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President Koroma receives World Cup, FC Johansen

Author: Press Secretariat State House

It was like taking a long shot into the future, and indeed it was a once-in-a lifetime reality for many Sierra Leoneans, when President Koroma today received at State House FIFA officials with the much-coveted World Cup trophy on an African familiarization tour ahead of the 2010 World Cup Finals in South Africa – the first ever on the continent.

Speaking in an extremely delightful tone, the Head of State said he was receiving the trophy on behalf of every Sierra Leonean, while thanking FIFA and the Coca Cola company (which partnered in sponsoring the event) for making it possible, stating that the presence of the Cup in Sierra Leone “gives joy to the numerous Sierra Leonean football fans all over the country. I can assure you that every town and village has football fans and football is the most popular sport in this country.” Â

The President said he gave assurances of safety to the Cup “for the world to know that Sierra Leone is one of the safest spots in the world.” He maintained that the presence of the officials and the Cup “will give hope to many Sierra Leoneans… It brings lots of motivation to government, and it poses a challenge to the Sierra Leone Football Association and the young people of this country… We must rise up to that challenge, and it is my hope that in-the-not-too-distant-future Sierra Leone will come with the trophy by our own merit.” He aroused laughter from his audience when he quickly added that, “I am not sure it will be under my presidency, but I’m sure it will happen.”

President Koroma paid special tribute Coca Cola, which has been operating in Sierra Leone since 1956, and “have been very responsive in terms of their corporate responsibilities. They have numerous customers, including myself…”

The President also accepted an invitation extended to him to attend the World Cup Finals in South Africa, while thanking the organizers “for making it a wonderful and memorable occasion.”

Earlier, the FIFA representative accompanying the Cup, Emmanuel Madaras, said “we are here because of the President’s blessing, without which the trophy would not have come…”, emphasizing that it was the assurances of security and the Cup’s safety received from President Koroma that caused the world football body to allow it to be brought to the country.Â

He encouraged Sierra Leoneans to feel part of the South African jamboree and to show solidarity with their continent’s debut hosting of the big event.

Other speakers included Deputy Minister of Education, Youth & Sports Algasimu Jah, Coca Cola Bottling Manager Rockefeler Hindley, and Ag. Sierra Leone Football Association President J.S. Kelfala.

The ceremony was chaired by Minister of Presidential & Public Affairs Joe Koroma.

Hundreds of football-loving fans came to the gardens of State House, causing the President to come out of the conference room with the trophy and publicly displaying it to the cheering crowds.

Meanwhile, in a similar and coincidental engagement, the President received at State House the Proprietress, coach and members of one of Sierra Leone’s most enterprising youth football clubs ever, FC Johansen.

Welcoming them at his office, President Koroma lauded the Proprietress, Isha Johansen, “for this bold initiative of putting together a team” with great potential in football. He went on to congratulate the young players for the able manner in which they have represented the country: “We are encouraged that you have been great ambassadors of our country by conducting yourselves in a manner that is most responsible,” citing the fact that other teams had in the past absconded when they had an opportunity of playing abroad. “You have been in and out of the country for several times and you have still remained intact,” he declared.

The President told them he had just received the World Cup trophy, an event that should pose a challenge to them, hoping that “a time will come when all of us will celebrate the coming of the trophy to Sierra Leone by our own merit.” He looked forward to giving the team support in a junior world cup tournament to be hosted in Freetown in December attracting teams from Brazil, Nigerian Ghana, Liberia, The Gambia, Norway, and Holland.

Speaking earlier, Proprietress Isha Johansen gave a background of the club as one that was started five years ago by way of getting young people back to school and has now got a membership of some 80 boys. She said 90% of them come from under-privileged or orphanage backgrounds. She said the team brought laurels to the country during their participation in the Mittnorden Cup Â (junior world tournament) in Sweden by not only being able to come back with gold and silver medals, but produced the highest goal scorer of the tournament, disclosing that the team now receives several invitations to participate in international tournaments.

The team has been to the Youth World Cup (The Gothia Cup) which is the most prestigious youth football tournament in the world and came 9th out of 196 teams. They have been to Madrid to play the Real Madrid youth side, Las Vegas in the MAYORS CUP, Â Norway for friendly matches, and most recently Nigeria for the Pepsi Youth Football Tournament. The player of the tournament at the Pepsi Tournament was Ahmed Hassan from FC Johansen Sierra Leone.

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