Marie-Claire Rupio Atsu, wife of Christian Atsu has paid tribute to her late husband at his pre-burial service at the forecourt of the State House.
The tribute was read by the late footballer’s sister, Christiana Atsupie Twasam as Mrs. Atsu could not control her tears when she climbed the podium.
“Lying before me today is the mortal remains of a beloved father and husband. I knew little that morning that God is going to call you home. In life, I love you dearly. In death I do the same. It breaks my heart to lose you. You did not go alone. For part of me went with you.”
“Your love is still my guide, and though I cannot see you. You are always on my side. You were always so full of life. You seemed to be immortal. Your smile, your love, I see you in our children’s smile. You are never really gone as part of you is within them. You are loved beyond words and missed beyond measure. But as you always say, God win. In Love, your wife.”
The footballer died in a devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake that hit parts of Turkey and Syria on February 6, 2023.
Atsu’s lifeless body was retrieved from the wreckage in Turkey after an 11-storey building collapsed on him and others.
His body was brought to Ghana on Sunday, February 19, 2023, from Turkey.
Since then, government representatives, members of the football community, colleagues, supporters, and Ghanaians, in general, have been offering their condolences to the bereaved family as tributes to the hero continue to pour in.
Some former Black Stars players visited the family house of late Christian Atsu to sign the book of condolence opened in memory of the late footballer.
Asamoah Gyan, Sulley Muntari, Agyeman Badu and Haminu Dramani were all present at the family house of Atsu in the early hours of Tuesday, February 21, 2023.
Christian Atsu Twasam (10 January 1992- 6 February 2023) was a Ghanaian professional footballer who primarily played as a winger, although he was also deployed as an attacking midfielder or left back.
Atsu began his career with Porto, also spending a season on loan at Rio Ave. In 2013, he was signed by Chelsea for £3.5 million, who subsequently loaned him to Vitesse Arnhem, Everton, AFC Bournemouth and Málaga.
After spending the 2016–17 season on loan at Newcastle United, he completed a permanent transfer to the club in May 2017.
Following the end of his four-year contract, he played for Al Raed in Saudi Arabia and Hatayspor in Turkey, where he died in the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquake at age 31.
A full international with 65 caps from 2012 to 2019, Atsu represented Ghana at the 2014 FIFA World Cup and four Africa Cup of Nations tournaments.
He helped the team finish as runners-up at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, in which he also won Player of the Tournament and Goal of the Tournament.
