Bility’s Simple Mistakes
-Is His Politicking Overshadowing the 2011/2012 League Opening?
 
By: Leroy M. Sonpon, III
leroysonpon@yahoo.com (06-585875)
 
During the heydays of the former President of the Liberia Football Association (LFA), Cllr. S. Izetta Wesley, a call for a change of leadership was on almost every stakeholder’ lips for simply---the promotion and development of Liberian football. On March 2010, Musa Bility, who was acclaimed “Football Messiah,” had a tsunami victory over his predecessor Cllr. Wesley and the former LFA General Secretary George Wah Williams--- the votes came in their numbers as a result of his beautiful platform code-named, “Commercialization-Turning Football Into Business.” What the landslide victory should mean to him (Bility) is demanding: the betterment of Liberian football????

Musa Bility, like Cllr. Wesley made some successes--- Wesley’s achievements (promotion of female football, two-phase league, securing of lands for the Football Academy, establishment of the Nancy Doe Sports Stadium and other football fields amongst others) were outdo by her “authoritarianism” which led to lot of conspiracies and her dethronement in March-2010. As per Bility, nevertheless of his success (securing sponsorship of the national league and national leagues) his 19th month at the helm of the local football governing house have been marred with ‘simple mistakes’ disappointingly to stakeholders, the players and football fans through his so-called commercialization plan.

1. The employment of secretariat staff without the support of Secretary General Idrissa Kaba is licentious according to the ancient and revised statute. The Statute of the Liberia Football Association (LFA) mandates the Secretary General to head the LFA secretariat and runs the LFA with consultation of the President of the LFA and the Executive Committee. He is responsible for the employ of staff within the secretariat. But the LFA Boss without regard to the Secretary General appointed three of his cronies: L. Orishall Gould (former Managing Director at the National Social Security and Welfare Corporation) as Deputy Secretary General for Administration; Abayomie Caulcrick, Deputy Secretary General for Operation and Logistics and Jallah Corvah, Deputy Secretary General for Finance. He also rewarded most of his associates with lucrative positions with most of them proving to be ineffective and inefficient on the job. At the end of the day, he goes about shifting them from position to another.

2. His administration’s first year into office ran a one phase national league. No home and away matches. No FA in the world has organized such league besides the one headed by Bility. The situation puts local clubs in a poor position when it comes to competing in international competitions. The league was also run without medics due to the failure of the LFA to provide logistics for the lifesavers. Up to presence, Musa Bility still owes the Referees US$15,000 for match indemnities.

3. Bility’s acceptance to serve as Chairman for the Unity Party Campaign Manager in Montserrado is evidently shown that his “political position” outshine the “opening of the LFA League,” which he publicized that it would kick-off the 2nd Week in September-2011. Most stakeholders believed that Bility should have requested for a “Compulsory Leave” at the LFA to concentrate on his “Political Game” --- Is His Politicking Overshadowing the 2011/2012 League Opening? This amongst others depicts his “novice” in football and lacks of vision to develop football.

4. Worst Closing Program: Since the establishment of the LFA in the 1970s, the 2010/2011 LFA League Closing Program under the administration of the ambitious Musa Bility has been the “worst ever” according to stakeholders---“the venue could not hold about 30% of the invited teams and institutions, in the Samuel K. Doe Sports Complex’s board room, which sitting capacity is 150. . . the high temperature and lack of ventilation drove the Chief Patron of Sports President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf away, while the invited guests described such historic event as “Poor Planning” and recommend the LFA to outsource their programs.

5. The 16th Ordinary Congress of the LFA which was expected to be held on March 15, 2011 as agreed by Congress in June-2011 was postponed without prior notice . . .the violation of the Statute clearly exposed his limitation in running football. The Congress held in Ganta was marred with disappointments owing to lack accommodations and un-dietetic food, which led to Bility’s faint apology. Worst of all, stakeholders were deliberately denied their “just per-diem” for the two-day’s event.

6. Musa Bility, serving as Chairman of Congress allowed stakeholders for the first-time to vote on setting venues for three congresses: 2012-Grand Bassa; Grand Gedeh-2013 and Maryland-2014---this precedent, owing to our undeveloped status has been rendered “thoughtlessness.”

7. Marginalizing the Press: for the past two months the LFA boss failed to hold his regular “Press Conference” with sports journalists, but is always on his Radio and TV (Truth FM and Real TV) dissimilating information on football—Bility has unfortunately turned his back on the press. In his 2010 budget, the US$50,000 which was inserted for the sporting media varnish in the air, while he priorities his personal media empire (Truth FM, Real TV and Renaissance newspaper). He secretly and wrongfully entered into a media battle with some sports reporters---refusing them of his access, travelling, amongst others.

8. He openly and unjustifiably declared his support for the president of the Asian Football Confederation Mohammed Bin Hammam against Joseph Sepp Blatter during the Fifa election. No other African FA was able to follow suit. Regrettably, the Nigeria FA denied claims by Bility that his decision met the consensus of West African nations. Bin Hammam has been banned for lifetime from all football activities, while his man, Bility hanging of Blatter’s shoes heel for friendship.

9. Bility is on record of always “talking without thinking.” Instill of concentrating on how to close the “3rd Division League” by settling the referees (in the tone of US$15,000) to enable them officiate the Play-off Matches, he announced the dissolve of the 3rd and 4th division leagues. His reason was “3rd and 4th divisions will be from the schools--- to encourage players go to school.” Bility wildly assertions without prior notice or notification to the heads of sub-associations and sub-committees to found a common ground and deadline for the benefits of the un-school going kids is described as “repression.” Bility also failed to insert “Direct Mandate” in the contract of employed international coaches, as other African and Western countries do: Example: “...your contract is terminated base on your failure to qualify any of the Lone Star Teams in International Competitions. . .”

10. During the regime of Cllr. Izetta Wesley, Bility and his followers were vocal against what they described as ills within the football arena. Now that they are there, free speech has been declared as their “number one public enemy”.

Diamond FC president Ebenezer Barclay and Georgian FC president Wilmot Smith were summoned and threatened for calling for the resignation of Bility for allegedly offering bribes for votes during the March 2010 congress. The two officials challenged the decision and the rest is history. At the moment, the LFA has placed a two-year on ban IE secretary-general Momolu V. O. Sirleaf, who similarly demanded his resignation in connection to receiving bribes from Bin Hammam.

With the clearing simple mistakes of Bility and if Bility does not right the wrongs for the good of the game, stakeholders will also be “calling for a change-football messiah” as did to Cllr. Wesley. . . .Remember, whatever one does live after him/her.