‘Girl’ who hoisted 2008 AFCON trophy narrates how she landed role

I accepted the AFCON hoisting role on the day of the closing ceremony – Mimi Boateng

Cameroon beat Ghana in AFCON 2008 semi-finals

Fourteen years on, Mimi Boateng, the girl who hoisted the AFCON trophy during the 2008 African Cup of Nations closing ceremony in Ghana has narrated how she got the role.

According to Mimi, her dad, Edward Boateng, Global Media Alliance owner who was a member of the organizing committee chose her to rekindle the spirit of Ghanaians after the Black Stars had lost to Cameroon in the semi-finals.

“When Ghana lost in the semi-finals, I was very disappointed. My father was involved in the closing ceremony, so he came one day and said we’re going to do something to make Ghanaian happy and to lift spirits,” she told Pulse.com.gh in an interview.

She revealed that she got to know the specific thing her dad was talking about a week before the ceremony.

“It was only about a week to the closing ceremony that they needed somebody [for the role] and they thought I could be a good fit for the job,” she noted.”

She continued that the role was explained to her on the day of the event and she accepted.

“I didn’t even know what exactly he meant, but when I went to the stadium, they explained everything to me and I agreed to be part of the closing ceremony.”

Mimi, who was 8-year-old back then has grown gorgeously and is now studying at University College London for a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering.