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Thursday, March 28, 2024

SLFA Prize-fights… Govt, Stakeholders, SLFA Machinate to cremate Football

HomeAYV NewsSLFA Prize-fights… Govt, Stakeholders, SLFA Machinate to cremate Football

SLFA Prize-fights… Govt, Stakeholders, SLFA Machinate to cremate Football

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Labelling me would mean you are yet to emancipate yourselves from the parochial and naivety that has caused the remains of the game to be cremated. Oh! Lest I forget, those of you who would want to ask the question: what does he know about football, should start by asking when did you start killing football?

Sierra Leone Football for far too long has been battling with leaders and officials who would demonstrate that strong sense of candour and selflessness to promoting the game. The country continues to provide people who want to wield the football sword, but do not have the proficiency to handle it. The current administration led by Isha Johansen has come under huge challenges of victimisation, abuse, bad propaganda and above all being challenged by it very self of incompetence. There is a clear line of dichotomy between knowing and doing. While the officials would want to argue that they know how to develop the game; you would want to ask: has the game been developed?

The myth is that Isha won the Presidency of the Association with the huge political support of the current APC. Isha Johansen has the administrative knowledge of running FC Johansen which is by different in nature from that of the SLFA. Isha failed! Should Isha continue to run the country’s football? NO! Local football is virtually dead in the country. But the failure of the Johansen led administration cannot be unconnected to the lack of support from the stakeholders and other officials who hold crucial roles, but sit on them because Isha is their enemy. Isha would want to point to few things as successes or achievements under her leadership, but where those successes or achievements have led to in terms of promoting the game.

The first plot to kill the game by the government was when it supported Isha Johansen to come to power amidst the intense fight with other qualified Sierra Leoneans who were in the same race, but were disqualified. Since then, the government has been very involving in the running of the game with successive ministers carrying themselves as if they are the elected SLFA representatives to run the game.

Now, just yesterday, the Minister of Sports Ahmed Khanou gave a 7day ultimatum to the SLFA to hold congress or face dethronement. Smh!!!Interesting eh? Yes, especially when that violates the provision of 30days notification. Yes, I know the congress should have been held.

Like Isha like Ahmed Khanou?

Why is Ahmed so keen on taking over the administration of the game when his policy assignment is nothing to write about? Is the Sports Council alive when its head is busy thinking about who should succeed him? Or maybe it’s as a result of the huge money involved in the game. Everybody is fighting for personal benefits. Salone na we yone oh! What an interesting country to belong to.

Stakeholders

34 out of 47 stakeholders dissolved the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) executive with a 10 points resolution of the ordinary congress that was held in Makeni in 2015.

And the saga continues…

 The battle between the two bodies, SLFA and its stakeholders has been there since Isha was elected. The Stakeholders have been on the protest until Isha leave power. 

But these stakeholders want to see football “grow”. Is that possible with what they have demonstrated all these years? Evidently, they have undermined the Isha led executive and contributed to its failure to succeed and make Sierra Leoneans proud of the game.

 These are the very people claiming they can transform the game. Now, they are rallying behind one of those who want to unseat Isha. Oh yes! May the soul of Unisa Alim Awoko Sesay continue to have perpetual rest. He was very vociferous and vibrant in challenging the SLFA on legal grounds. They have adopted new constitution.

Johansen’s four-year tenure officially ends on August 3, but due to a FIFA directive, SLFA cannot hold congress immediately in order to elect her successor.

Johansen on Thursday issued a lengthy statement reiterating these conditions while acknowledging the end of her term. But she didn’t say anything about the future of the executive after August 3.

But the Football Stakeholders, who opposed her for the past three years, said in a statement on Friday that Johansen should handover to a committee comprising heads of the four regional representatives in the SLFA executive. Shouldn’t these stakeholders and Isha take the backseat and allow the game run?

My next take will be looking at the person of Sanusi Bruski…Does he have the charisma and leadership criteria to be the President of the SLFA?

A question I will answer come next edition!!!

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