Ghana
Late Ghanaian player Christian Astu Twasam was celebrated by his family, friends, people from the sports fraternity and authority.
On Saturday (Mar. 4), they gathered in Accra for the one-week observation, a traditional remembrance ceremony.
Those who couldn't attend paid tribute to the player from abroad.
That day marked two weeks after news broke of the footballer demise in Turkey.
Ghana's Youth and Sports minister confirmed the state funeral.
"The funeral itself is going to be a state funeral, government is going to take over every cost because of the contribution of Christian Atsu to the development of Ghana football and at the same time with the way and manner Christian Atsu passed on is something that is devastating to everyone and this is the only time that we all come together as a country to give our brother and son a befitting burial," minister Mustapha Hamid said.
The Twasam family has also set March 17th as the date for the final funeral rites and burial.
Black Stars fans remembered the 31-year-old contribution to the national team.
"I remember him in 2015 African Cup of Nations in Gabon. In that tournament, Atsu won the best player of the tournament and he was so instrumental," Abraham Nkansah, the president of Die Hard Supporters Union (Supporters of the Black Stars), said.
Atsu’s youth club Cheetah FC attended the ceremony. He died in an earthquake that rocked Turkey and Syria on February 6th. Atsu's body was repatriated on February 19.
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