A close acquaintance of Ghanaian referee Daniel Nii Ayi Laryea has come forward to share personal insights about the official, who is currently at the centre of a storm following Nigeria's Africa Cup of Nations semi-final defeat to Morocco. The revelations come as the referee faces intense criticism from Nigerian football fans for his decisions during the crucial match.
Longstanding Friendship and Adukrom Memories
The man, identified as Shakur Issah Fabio, claims to have known Daniel Laryea since 2008. In a detailed Facebook post, Issah recounted their first meeting when Laryea visited the KSI area and stayed with relatives in a suburb called Adukrom.
According to Issah, their friendship blossomed at a local game centre located on Saint Paul's premises in Adukrom. This was during the era when PlayStation 2 was the latest and most popular television game console.
The Unbeatable Gamer
Issah painted a picture of a young Daniel Laryea who was exceptionally skilled at video games. He revealed that there were occasions when Laryea would visit the game centre but would not get the chance to play against anyone.
"At times, Daniel will come to this Game Center and may not get the opportunity to hold a game pad to face anyone because of how good he is in defeating boys by what we called 'lose and pay'," Issah stated in his post. He described this memory as a significant one from his time knowing "Danny."
Public Reaction and Broader Context
The personal story about the referee has generated significant reactions online. Comments on the post ranged from surprise to nostalgia, with some individuals recalling their own memories of him.
One commenter, Kwaku Boadi, added that Laryea is "a product of University of Education Winneba" and was a Physical Education student who was one year ahead of him in school.
This personal account emerges against the backdrop of severe online backlash against Laryea. Following Nigeria's AFCON 2025 semi-final loss to Morocco, many Nigerian fans and pundits questioned the referee's decisions, claiming they were incorrect and favoured the host nation. The controversy was so intense that Daniel Laryea deactivated his Instagram account to avoid the barrage of attacks.
Interestingly, even some Ghanaian commentators have weighed in on the officiating. One Ghanaian man strongly criticised Laryea's performance, pointing to a harsh yellow card shown to Nigerian defender Calvin Bassey while Moroccan players escaped bookings for similar offences. However, in a twist, the same commentator suggested that the referee should not bear the full blame for Nigeria's defeat, shifting criticism instead to the Super Eagles' performance during the penalty shootout.
The story, originally reported by Victor Duru, a Reuters-trained award-winning journalist, provides a humanising glimpse into the life of a figure currently embroiled in one of African football's biggest controversies.
