Christian Atsu Ghana football ace has been laid to rest in Ghana today, March 17, after he was killed in the horrific Turkey earthquake.
Thousands of people including Ghana’s president, Nana Akufo-Addo and Atsu’s devastated teammates filled past the coffin to pay their last respects to the deceased footballer who died in last month’s earthquake in Turkey.
Steven Appiah, Emmanuel Agyemang Badu, John Mensah, John Painstil, Samuel Osei Kuffuor, Sulley Ali Muntari, Yaw Preko, Mubarak Wakaso, Richard ‘Olele’ Kingston, Augustine Arhinful and many other Ghanaian stars were present
The 31-year-old former Newcastle and Chelsea winger was found dead almost two weeks after a devastating 7.8 magnitude quake struck his apartment in Antakya last month.
Atsu’s body returned to Ghana to a guard of honor the day after he was found dead in the earthquake’s rubble on February 18.
Ghanaian Soldiers carried his coffin – draped in Ghana’s national flag – past a crowd of mourners on the tarmac.
More than 50,000 were killed in Turkey and Syria after devastating two earthquakes hit within the space of a day.
Atsu’s funeral was held outside State House in Ghana’s capital, Accra.
The footballer’s wife Marie-Claire Rupio was overwhelmed with tears when giving her emotional speech and later handed her speech to Atsu’s sister to finish for her.
Marie-Claire Rupio, in her tearful tribute, said: “In life, I love you, darling, in death I’ll do the same.”
Her remaining written speech read by Atsu’s sister read: “You did not go alone, for part of me went with you,” it continued. “Your smile, your love I see in our children’s smiles.”
Representatives of Ghana’s national team and Atsu’s Turkish club Hatayspor were also at the ceremony.
A memorial service was later held at the Forecourt of the State House for the deceased and he is due to be buried in his hometown.
The dad of three will be buried later in his home village, Dogobome in south-eastern Ghana.
The former Premier League star played 65 times for Ghana’s national team and helped his country reach the final of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations where he was awarded goal and player of the tournament.
Many Ghanaians have said good about the footballer, admitting that Christian Atsu will be remembered for his love for humanity, and for supporting the underprivileged in Ghana.
The deceased Ghanaian footballer Christian Atsu had been due to fly out of Turkey hours before the earthquake struck at 4 am local time on February 6.
But he decided to stay with his Hatayspor teammates after scoring the stunning winner in Super Lig match the previous day.
We at futball news join many others to pray that God gives his wife Marie-Claire Rupio, the three children he left behind, and his entire family the fortitude to bear the irreplaceable loss, and may his soul continues to rest in peace.
