Our nation is testament to the transcendent power of football. We have used it as a unifying force, our young people have used it as an avenue to expend pent up energy and frustrations and also as a means to stay fit and healthy. We can also use football to rebrand Sierra Leone.
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Amara O Kuyateh speaking at the Sierra Leone Football Association’s VIP Reception for Madam Lydia Nsekera on the eve of Sierra Leone’s David and Goliath win against Sudan.
At the Sierra Leone Football Association’s VIP reception to welcome the iconic Lydia Nsekera – the first woman on FIFA’s executive committee – NASSIT’s Dep DG Amara O Kuyateh delivered this impassioned speech urging Sierra Leone and the private sector to remember the power of football.
Madam Lydia Nsekera, distinguished ladies and gentlemen good evening.
I want to thank Madam Isha Johansen and Madam Lydia Nsekera for their leadership and commitment to the beautiful game of football. This is a game that speaks to the values of team work, passion and commitment.
I believe it was the Brazilian Football legend Pele who initially described Football as the beautiful game. And here in Sierra Leone we are deeply in love with the beautiful gamel.
This land that we love has seen its fair share of the world’s challenges. We went through a ten year civil war, and more recently we experienced the double shock of the global fall in commodity prices and the terrible Ebola epidemic.
These twin shocks brought terrible hardship, pain and suffering to our people.
During the Ebola epidemic, all football activities stopped in the country leaving a huge void in the social life of our people.
Madam Isha Johansen thank God almighty that football is back in Sierra Leone. Football is home.
I was fortunate to have attended the Leone Stars versus Malawi, and the Leone Stars versus Gabon and the excitement was unbelievable. The huge crowds and the joy and the excitement that day at the Stadium was a sight to behold.
Here in Sierra Leone we are a nation of football lovers and we could not contain our excitement. I hope we get more of that tomorrow against Sudan. I hope you will all go out in full force and support our darling Leone Stars.
We are a resilient people. We are unbreakable.
Our nation is testament to the transcendent power of football. We have used it as a unifying force, our young people have used it as an avenue to expend pent up energy and frustrations and also as a means to stay fit and healthy. We can also use football to rebrand Sierra Leone.
NASSIT – the organisation that I work for, is committed to Social Protection.
The health and well being of our citizens and work force is of paramount importance to us as a Social Security institution. We believe that football is a positive force in our society.
Government cannot do everything. The private sector especially has to step up and support football at all levels in Sierra Leone, so it is very good to see CEOs of banks and other institutions here this evening.
We all need to engage with the Sierra Leone Football Association to see how best we can all support football in Sierra Leone so we can take football to the next level.
Thank you very much for listening and have a good evening.
