Troubled FC Taraba players were on Tuesday paid two of their 11-month salaries by the financiers, Taraba state government.

The financiers could not muster enough cash to offset the bill as agreed with the governor last week, but asked the distraught players to come back on Tuesday for the February and March 2015 salaries.

The Commissioner for Youth and Sports personally supervised the cash payment to the players with some ministry personnel in attendance.

The women football team, FC Taraba Queens, were also paid for two months' worth of salaries. The players of the mainstream side slept in the open for 11 days while peacefully protesting over the nonpayment of their salaries.

However, only players who played a full season in the 2014/15 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season received the two months' salaries as opposed to those who joined the Jalingo outfit mid-season who got just one month worth of salaries -- the same as players who played the first round before seeking greener pastures elsewhere.

The players were however not told when the outstanding salaries would be paid as they left for their respective homes.

An unnamed player said they were helpless in the whole situation, but happy that at least there is little cash in their hands right now.

“The truth is that everybody needed the money; no matter how small it is, at least it’s better than nothing so the issue of whether one is happy or not does not arise at the moment.

“We would have been very happy if the government had paid at least half of outstanding salaries as the two months' worth of salaries cannot go far to clear the accumulated debts.

“Nothing has been mentioned on the outstanding nine months whether it will be paid or not or if so, when,” said the unnamed player to supersport.com.

FC Taraba was demoted to the second tier league -- Nigeria National League (NNL) -- together with Kwara United, Sharks and Bayelsa United at the end of the outgoing NPFL season. Source: Supersport.com

Bong County, the 2008 County Meet football winner yesterday eliminated Maryland County 3-1 in the opener of the quarter finals at the ATS in Monrovia.

Bong came awake in the 10th minute when defender, Kelvin Allison scored an own goal.

In the 40th minute, Emmanuel Potee, outside the 18th yard leveled the score, through a tricky shot.

Right back defender Arka Morris and substitute striker Myers Sammie sealed the scores 3-1, to move their side to the semi finals.

Bong tops Group I with six points after she thrashed Grand Bassa County and Sinoe County 2-0 and 3-1 respectively in the preliminary rounds in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County.

Howbeit, Maryland County crossed over as runner-up with four points in Group II, which was held in Sanniquellie, Nimba County.

Since 1969, Maryland has never lifted the football title of the County Meet.

FIFA badge referee Isaac Montgomery was exceptional.

Former Lone Star player and Coach, Josiah N. Johnson took the kickoff, flanked with Youth & Sports Minister Lenn Eugene Nagbe, Deputy Sports Minister Henry Yonton, Montserrado County Superintendent Florence Brandy and businessman Floyd Tomah, amongst others.

Meanwhile, in kickball, Nimba County pinned defending kickball champions Bong, 3-2 points.

Bong County took the lead in the second inning. Nimba County rotated in the third and increased the tally in the fourth 3-1 points.

Bong County made a consolation win, in the fifth inning, 3-2.

Nimba County was the runner up in Group II kickball preliminary round while Bong County emerged as Group I leaders.

On Tuesday, in the second quarter finals battle, Grand Cape Mount County faces Grand Bassa County in kickball, while defending football champs will meet Nimba County.

Today the Antoinette Tubman Stadium is expected to come alive with the second derby in the 2015/2016 National County Sports Meet at 2:00pm.

Group II’s preliminary kickball leader, Grand Cape Mount County will meet Grand Bassa County, the runner-up for Group I.

The Gbasajamba girls won three games in Sanniquellie and topped the Group with nine points, and kickball connoisseurs have tipped them as the favorite against Grand Bassa County who narrowly crossed over.

In the football derby, Grand Bassa County meets the tournament giants Nimba County.

The Gbehzohn boys – the defending football champs, have lots of work to do to preserve their title if they will not repeat the mistakes of Grand Cape Mount County, who was miserably unable to defend the title.

According to pundits, the Mountainous boys have the edge owing to the number of times they had grabbed the football trophy, while Grand Bassa has a single cup on their shelf.

The defending champs emerged as runners-up at home, while Nimba County topped their group.

Senators Jonathan Kaipay and Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence are expected to lead the Bassonians, while Senators Prince Y. Johnson and Thomas Krupee will lead the Mountainous boys. The football game is at 4:00pm.

The winners from both games will join Nimba and Bong counties who are already in the semi finals in the kickball and football categories.

Match Commissioner Yanqueh Borsay in consultation with referee Sam Kortee yesterday postponed 30 minutes of extra-time between Nimba and Grand Bassa County because of poor visibility.

Mr. Borsay said the ‘bad lighting’ would not cause the remaining time to be played and therefore rescheduled the game for today; Wednesday, January 6 at the ATS, at 4:00pm.

The match officials’ recommendation was allowed by the Ministry of Youth and Sports – the organizer of the National County Sports Meet.

