Recognizing A
True Sportsman
On February 11, 2009 (celebrated as Armed Forces Day in Liberia),
Mr. Joseph H. Farkollie added to his many accolades when the United
Youth for Progress honored the man popularly called "Farko" as
Sports Promoter of the Year. He has collected countless awards from
major media groups and organizations for his consistent advocacy in
the sporting arena.
Aside from his numerous contributions in the area of sports
promotion, Farko, in his capacity as Technical Director, was the
reason why Lofa County progressed from the group stage to the semi
final level of the just ended National County Sports Meet.
Receiving the award at a well attended ceremony graced by an array
of dignitaries and musical stars that night, Mr. Farkollie, who
happens to be President of the Promoters of Liberian Athletes (PROLA),
urged Liberian youths to see themselves as the ones that can rescue
the country following years of war.
Mr. Farkollie said: “We want you (youths) to consider yourself as
the pillow and fulcrum of nation building. The past generation has
failed you. Therefore, I want you to keep focused in all of your
endeavors.”
Mr. Farkollie added, “The youths of this country have found
themselves in a precarious situation in that there is no period of
transition.
“We mean to say that the 18 years of war that should have been
useful to you have been eaten up by the war, which was brought by
greedy and ugly individuals who have chosen the path of shortcut to
ascend to positions. The transition I am talking about is for
instance, in the past, you followed the examples of well meaning and
patriotic Liberians as our mentors; be it engineer, lawyer, doctor,
entertainer, banker or politician.”
The PROLA President stated that during the era of the 1980s and
1990s, the youths caught themselves in a state of anarchism,
gangsterism and violence. He said these vices have plunged the
country into a chaotic situation that made the future of young
people bleak.
Also at the occasion, Mr. Farkollie spoke on the recent action by
the Liberian government to ban the production of the alcoholic
beverages popularly known as ‘drips’ on grounds that they were
turning children into drunkards.
Although the sports promoter extolled the government for being
concerned about children, he believes that the government should go
further in addressing the issue from the root cause rather than the
surface.
“The issue of alcohol consumption by young people is a societal
problem that can be addressed by enforcing the law prohibiting the
sales of alcoholic drinks to children less than 18 years,” Mr.
Farkollie noted.
He admonished government to further launch a campaign against drug
abuse and that the Drugs Enforcement Agency (DEA) should be more
proactive in combing every community involved in the sale of
narcotic products.
Mr. Farkollie argues that narcotics drugs are illegal and more
dangerous than even the alcoholic beverages that are being
mentioned.
The honoree then urged the group to remain steadfast in the fight
against vices that would keep it down. He said the youth are the
ones that would lead the crusade in the fight against corruption.
In their generation, he said there would be no culture of deceit,
deception and betrayal and that the youth would be the ones that
would build a better country where everyone would live freely
irrespective of tribe, religion or creed. Mr. Farkollie, meanwhile,
pledged his unflinching support towards the success of the youth
organization.
His numerous activities and achievements include organizing a peace
tournament in 1990 among the fighting forces of the then National
Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL) and civilians for the purpose of
encouraging peaceful coexistence among the two groups in Lofa
County.
Thereafter, Farko shook up the Salala Displaced Center in Bong
County by the holding of a District League for thousands of Lofa
County citizens seeking refuge in 2004.
When total peace returned to Lofa, Mr. Farkollie staged the first
post-war football festival in Voinjama, which was graced by Mr.
Charles Gyude Bryant, then Chairman of the National Transitional
Government of Liberia (NTGL).
He also assisted Liberian striker Joseph JB Seton in traveling to
India to secure a contract there, and Farko was instrumental in
bringing back home many Liberian refugee footballers in Ghana .
The astute sportsman has made his duty of speaking out against vices
that affects the growth of sports in the country and has been
rendering assistance to footballers on a regularly basis.
Mr. Farkollie, for the sake of encouraging the involvement of the
young ones in sports, has made his residence assessable to many kids
by subscribing from international satellite television stations such
as DSTV and Aljazeera to make them watch major games.
Farko Factfile:
Full Name: Joseph Hina Farkollie
Occupation: Sports Administrator
Accountant
Tax Administrator (Custom)
Farmer
Born: December 24, 1953
Place of birth: Honeyhaun Town, Kolahun District, Lofa County
Married to: Fatu K. Farkollie (since May 3, 1986)
Children: Fatta Kpana Farkollie
Hawa Farkollie
Winifred Farkollie
Wellington Farkollie
Fatu Farkollie
Sonie Farkollie
Contact Address: Ministry of Finance
Bureau of Customs & Excise
Cell # 00231-6513509
Religious Affiliation: Christianity
Political Affiliation: Former Member
Movement for Justice in Africa (MOJA)
Founding Member, Liberian People’s Party (LPP)
Former Candidate for Senate ( Lofa County )
Traditional Organization: Poro Society
Other positions: -Library Assistant, University of Liberia (UL)
-Assistant Accounts Payable Supervisor,
Liberian Petroleum Refining Company (LPRC)
-Chief Accountant, Lofa Branch, Liberian Produce Marketing
Corporation (LPMC
-Outstation Coordinator, LPMC
-Deputy Managing Director for Operations, LPMC
Involvement In Sports:
*1983: Organized LPRC Oilers
*1986: Chaired Lofa County Sports Association
Chaired the Agricultural Sports Association (ASA)
*1992-1997: LPMC Planters Football Club
*2000-Present: Board Member, Invincible Eleven (IE)
*2001-Present: President, Promoters of Liberian Athletes (PROLA)
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