International sports

Meet Kofi Balmer, the Northern Ireland player named after Kofi Annan

Northern Ireland’s Kofi Balmer has an intriguing story behind his first name. Despite having no Ghanaian heritage, Balmer’s parents named him after the former United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan.

Interestingly, unlike Kofi Annan, who was born on a Friday (as per traditional Ghanaian naming customs), Balmer was born on a Tuesday—breaking the typical convention associated with the name.

The 24-year-old center-back has steadily climbed the ranks in his football career, starting at Ballymena before moving to Crystal Palace, where he featured for their U21 side.

He is now with Motherwell, having made 13 appearances in the 2024/25 Scottish Premiership. While he has yet to score a league goal, he has one goal to his name in the Scottish League Cup after three appearances.

After making four consecutive starts, Balmer was an unused substitute on Saturday, January 25, 2025, as Motherwell suffered a 2-1 defeat to relegation-threatened St. Johnstone.

Balmer’s performances have earned him opportunities on the international stage as well. He has represented Northern Ireland at both the senior and U21 levels, participating in the 2023 Euro U21 qualifiers and three friendlies with the senior national team between 2021 and 2022.

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Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Ogyem Solomon

Solomon Ogyem – Media Entrepreneur | Journalist | Brand Ambassador Solomon Ogyem is a dynamic Ghanaian journalist and media entrepreneur currently based in South Africa. With a solid foundation in journalism, Solomon is a graduate of the OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies in Ghana and Oxbridge Academy in South Africa. He began his career as a reporter at OTEC 102.9 MHz in Kumasi, where he honed his skills in news reporting, community storytelling, and radio broadcasting. His passion for storytelling and dedication to the media industry led him to establish Press MltiMedia Company in South Africa—a growing platform committed to authentic African narratives and multimedia journalism. Solomon is the founder and owner of Thepressradio.com, a news portal focused on delivering credible, timely, and engaging stories across Ghana and Africa. He also owns Press Global Tickets, a service-driven venture in the travel and logistics space, providing reliable ticketing services. He previously owned two notable websites—Ghanaweb.mobi and ShowbizAfrica.net—both of which contributed to entertainment and socio-political discussions within Ghana’s digital space. With a diverse background in media, digital journalism, and business, Solomon Ogyem is dedicated to telling impactful African stories, empowering youth through media, and building cross-continental media partnerships.

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