Ghana

From hawking toffees to Tagoe's Kitchen: Meet the chief chef at Accra Sports Stadium

Thursday, July 15, 2021 at 12:52 PM by Nathaniel Crabbe

Nii Akramah Tagoe is the manager and chief chef at Accra Sports Stadium
He runs a catering service under the label Tagoe's Kitchen
The 48-year-old's inspirational grass to glory story has been highlighted on social media

Our manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in

Nii Akramah Tagoe is the definition of a fighter and resilience. From hawking to running a local kitchen, his grass to glory story is one that inspires.

He hawked toffees, biscuits, and bagged water at an early age through the stands of the Accra Sports Stadium to earn a living in the 1980s.

Tagoe triumphed through the challenges and turned the lemons life offered him into lemonade.

From hawking toffees to Tagoe's Kitchen: Meet the chief chef at Accra Sports Stadium. Image: crabbimedia
Source: Facebook

According to a post by John Vigar, Nii Akramah Tagoe now runs his catering service under the label Tagoe's Kitchen at the Accra Sports Stadium.

''It was a difficult journey for the then-teenager who normally came to the stadium as early as 11:am on match days, sometimes much earlier when the occasion involves sworn rivals Accra Hearts of Oak and Kumasi Asante Kotoko, and leaves after 6.pm,'' his post read.

Read also

Wonder Jodocus: Meet the Ghanaian nurse with a degree working as okada rider

Tagoe's underprivileged background meant that he had to learn to become an entrepreneur at a young age.

"The situation at home was quite tough and uncompromising and had to do this to support my parents with regard to my education," he recalled.

Despite the insults football fans rained on him occasionally for blocking their views during matches, he braved the situation at the time because he understood it was part of the game.

After years of hard work, dedication, and commitment to his routine, he was able to raise enough capital to open up a catering service at the Accra Stadium in 2008, serving both local and continental dishes.

Before then, Nii Tagoe gained admission to Accra Polytechnic (ATU), present-day Accra Technical University to pursue a Diploma in Business Studies (DBS) and completed in 2006.

His major breakthrough was in 2008 when Ghana hosted the African Cup of Nations.

Having established a comely level of camaraderie with a lengthy stream of footballers and other sportsmen and women since his hawking days in the 80s and 90s, Tagoe's Kitchen became the place of 'redemption' when his catering business gathered steam.