The family of Ghana’s former U-17 World Cup-winning defender Kofi Nimo is facing heartbreak and frustration after Ridge Hospital in Accra reportedly withheld his body due to outstanding medical bills.
Nimo, a key member of Ghana’s historic Black Starlets team that won the country’s first-ever FIFA U-17 World Cup in 1991, died on September 3, 2025, aged 51, after battling a prolonged illness.
His death has rekindled discussions about the welfare of retired African footballers who helped shape the continent’s sporting legacy but often struggle financially after their careers.
Family members say they have been unable to settle the hospital expenses accumulated during his admission, preventing them from collecting his remains for burial.
Nimo’s son revealed that he had reached out to several stakeholders in Ghanaian football, including officials of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and some retired players, but his efforts have yielded little response so far.
“I have reached out to some people within the GFA and former players, but I am yet to hear from them. I just want to give my father a decent burial,” he said in an interview quoted by ghpage.com.
The Professional Footballers Association of Ghana (PFAG) has reportedly offered the only form of assistance so far, donating cash to the family to help ease their burden.
Nimo is fondly remembered for his commanding presence in defence and his contribution to Ghana’s golden generation of youth footballers, who made history by winning the country’s first global football title in Italy more than three decades ago.
His family is now appealing to the Ghanaian public, football authorities, and well-meaning individuals across Africa to step forward and assist in settling the outstanding bills so that the late football hero can finally be laid to rest with the honour he deserves.
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