Joe Lartey

For a considerable length of time, Joe Lartey along with his frequent commentator Harry Thompson, dominated the airwaves when covering national events for the state broadcaster GBC (Ghana Broadcasting Corporation). And while Lartey excels at commenting on most political and social functions, football is arguably his forte. In the days before private media outlets sprang up across Ghana, Lartey and his colleagues enjoyed the exclusivity they valued with some good work. The phrase 'Over to you, Joe Lartey', coined by Thompson and mentioned on the airwaves whenever Lartey is scheduled by a partner to take on microphone duties from his partner during play has become lingo of Ghanaian. Lartey was very knowledgeable and, through his eloquence, became the first president of the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG), an organization of which he is now a patron. Even in retirement, Lartey continues to inspire a whole generation of commentators who have listened to and admired him, possibly including the next on this list.

Born: 1927
Place of birth: Ghana