coach Milovan Rajevac during the African Nations Championship (CHAN). And in Egypt during the FIFA World U-21 championship where Dede captained the team and exhibited exemplary leadership to win the trophy. Their mother was present to watch them.
‘Maha is like a sister to the “boys’, she speaks Pidgin English at home with them,” said Ridwan.

Once the President of Olympic Marseille told Ridwan that Maha was a sweet lady, dedicated and supported her kids and understood the game of football

She is proud of her family’s success, especially her husband’s accomplishments. “Looking at his upbringing, where he’s come from and what he has been able to accomplish, it’s a miracle, it’s like a fairy tale,” Mrs. Pele says. “But, this success has come through hard work, sheer determination and putting in the hours.”

Maha and Abedi Pele share a common interest in the beautiful game called football. “He cannot do any other business, all he knows is football.” Maha says her love for football was way before she met her husband. The couple met in Maha’s parent’s house in 1984. Abedi had gone to visit Maha’s parents with a mutual friend whom he was living with. She was about 16 years. They talked, stayed in touch and started dating thereafter. When she was in the sixth form at St Roses Secondary school in Akwatia, Abedi was a regular feature. He would go during visiting hours.
“It was quite a mess sometimes at St Roses with the Roman Sisters,” She recalled.

Maha believes her only daughter Imani, 11 years, is very artistic and athletic also but she does not love football. Her mother attributes Imani’s lack of interest in football to the age difference between her and her siblings.
“When her brothers are playing, she cannot be bothered; she does not understand the fuss and the
noise,” Mrs. Pele said.

Maha’s interest in football does not end with watching the game. She is actually involved in her husband’s football team and is a director and shareholder of FC Nania Football Club. She is in charge of the administration duties of the Club. She was handed an indefinite ban from any football activity in Ghana by the Ghana Football Association (GFA) Congress. But, she denies the claim that she was ever banned.

“You see when you give birth to a baby and someone takes away the baby from you, you resist and fight until you get your baby back. I set up the team so I fought,” she explained.

She explained that there was suspicion of match fixing because FC Nania scored too many goals. We challenged the GFA in court and won. However, the team was banned for one season. She said she and her husband kept the team together until the ban was lifted. She also said though the team is 10 years they will celebrate when the team is 20 years.