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Sierra Leone: Nahim's Re-Election - a Turning Point for Salone Football?
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Concord Times (Freetown)
OPINION
23 July 2008
Posted to the web 23 July 2008
Sahr Morris Jr.
Freetown
As football remains the most popular game in Sierra Leone and in nearly all parts of the world, it is the aim of every Sierra Leonean to see the game they loved most attain higher level thus ranking aside the likes of Nigeria, South Africa, and even those in the highest stage of the world.
After several months of campaigns for the much-talked about Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) elective congress, football stakeholders in the country made their decision as to how football should be run in the country for the next four years.
Their decision was made as they elected the incumbent SLFA president, Nahim Khadi for the second term in a row, without hesitation. Now the election is history but the big question centres around whether the re-election of Nahim Khadi is a turning point for the country's football.
I know a lot of people would like to know my answer to this question. You will agree with me that the condition or atmosphere in which the election was conducted was peaceful as before and after election. Even before the congress, the two candidates, Dr. Foday Bangso Bangura and Nahim Khadi pledged to support each other after the results must have been announced.
So if the words of the two men are anything to go by, then it is a great move for the country's football as disunity was one of the major diseases that were killing the game softly in Sierra Leone even during Nahim's first term in office.
Before the congress, the sports minister, Minkailu Bah and his deputy, Aljasimu Jah, advised the football family to work as a united family for the good of the game. But now that the election is over, it is pertinent to ask: Will the football family work as one? For me, I will say 'we must!' The congress is over, and what I think should be on the minds of football supporters, stakeholders and sport journalists is how we can work together to develop the game for the sake of Mama Salone.
This is not the time to victimize each other because one was or was not in favour of the winning team. This reminds me of President Ernest Bai Koroma's statement after he won last year's presidential elections. He said now that the election is over, all must come together to develop Mama Salone.
It was alleged that Nahim did victimized people during his first term in office. Not because he (Nahim) wanted to but his followers were backbiting others.
If Nahim continues to listen to these people this time around, his administration will become worst than what we had before which made him become more unpopular in some quarters.
Nahim's passion for the game is another factor that would determine the improvement of football in the country. I think passion is not enough but he needs to work with fellow contestants like Dr. Foday Bangso Bangura, Rodney Michael and the Heroes foundation for the success of his second term. After all, iron they say sharpens iron.
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In all, only unity among football authority can improve the country's football as all must work as one to develop it. If we fail to support Nahim, it is the country's football that will go down the drains not Nahim.
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