Deputy Sports Minister Henry B. Yonton said the organizers have endorsed the match officials’ decision for the good of the game.

Yesterday’s game was witnessed by over 5,000 spectators, and the Ministry has failed to mention whether those who bought their tickets to watch the game would be allowed free with their respective short tickets.

According to the rules and regulations of the 2015/2016 National County Sports Meet, there will be a 30-minute extra time after a draw in a 90 minute of play time in football to decide the winner.

The rules and regulations further said there will be a penalty shoot, if there is no winner, after extra time.

It was true that the ‘god of football’ was not in favor turn of Nimba County, owing to several misses of golden scoring opportunities, compared to Grand Bassa, which was few.

Unlike in the first half, Nimba County was aggressive in the second but could not secure a goal.

The Nimba striking trio Rufus Padmore, Irvin Gbotoe and William Siegbeh could not discover their scoring boots, owing to wide and weak shots, and feeble headers.

Nimba County midfielder Emmanuel Kiahn also would not put their crowd to their heels.

In the first half, Bassa has several attempts at goal, but did utilize their chances.

Bassa’s duo, David Paye and Ralph George were too stylish to pull the strings.

The Mountainous boys of Nimba County topped Group II with two points, while defending champs, Grand Bassa settled at six points.

Earlier, in the kickball version, Grand Bassa County whipped Grand Cape Mount County 5-3 points.

Chief Justice Francis Kporkor, and Senator Prince Johnson and Thomas Krupee were part of the cheering squad, while Senators Nyonblee Lawrence, Jonathan Kaipay, Reps. Gabriel Smith, Gender Minister Julia
Duncan Cassell and Cllr. T.C. Gould were in the cheering stand for Grand Bassa County.

However, in the semi finals of the kickball category, Nimba County hosts Grand Bassa, while the winner between Nimba and Bassa’s game today will meet Bong County in football.

This year’s County Sports Meet, is held under the theme Liberia is rises through sports.

From the 12th to the 17th of December 2015, the preliminary rounds were played in four counties; Grand Bassa, Nimba, Margibi and Grand Gedeh.

Out of the 15 counties, eight counties qualified for the quarterfinals in both categories in football and kickball.

Over 1,000 fans and sympathizers of Grand Bassa County, in their dominant blue, joyfully chanted that ‘Dumboy is better than GB,’ in appreciation of their team’s narrow win against Nimba County yesterday at the crammed Antoinette Tubman Stadium.

This is the third crucial win for Bassa to prove supremacy over Nimba in 16 years – and a similar song was sung at each victory.

In 1990, Bassa beat Nimba to lift their inaugural football trophy and 24 years later – in 2014, Bassa again whipped Nimba 2-1 to win her second trophy; and yesterday marked the third triumph.

At the crowded stadium, football defending champions, Grand Bassa County whipped Nimba County, 4-2 in a lottery shot, after 33 minutes entertaining football ended goalless.

Yesterday’s goalless extra-time game was in conclusion of Tuesday’s 90-minute match which was rescheduled owing to poor visibility determined by referee Sam Kortee, the players and Match Commissioner Yanqueh Borsay.

Bassa’s tactic was attacking as a way to defend, as well as swapping their goalie for the lottery shot which paid off. The Gbehzohn Boys had more attempts at goal and controlled the ball 55% more than their opponents.

A scramble ball in the 25th minute amongst Nimba trio Mustapha Lomell, Irvin Gbotoe and William Siegbeh in the box ended wide and it was the last saving grace for the Mountainous boys.

Earlier, Bassa’s Kweku Mensah’s ball hit the woodwork and Frederick Dennis’ header was saved by goalie Prince Marwolo.

In the 29th minute, Bassa’s top goalie Sekou Bayoh was substituted for Daniel Davies.

The end of the extra time was greeted by wide chants from both fans and it continued with seesaw shouts.

Bassa winger David Paye gave his side hope when he netted the first lottery shot. Disappointingly, Nimba skipper Meapen Dolo and striker Irvin Gbotoe missed their kicks, courtesy to goalie Daniel Davies.

Bassa marksman Frederick Dennis scored the winning goal, to bang Nimba County, 4-2.

This is the first time for Nimba to drop in the quarter finals in five years.

Nimba County won the trophy in 2010 and 2012 and settled as runner-up in 2012.

In 2013, Nimba County fell in the semi finals; and in 2014 as runner-up, where Bassa whipped Nimba County 2-1.

Meanwhile, in today’s games, Grand Kru will host Montserrado in kickball; and Lofa meets Gbarpolu.

The games will start at 2:00pm.

According to the semi finals’ kickball fixture, Nimba will meet Grand Bassa, and in football, Bassa is expected to settle score with Bong.

It may be recalled that in the opener in Buchanan, Bong whipped Bassa 2-0.

