President Kabbah Resolves SLFA Impasse
By Yusuf Alghali

The long-running impasse among members of the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA), which has resulted in bad blood, rancour and the total collapse of formal footballing activities in the country, ended today Tuesday 16th March 2004, following President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah's fatherly intervention at the Hill Station Lodge.

First to present his case was Mr. Unisa Awoko Sesay, who argued that they in Freetown had no quarrel with their provincial colleagues, as he himself was a provincial. However, he noted that the reason they went to court was merely to seek clarification as to which document actually governs the administration of football in the country.

Another representative, who spoke on behalf of the Provincial Union of Clubs and Associates, complained of continued marginalisation by their Freetown counterparts in running the game of football. He observed that inasmuch as a majority of the football clubs in the country were based in Freetown, the views of the minorities must be considered in any decision making process. The provincial rep maintained that the decision by some individuals to pass a "Vote Of No-Confidence" on the outgoing executive was never referred to provincial stakeholders,hence their refusal to back the action. However, he expressed his desire to see a break in the on-going deadlock by endorsing President Kabbah's suggestion for the creation of an interim management corps that would take the popular game of football out of its present crisis.

Former antagonists were seen shaking hands and embracing each other after the meeting unanimously accepted President Kabbah's proposal for the establishment of an interim body that will to manage the affairs of SLFA, while the association prepares itself for a consultative forum, to be followed by a congress and subsequently an election of a new SLFA executive. The President had also suggested that the ad hoc committee be chaired by Minister Dennis Bright, with two representatives each to be drawn from the Western Area, the provincial region and another two from the outgoing Justice Tholla Thomson-led executive.

In view of this development, Mr. Unisa Awoko Sesay and others in his anti-Tholla Thomsom alliance indicated their preparedness to immediately withdraw their pending litigation in the law courts, emphasising that the Western Area was more eager to get the game of football started again than any other entity in Sierra Leone.

SLFA chairman Justice Tholla Thomson, who has meanwhile indicated his readiness to stand down from his post as chairman while a new interim body be constituted to run the affairs of football in the country, said it was disheartening to see the life threatening manner in which some individuals went after both his person and personality. He said he was keen to see that all outstanding problems be settled within the framework of the SLFA constitution and congress, rather than leave office on the terms of somebody in total disregard of his (Tholla Thomson's) personal dignity and direspect for the rule of law.

In his concluding statements, President Kabbah emphasised the need to let bygones be bygones for the sake of football and for all to put the interest of Sierra Leone first. "You must be determined to forge ahead and not backwards…the future of this country's football pride is in your hands," the Head of State told the group of football stakeholders present at the meeting, including Messrs Jebor Sherrington, Bai Kabia, Nahim Khadi, Kama Dumbuya, Eku Nelson, Prince Cole, Michael Kamara, James Fofanah, Oseh Harding, Umar Bash Taqi, Christian Cole, Kainechainde, Moses Abu, Amadu Bah, Edison Sharkah, Dr. Bangso, Nasiru Deen Alhadi, Ishmael Sesay, Ali Fornah, Unisa Jalloh, Kwame Yankson, Alimu Bah, Cecil Hanciles and J.S Keifala