By Mohamed Macarthy)
The aspiration of Bo Rangers Football Club’s Executive Chairman, Babadi Kamara for Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) presidency has been received with high hopes and optimisms from meaningful sport loving Sierra Leoneans taking into cognizant the prevailing leadership quagmire that SLFA faces over the years which has had ripple effects on Leone Stars’ Male National Team as well as some of the domestic leagues across the country.
Few years back when our domestic leagues were being withheld on the basis of leadership struggle or supremacy in SLFA; in 2018-2019 when President Bio revamped our domestic leagues which was a U-Turn in the history of football in Sierra Leone and for us to equally identify some of our potential talents and showcase them to the world. At that moment; Babadi Kamara deemed it prudent to join forces with other personalities in Bo City and beyond to give their fullest attentions to the current defending champions of Sierra Leone Premier League then (SLPL) and now Leone Rock Premier League (LRPL) Bo Rangers FC.
His presence as Executive Chairman for Bo Rangers FC has evolved the overhaul structure of the team and has made it very compelling and admirable in the midst of renowned FCs at both national and international levels which have also created huge indelible blueprints in the football arena.
Babadi’s exemplary and exceptional leadership acumen and nimbleness has taken Bo Rangers FC to an international limelight on two consecutive ocassions with an impressive and scintillating performance from the players despite the fact that they were unable to move to the ultimate peak of those tournaments as expected from Sierra Leoneans home and abroad. His aspiration for the highest position in the football environment is borne out of his firm desire to put necessary and formidable infrastructures in place that will help transform and rebrand our national team and local Football Clubs being highly recognized and represented in most international matches.
In 2021 when Babadi was appointed as the Leone Stars Male National Team Manager. Leone Stars were already being qualified for the AFCON in Cameroon. It was a jubilant and reverberating mood for our national team to re-surface on the globe. He led the Leone Stars Delegation to Cameroon and there again, he inspired and motivated the entire team which apparently helped the players to put up their very best in the tournament since it has taken Leone Stars decades for not being part of the tournaments for an abysmal performance from both the team and management .
As someone who means well for the growth of football and other related sporting activities in Sierra Leone and by way of pragmatizing it, he had singlehandedly constructed an ultramodern mini stadium, the Southern Arena in Bo City with a considerable sitting accommodation. Southern Arena had been certified by FIFA to host international matches. Irrespective of the fact that BBD focuses his entirety supports to Bo Rangers FC; he sometimes extends his goodwill gestures to other FCs across the country in order to bolster the welfare of their teams.
Babadi’s aspiration for SLFA’s presidency in 2025 is a clarion call and turning point in the history of football in Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone has gotten potential players who are fully determined to put the national flag on the globe .However, we have not got fair and reasonable leaderships that would work in the best interest of various sporting activities in the country. SLFA has not incredibly administered the required leadership style. They are being surrounded with huge shenanigans and kickback. Thus, this leads to our disgraceful performance in most of our international matches. With Babadi in the race as one of the kingpin aspirants, his presidency will be an incredible bastion and beacon of hope for all Sierra Leoneans. BBD is determined and committed in making sure Leone Stars and other local Football Clubs would be highly represented at international apex. Sierra Leoneans, we are faced with two crossing paths with the incumbent who has not done much as expected and BBD who has already exhibited his outstanding leadership drive with undeniable proven track records which make him the most apt for SLFA’s presidency. A visionary, transformational and integrity leadership is what SLFA needs and noting else.
