By M. B. Kallon, the Special Rapporteur
Under the prudent leadership of His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio, the Sierra Leone’s national team, Leone Stars is now experiencing a new dawn.
For over twenty five years, the country’s national team Leone Stars has recorded a significant breakthrough by qualifying for the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON. Leone Stars first match is expected to take place in 30th March next year.
Before Leone Stars qualified to the AFCON, His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio who is also dubbed as ‘tok and do’ due to his tenacity in alwaysworking in line with his promise. It couldbe recalled that during the training session of Leone Stars before the clash with the Squirrels of Bennie, His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio inspired the team that each player will receive the sum of$10,000 and a parcel of land, if they defeated Bennie and qualify the team to AFCON.
As if those statements were not more inspirational, the president was quoted again saying, “We’ve done it before and we can do it again… ours is a football loving nation and we have to make our people proud.”
It is now clear that the 2022 AFCON tournament will be a ‘baptism of fire’.
In a jubilant mood, Sierra Leoneans give our darling Leone Stars a super human welcome at the national Stadium and many people left the national stadium with optimism of a new dawn in football ever in the history of Sierra Leone.
No doubt that this year’s Day of the Africa Child celebrations was met with double celebrations. The June 16 unprecedented decision sends a clear message that President Bio has unlocked the victory of Leone Stars. It is sacrosanct that both cash and land promised by president Bio will reach the team courtesy of his proclamation.
I am with a firm conviction that the magnanimity shown by our president will revitalize and inject renewed strength in the youth to develop a career in soccer and other sporting disciplines.
Initially, news about the two weeks postponement of Leone Stars vs the Squirrels final match was received with mixed feelings but the long journey to Yaoundé ended on June 16 with Kai Kamara’s lone goal from a penalty kick which put us in front. At the end of the 90 minutes, Sierra Leone 1 – 0 Benin.
The victory has opened the window and shine the light to a brighter path.
We are now calling on authorities concerned to continue making the team more inclusive and non discriminatory under the President Julius Maada Bio administration.
Thanks to the Julius Maada Bio administration, thanks to SLAFA, thanks to the Leone Stars team, thanks to the Football veterans, thanks to the fans for the commitment. Sierra Leone will once again be seen in the continental football stage.
