Monrovia — As the April 18 date for the Liberia Football Association (LFA) elections draws closer, stakeholders will be pondering as to who will be elected to steer the affairs of the LFA for the next four years. It will be up to the eligible voters, mainly club presidents in the First and Second Division and affiliates of the LFA to take such a decision.
While the various candidates will be juxtaposed, looked at critically with track records, attitude and a host of other major issues meticulously analyzed, it’s expected to be anher historic electuons.
Already, incumbent president Mustapha Raji has the nod as he is unopposed which is quite picturesque of his good work in leading the campaign in transforming the country’s football after a dreadful and unaccountable leadership under business man cum politician Musa Hassan Bility.
Now that it is an undeniable fact that the game here has reached an appeasing level, better than it was in the previous administration, one key administrator in the current administration of the LFA that helped immensely in transforming the LFA is incumbent Vice President for Administration (VPA) Sekou Ayatola Konneh who is seeking re-election. Vastly experienced with decades of promoting and developing Liberian football in various roles and as VPA of the LFA in the last four years, he worked with distinction, proved to be a useful assistant to the president Raji as he joined the rest of the Executive Committee ( EC) members in pushing the agenda of transparency in transforming Liberian football.
with the famous quote in the corridors of football “football money must be used for football”. It is glaring that such is been experienced under the current LFA
The erudite administrator is someone whose work for so many years continues to woo many admirers as Liberia football has made tremendous strides so far.
Financial transparency is visible with FIFA since lifting the financial sanctions imposed on the previous leadership. The league is more attractive now than it was in previous administration, women’s football is experiencing transformation, regular training for coaches, referees, medics and others are there for all to see. This does not negate the fact that there are not challenges with the distance covered is less than the distance uncovered, but in truth, the current state of football umder this current administration is better than the previous administration.
Indeed, Mr. Konneh is the best bet for the VPA post and is poised to retain the position as the project of continuity must go on.
The highly respected administrator has maintained a cordial working relationship with Mr. Raji and co. and is an asset to the LFA who must continue in the drive to take Liberian football to the next level. A clam, amicable, hardworking professional who is not the undermining type of administrator and is a proponent of transparency.
It can be recalled that on March 7, 2021 during the official opening of the refurbished TUSA field as a result of a FIFA forward 2 0, Chief Patron of sports; president George Manneh Weah, after heaping praises on Mustapha Raji and Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, G.Andy Quamie, said this about Mr. Konneh ” “Men like Ayatola (Sekou Konneh), are roaming the streets of Monrovia everyday looking for talents” amidst applauds.
This was an endorsement by president Weah of Mr. Konneh whose works over the years deserve all the plaudits
Former Executive Committee member Rochell Woodson who was highly critical of Mustapha Raji as president of the LFA for the last four years noting she was coming to beat Mr. Raji as president in the soon to be held elections, has surprisingly somersaulted to register to contest for the position of VPA which is somewhat a plus to Mr. Raji and has been termed by many stakeholders as an endorsement and despite all her criticism, she has now decided to be an assistant to the man she vilified for the last four years, something so strange many lenders averted
President Raji worked with a TEAM in catapulting Liberian football to another level with VPA Sekou Konneh, the most experienced of administrators playing a pivotal role.
Thus, stakeholders must once more elect Ayatola for another four years with another attribute of the veteran administrator been unity and he has never been accused of tribalism in football, segregation and those vices that are inimical to the growth and development of the game, an ugly act others are shamefully engaged in.
Finally, Sekou Ayatola Konneh, the incumbent VPA of the LFA must continue contributing to the growth of the game in his current role and is best suited for the position for another four years