Defending champions Grand Bassa County and four-time winner Nimba County are expected to replay today at 3:30p.m., at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium following a ruling by the Protest and Grievance Committee.

The decision was reached yesterday at the Ministry’s 19th Street office following an advice from the Protest and Ethnics Committee of the Liberia Football Association (LFA).

According to Cllr. Moiffie Kanneh’s Committee a replay of the match (between Grand Bassa and Nimba) must take place on grounds that both parties were in violation and that the suspended player (Jerry Wleh) be barred from the tournament and further actions be meted out against him for knowingly deceiving the organizer and the county.

The ruling also suggested that the LFA must establish to the organizer whether or not players William Freeman and Zizue Kollie are qualified to participate in the tournament based on allegations that they play in the upper division, contravening the Rules and Regulations of the National County Sports Meet.

According to the protest, on Thursday, Nimba County’s Administrative Manager Musa Kromah complained in a letter to the Ministry of Youth and Sports that Grand Bassa County played with four illegal players which included Trokon Jackson, Sekou Bayoh, Jerry Wleh and William Freeman.

Nimba County argued that Trokon Jackson, with jersey number 22, is registered with a playing Card# 12, with his name on the game sheet listed as Zizue Kollie, who was a 1st division player; and that William Freeman played for Gardnersville FC in the 1st division league.

The protest further said that goalie Sekou Blayoh, wearing jersey # 1, is a national team player who also playsfor Mighty Barrolle in the 2nd division, and Jerry Wleh, wearing jersey # 3, was banned by the Liberia Football Association for double registration with ELWA United and Hope FC.

The Kanneh Committee said that the LFA indicated that player William Freeman was not inspected on the referee’s date sheet; that player # 22 Zizue (Trokon Jackson) was inspected but was a reserve player and so did not form part of the game; that Trokon Jackson, whose playing card was seized and submitted to the LFA as part of the protested names, was not found on the referee’s game sheet; that the player wearing jersey # 3, Jerry Wleh, was inspected and actively participated in the match and player wearing jersey # 1; and that Sekou Bayoh was inspected and featured in the match.

Accordingly, based on the records from LFA and its subsequent findings, player Jerry Wleh is charged with misconduct for registering with two teams, ELWA United and New Hope, in the 2014/2015 LFA National League.

The LFA said further that Grand Bassa cannot be held to have violated the Regulations on Players’ Eligibility for the National County Sports Meet for player Sekou Bayoh because he wasn’t fielded on the turf though he was dressed.

Howbeit, the Committee argued that Nimba County’s protest was unclear, which contravenes 18.0 Article XVI, which reads: “Protests, grievances and complaints from a match must be registered on the report sheet before, during and immediately after the match, counter-signed by the opposing team’s captain, followed by a formal letter within two (2) hours. A non-refundable fee of L$7,000 shall be payable; investigation shall be carried out immediately (preliminary rounds), from the quarter finals thru finals, within 24 hours.”

The Committee said it established that Nimba County’s protest was not filed according to the rules, and as such, must suffer the consequences thereof and its complaint considered null and void.

“Subsequently, it is clearly established that both counties failed to adhere to the rules and regulations governing this tournament by grossly violating every aspect,” Chairman Kanneh said.

“The principal essence of this tournament is to promote peace, harmony and fair play which are fundamental for all sporting activities universally. It will be unfair to reprimand one county when both counties are in gross violation.”

However, Senators Prince Y. Johnson, Thomas Grupee, Rep. R. Matenokay Tingban, Mr. Harrison Karnwea and Dr. Frederick Norkeh of Nimba County have expressed disappointment over the Committee’s decision on Nimba’s protest, but said they are constrained to accept the verdict.

Grand Bassa County District # 3 Representative Gabriel Smith and the County Sports Steering Committee chairman Levi Dermie have threatened to appeal against the replay. But up to press time, Bassa has not filed any additional protest.

The coach of Muscat Football Club, Obadiah Gbeh, has clarified that the team is not dissolved after failing to qualify for the LFA second division league.

Speaking in a phone interview yesterday, Coach Gbeh noted that despite the team’s failure to qualify for the LFA second division league, executives of the team are having series of meetings in order to prepare the team for the upcoming LFA 3rd division championship league.

He said the team learned lessons from last season and will be tackling future assignments with more determination.

He added that the team has acquired a piece of land in Duport Road Community to be used as a training ground.

Commenting on the transfer of players, Coach Gbeh said several players, including midfielder Arku Morris, who is currently playing for Bong County in the ongoing National County Sports Meet, and Darlington Sumo, among others, are expected leave the team.

He also said that the team is identifying players in the ongoing National County Sports Meet.

Muscat FC was relegated from the second division in 2013 for featuring a suspended player in a match against Gadnersville FC. The team missed qualifying to the LFA Second Division after losing 1-0 New Hope FC of Margibi County.

