Number 12 exposé: My daughter asked me, “Daddy, is it true you are a thief?” – Kwesi Nyantakyi

By Adwoa Nyarko Asiamah | 7 January 2025

Former President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kwesi Nyantakyi, has opened up about the personal toll the Number 12 exposé took on his family, revealing that his then nine-year-old daughter once questioned his integrity after hearing allegations against him on the radio.

Speaking in an interview on Joy News on Tuesday, January 6, Mr Nyantakyi described the period following the release of the investigative documentary as one of the darkest moments of his life. He said the intense public scrutiny and widespread judgment affected not only him but also those closest to him.

According to Mr Nyantakyi, he never watched the documentary himself, but the reaction from the public was enough to leave him feeling isolated, as many friends, associates, and colleagues were quick to believe the allegations.

“It felt like the whole society ganged up against you — your friends, family, and others. Unfortunately, people believed it,” he said.

He noted that although many people distanced themselves from him during that period, a small number of loyal friends remained supportive and helped him navigate what he described as a time of deep emotional turmoil.

Mr Nyantakyi said the most painful experience came from his daughter, who was then a student at the Ghana International School. He recalled how she asked him whether it was true that he was a thief.

He explained that his daughter told him she had heard the allegations on the radio, possibly while being driven to school. Despite the emotional weight of the moment, he said he had to calmly reassure her that the claims were not true.

“Now imagine such a damaging question coming from your own daughter. The damage is irreparable,” he added.

Despite the profound personal impact of the exposé, Mr Nyantakyi said he harbours no resentment towards investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas, who produced the documentary.

“I don’t have anything against him,” he stated.

The Number 12 exposé, released in 2018, alleged widespread corruption in Ghanaian football and ultimately led to Mr Nyantakyi’s resignation from his positions at the GFA, the Confederation of African Football (CAF), and FIFA.