Headache for Invincible Eleven: Can Tolbert Cure Momolu Sirleaf’s Nags


                IE President Richard Tolbert

During the 16th ordinary congress of the Liberia Football Association (LFA), which took place from July 30-31 in Ganta, Nimba County, Invincible Eleven Majestic Sports Association (IEMSA) was represented by board member Dennis Toe and not Alfred Sayon, Vice President for Operations & Technical Services or Momolu Sirleaf, Secretary General.

Why? President Richard Tolbert asked Toe to attend the congress because Sirleaf was given a two-year ban by the LFA in June for “acts incompatible to his status” and Sayon took a temporary self-imposed leave from all club activities on July 24.

Toe is one of the founders of “Concerned Few,” a diehard supporter group of IE, which encouraged Tolbert to take over the affairs of the club. FrontPageAfrica (FPA) understands that Sayon turned down an attempt by Tolbert to attend the congress before Toe was contacted.

Interestingly, Sayon attended the congress in his capacity as secretary-general of the premier league board, which will shortly be inducted to exclusively run the premier league.

Standoff

When Sayon, then acting president of Invincible Eleven Majestic Sports Association (IE for short) interposed no objection to the ban placed on Sirleaf by the LFA, some fans and officials thought it was a foolish decision.

But Sayon may have seen things others weren’t seen or were giving it a blind eye. Sirleaf had challenged the FA’s decision in the media and again reacted that Sayon “took a unilateral decision as there was no executive committee meeting on the matter.”

Tolbert was out of the country when Sirleaf was banned and board chairman Eugene Shannon distanced himself from an article in Kickoff Sports newspaper that the decision was also unilateral. Upon his return, Tolbert gave Sayon a slap in the face by revoking all of the decisions taken by his trusted deputy while he was away.

But why didn’t Sayon come in defence of Sirleaf? In a June 13 letter to the LFA, Sayon said: “As an affiliate member of the LFA, we interpose no objection. However, IE executive committee will deliberate on the impact of this suspension and revert to you accordingly.

“In the meantime, please address all communications to the president, IE, Capitol Hill, Monrovia, Liberia until the executive committee can make a determination.”

And during an FPA interview, which was published on June 20, Sayon said: “…..As an integral part of the LFA, we can’t publicly question a decision like that. What we can do is to accept the decision and then begin a negotiation path to that. We don’t want to begin a collision course with the LFA.

“We want to have constructive engagement on this matter and so the first thing to do is to say yes we accept the decision and then in due time, we will get back to you later. However, whether that decision is wrong or right will depend on the judgment of the LFA and it will also depend on how we play the mediatory role.”

What Sayon was seeing when he took the initial decision has come to pass. He may not have been happy with the decision but he equally couldn’t publicly disagree with the FA, for to do so, would mean putting the club in harm’s way.

He didn’t want to use the route take by some sports journalists, backed by the Sports Writers Association of Liberia (SWAL), in opposing the FA’s decision “for it is better for one man to die than for the whole nation [club] to perish.”

During a press briefing in June, LFA president Musa Bility drew a clear line between Sirleaf as a ‘journalist’ and as a ‘stakeholder’. “…SWAL constitution forbids people from serving as public relations officer or holding position in government or elsewhere. Mr. Sirleaf, I understand, works for the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and at the same time as secretary-general of IE.

“So he has forfeited his right to be an active sports journalist. We will not ban any practicing journalist for criticizing the FA. As far as we are concerned, we have banned one of our stakeholders and not a journalist. The fact that IE endorsed the ban means the matter is close,” Bility stated.

This was also reechoed by LFA communications director Henry Flomo during an interview on June 15. Sirleaf, who protested the ban in text messages sent to LFA officials and sports journalists, has apparently gone to sleep on the matter given his absence from the Ganta gathering.

“Your LFA pronouncement is a sign of desperation. Maybe u have forgotten that u have no authority to impede my movement in this country. But u have just stirred the hornet’s nest. Trust me the rooster will come home to nest soon.

“The battle line is now drawn. I will fight with every fiber of my being to defeat u. None of u can match my huge contributions to the upliftment of Liberian sports. U need to get that into your knuckle heads. V. O. Sirleaf,” the text, which was obtained by FrontPageAfrica, stated.

With the ban set to begin on June 10, he went to see the Mighty Barrolle versus Nimba FC match at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium. If remains to be seen whether he will attend the formal closing ceremony of the 2010/2011 national league, where IE finished as knock-out champions, later this month in Monrovia.

With Sayon on leave and Sirleaf banned, Tolbert may turn to Toe, whom he praised during his inaugural address, in dealing with the LFA.

“Let me also thank Messrs. Toe, [now deceased François] Junius, and Massaquoi for encouraging me to lead IE. I was a bit reluctant because, as you know, it is time-consuming, cost intensive and I already have too many things on my plate.

“And it couldn’t have come at a time when the spirit for the sunshine yellow boys has died. I like to take over things when it is down; when it is bad. I along with others will make IE second to none,” he said on May 1, 2010 at the Monrovia City Hall. The club’s reconstituted board of directors, which is made-up of ministers, lawmakers and former presidents, is yet to speak on the bad blood in IE.

Finance Minister Augustine Ngafuan and his deputy for revenue Alfreda Stewart-Tamba as well as her husband Kollie Tamba; Margibi County Representative Saah Gbollie, Deputy Speaker Tokpa Mulbah, John Barkamini, Ophelia Hoff-Saytumah, Princeton Miller, Dorothy Sheba Brown and Joseph Farkollie have been silent since Momolu was banned and Sayon took his leave.

In an email to Tolbert on July 24, Sayon says he wants to avoid being the devil that cleans-up the mess created by the angels. He has endured tough time performing his statutory duties and has often seen his decisions opposed in the media by Sirleaf, who has been branded as ‘persona non grata’ by the LFA.

His cup may have run over as Tolbert played down IE’s decision to endorse the two-year ban given to Momolu. With the latest news, IE could face administrative hurdles with his decision, as the players see him as a dad. Only time will tell.