By Chernor Alimamy Kamara
The Women’s Premier League Board (WPLB) has handed over the golden league Champions trophy to Mogbwemo Queens from Rutile area, the winners of the first ever Women’s League held in Sierra Leone.
The handing over took place at an Awards ceremony at the City Hall, Freetown last Friday, to mark the close of the Sierra Leone Women’s Premier League 2022/2023 season.
The event started with the distribution of certificates of participation to the twelve teams in the competition namely: Mogbwemo Queens, Runners-up Kahunla Queens from Kenema, Albitaya Queens from Kabala, FC Kallon from Freetown, Koya Queens from mile 38, Malema Queens from Kailahun, Mena Queens from Makeni, Patricia Umu from Kambia, Ram K from Bo, Sierra Leone Correctional Service Sports Club from Freetown, S/L Police Sports Club from Freetown and Victory Evangelistic Ministry (VEM) from Lungi.
Individual players and coaches were awarded for their on-field contributions.
The best player award was dedicated to 19 year- old Adama Kargbo of FC Kallon,whilst the competition’s best Coach was Duramani Janneh of Mogbwemo Queens.
Highest goal scorer award went to Kumba Brima from Kahunla Queens who netted 26 goals in the competition whilst clinching the best goalkeeper award was Hannah Juana of Mogbwemo Queens.
Also Adama Jalloh of Kahunla Queens was recognized as the player with the most assists in the competition and was therefore given the play maker award after a total of 21 assists. The fair play award was reserved for Albitaya Queens.
After presenting the awards, the Deputy Executive Director of the National Sports Authority (NSA), Abdulrahman Swarray (PHD) commended the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) for what he said was a laudable venture that saw the completion of the Women’s Premiere League (WPL) in the country.
He added that football has taken a different dimension in the country and it is their duty at NSA to ensure that they support sport in every corner.
Dr. Swarray went on to say that FIFA officials are concerned about the management of female football in any country and that NSA has been supporting the senior female footballers with 200 dollars per player after taking part in an international competition.
He said it was challenging for the previous SLFA executive to organize the female league which the current one has done, and therefore commended the Chairperson of the WPLB, Asmaa James for what he said was a job well done. He ended by congratulating the winners of the first maiden WPL.
Minister of Sports, Ibrahim Nyelenkeh stated that it was a privilege for him to celebrate with the girls as it has never happened in the history of the country for a female league to end successfully, and praised the progress made in the sporting sector.
He reiterated the statement he made at the commencement of the league in Makeni that female players are not to be abused and that sport has the power to bring everyone together.
Minister Nyelenkeh pointed out that the government has an agenda to capacitate the youth of the country through sporting engagements and urged the SLFA to keep the current WPLB going.
President of SLFA, Thomas Daddy Brima noted that the WPLB shows that the association did not make a mistake in selecting them. He said the WPLB has placed Sierra Leon women football in the limelight and assured of their continued backing for the board to succeed.
The Guest of Honour, Vice President Dr.Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh emphasized government’s commitment to support not just sports, but also women’s empowerment in the country. He said African women are now playing competitive football in Europe’s top leagues and hoped that the female footballers of Sierra Leone will receive similar opportunities at the elite level.
Player of the year, Adama Kagbgo of FC Kallon told Politico she’s happy for the achievement and spoke of how she admires Fatmata Kamara a female player for FC Mahmoud and Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo, both of whom she said inspired her at a very tender age.
She said football has taken a different turn in the world and that women have a lot to offer in the game and therefore encouraged them to play football. She hoped that through hard work and further training, she could see herself playing at international level in the near future.
Copyright © 2023 Politico (05/05/23)
