By Abubakarr Bah, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Sierra Leoneans both home and abroad were in a jubilant mood after the country's national team, Leone Stars, thrashed the Squirrels of Benin by a goal to nil at the Lansana Conteh Stadium in Conakry, Guinea on Tuesday evening to qualify for the AFCON tournament for the first time in 25 years.
Striker Kei Kamara, who had always wished to play for his country at the Nations Cup, scored the first-half penalty in the 19th minute to secure a place for Sierra Leone at the AFCON tournament since 1996.
In Sierra Leone, especially the capital Freetown, hundreds of young supporters across the political divide jubilantly crowded the main streets of the city celebrating the victory. Around the Central Business District (CBD) areas of Siaka Stevens Street, Rawdon Street, Fort Street and Pademba Road, hundreds of youths marched to State House, waving the country's striking Green-White-Blue emblem, chanting embellished songs of adoration: "Salone don win oh, Maada Bio, Maada Bio Aaaaa" in demonstration of their happiness toward President Bio's role in the victory. "Sierra Leone has won" and they were grateful to President Bio for being a motivational and developmental-oriented leader of the country.
Despite the closure of State House gates, the youths stood outside demanding the esteemed presence of the President with a view to thanking him. In the middle of their plea, President Bio emerged from his office’s balcony dressed in a white long-sleeve shirt, waving and smiling to the jubilant fans outside State House premises. As he left State House with his convoy for the Presidential Lodge, droves of youth ran into his motorcade, celebrating Leone Stars' victory and chanting: "President Bio tenki papa" meaning thank you, President Bio.
The jubilation was spontaneous because the country's hope of winning the match was dissipated when 6 of Leone Stars players, including the goalkeeper, were tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday. The match was postponed following "a no play" protest from Sierra Leone. A retest was later conducted in which only the goalkeeper came out negative. Five players were barred from playing, after failing the COVID-19 test.
Immediately after the Leone Stars victory, Sierra Leonean Sports analyst, Allie Sonta Kamara, described the victory, in a social media piece, as a never-to-be-forgotten game.
"Today and in the months to come, Sierra Leone will celebrate its new football history. The New Direction administration will rightfully take credit for clearing the country's path to enter the Nations Cup race after many repeated attempts of coming close and not succeeding. Today and the months to come, Sierra Leone will redefine its innate spirit to consolidate a future that has always been there."
As a Sports analyst, Sonta Kamara is absolutely right that His Excellency President Bio will take the credit because he has been following football history, over the years, with a keen knowledge of how the country's national team has been stalled, due to lack of support and motivation from past governments in more than two decades.
For young Sierra Leonean readers, particularly those between the ages 20 and below or for those that have suddenly forgotten, let me state that it was in 1996 during the reign of the NPRC regime of which the current President, His Excellency Brigadier (retired) Dr Julius Maada Bio, was the rock of the country's national team, Leone Stars won Zone II and qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). As Vice Head of State then, the football-loving military strongman, Brigadier General Bio was accustomed to visiting the players on the pitch to inspire them before any football encounter and the players excelled not only because of their skills but also because of the motivation they had from the country's young military leaders.
Unfortunately, after the military era of Captain Valentine Strasser, Brigadier General Bio ended in 1996, our darling Leone Stars who were Champions of the regional Zone II tournament neither qualified for Zone II nor the AFCON tournament. Oh yes, between 1997 and 2017, the country's national team was completely stalled in the international arena. The main factors of this were lack of strong motivation from the country's leaders, leadership struggle in the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA), and corruption.
When he was elected President of the Republic of Sierra Leone in 2018, His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio promised to restore Sierra Leone's football glory that faded away after the NPRC days. Thankfully, in just 3 years in office, Leone Stars are now in the AFCON tournament, which is scheduled to take place in Cameroon in 2022. It is safe to say that the First Gentleman’s motivation contributed to the victory.
Before the match was postponed, President Bio made a hefty promise that if they beat Benin to qualify for the AFCON tournament, they will pocket $14,000 in total, including $2000 as match-winning bonuses. This promise was later re-echoed by State House Press Secretary, Yusuf Keketoma Sandi esq to the BBC's Sports journalist, Mohamed Faja Barrie as assurance to keep the dream alive. Apart from the hefty promise the President made to footballers, the New Direction administration also injected billions of Leones into the game as a means of support to Leone Stars.
It takes an inspirational leader like President Bio as a "talk and do" President" to prioritize football and demonstrate it by going to the pitch just to motivate the players to ensure that the glory of Leone Stars and the hope of Sierra Leone is restored.
As Sierra Leoneans await the departure of our darling Leone Stars to Camaroon in 2022, let us know that when football plays, it unites us to celebrate together and thank Allah "Subuha-nahu Ta-Aahla" for giving us Brigadier (Rtd.) Dr Julius Maada Bio as President of the Republic of Sierra Leone. With him, Sierra Leone wins.
See you in Cameron in 2022!
Abubakarr Bah, is Sierra Leone’s Information attaché at the Sierra Leone’s Mission in Saudi Arabia
Copyright © 2021 Politico Online (21/06/21)
