MONROVIA — Liberia Football Association (LFA) President Mustapha I. Raji has appealed to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., the Chief Patron of Sports, to appoint one of the nation's legends as a sports ambassador or advisor on football-related matters.
Speaking Thursday at the close of a 10-day CAF Coaching Educator Course attended by Randa Boakai, daughter of the president, Youth and Sports Minister Jeror Cole Bangalu, Raji emphasized that former national team players who dedicated their time and talent to Liberia deserve to serve in such capacities.
"A special appeal, Mr. Minister. Today we have our sister Miss Boakai here. I hope she can use that opportunity to whisper in the ears of His Excellency," Raji said. "We want to advocate that one of our legends should be beside our father, our president, as an ambassador or advisor for sports."
Raji added that such an appointment would demonstrate to the world that Liberia values its football icons.
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"There are qualified Liberians--people who sacrificed for the country through the national team," he said. "Appointing one of them would show that our legends are working with the president, the Chief Patron of Sports, to serve as advisors on sports or football matters. So, Madam Boakai, when your dad is at the dining table, please whisper in his ear, while the Ministry of Youth and Sports can use the policy channel to do so."
In April 2024, President Boakai appointed Senegalese footballer Alioune Kebe as Ambassador-at-Large for Youth and Sports Development, an appointment that has yet to be formally announced by the Executive Mansion.
Many Sports stakeholders criticised the appointment, but Mr. Kebe continue to serve in the position, having recently travelled with the President to France.
During his remarks, Raji also praised the accomplishments of Liberian coaches who participated in the CAF Coaching Educator Course and expressed optimism about the growing number of coach educators in the country.
"Today, I'm happy to see an increase in the number of coach educators in Liberia," Raji said. "The pathway is now open for Liberians not only to be coach educators at home but also to facilitate courses abroad. I'm confident that our legends and coaches taking this course will soon be able to share their knowledge internationally."
He also commended FIFA for its recent Coach Educators' Assessment Program in South Africa, which featured four Liberian participants: Robert Lartey, Arab Fofana, Kesselee Kanneh, and Famatta Dean.
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The 10-day course brought together 21 coaches, including four women and several former national team players turned coaches--James Debbah, Thomas Kojo, and Kelvin Sebwe.
Lead facilitator and CAF elite instructor Abraham Mebratu underscored the importance of continuous learning, saying the program aims to develop quality coach educators capable of producing skilled coaches who, in turn, can develop quality players.
Under the football development pillar of the LFA, coach education remains of the crucial components of capacity-building.