Ansu Sirleaf, former no-nonsense defender of LPRC-Oilers and the national team, Lone Star, who lives in Philadelphia but is presently visiting Liberia, has been speaking on the Former LPRC Employees Association in the United States.

The following are excerpts of the interview he held with the Daily Observer yesterday in Monrovia. He first explained his mission to Liberia.

AS: It is two-fold and the first is to inform the management of the LPRC about the willingness of former employees now in the United States to provide some assistance to the Oilers Sports Association (OSA) and the second is on family issues.

DO: I understand that you did meet with the LPRC management; what was the outcome?

AS: At the meeting with the management, we were able to share our vision to join to provide support to the teams, both soccer and the basketball. We will now receive from the management the teams’ specific needs or roles that we can play from the United States.

DO: How many members are in the organization?

AS: I have on record 150 former employees of LPRC. The administration centers on Mr. Tenesio Tarpeh as chairman, I’m the vice chairman and Dr. Alex Johnson is the financial secretary. We presented a set of jerseys and 8 footballs to the football team and the basketball materials will be coming soon.

DO: You have been away for a while now, and visiting home, I am imagining you came in contact with some of your friends and others at the LPRC?

AS: That’s true. The three of us, as I mentioned earlier, met with some former LPRC officials, as well as the current management team. We met with Mr. Edwin Zelee, Coach Kadalla Kromah, Mr. Max Dennis, Senator Geraldine Doe, former defender Teah Dennis, Paul and James Jappah, Coach Kaetu Smith and many others that we honored with certificates of our appreciation for what they did for us.

DO: What is the objective of the Former LPRC Employees Association?

AS: Aware that we reside in different states across the United States, we felt it would be necessary for us to be there for each other. It is like a family thing, an idea that is gaining support. To a word I can say the objective is: ‘Being there for each other as a family of former LPRC employees.’ We intend to also meet every year in a reunion as a family.

DO: Let’s come back to your meeting with the current management of the LPRC. Did the management buy your idea?

AS: Yes. In fact Managing Director Sumo Kupee commended our farsightedness and promised to support our initiative of which we are grateful. We want to ensure that the Oilers Sports Association, now headed by former defender James Jappah, is able to cater to the interest of all the players to promote the corporation.

DO: What could be your final message to encourage others in the United States to emulate?

AS: Invincible Eleven and Mighty Barrolle—both teams have many former players and officials in the United States and so we are hoping that they can follow our example to do for each other as we are doing.

Former defender Ansu Sirleaf had a remarkable career and he featured regularly for Lone Star. He led LPRC-Oilers to many victories in the highly competitive national league in the 1990s, as well as in the CAF Cup Winners Cup (Mandela Cup).

The Liberia Handball Association (LHA) will today present certificates to 17 schools and 17 technicians who completed its recent training seminar in Monrovia.

The presentation will be made at the D. Twe Memorial High School campus, according to LHA president Mason Saweler.

He said there will be handball games before the presentation.

In a related development, Saweler said the LHA will host a Handball at School program in March 2016.

“The theme of Handball at School is ‘fun activity and learning’,” he said.

He explained that it will benefit 40-60 teachers to be drawn from at least five counties.

Subjects in the course, he said, will include introduction to handball, methods and playing, small games, basic defense play, basic attack play, among others.

He said the International Handball Federation (IHF) will send an expert, along with teaching materials.

“Already we have set our league for next month, February,” Saweler, who recently returned from a handball congress in Russia, said.

Grand Bassa County has made history to retain both the football and basketball titles, and emerged third in kickball competition.

This victory put the Gbehzohn boys to three in shelving the football tiara since the 1950s, second to Grand Kru and Nimba counties who have grabbed the title four times each.

The Gbehzohn boys were rated as the ‘overall winner’ in the 2015/2016 National County Sports Meet.

Bassa whipped Montserrado County 3-1 in lottery shot, following the 1-1 draw after a pulsating one-all 120-minute entertaining football at the crowded Antoinette Tolbert Stadium.

Vice President Joseph Boakai hailed both teams for the ‘game and fairplay,’ and said everyone is a winner.

The tournament’s highest goal scorer and Montserrado County goal puncher, Daniel Tuazama rattled the net in the 12th minute, through a lightning shot in the 20th yard box. The tournament’s most valuable player Markey Morgan gave the assist. The Providence Boys controlled the pace in the first half but failed to increase the tally owing to wide kicks from Markey Morgan and Robert Coleman.

After the break in the 52nd minute, Grand Bassa County’s most sensational player, David Paye rotated the goal, also through a diagonal shot in the 20th yard box.

Inarguably, Bassa’s midfield maestro Kweku Mensah with the help of newly introduced Jefferson Yekeh, changed the second half and statistically, the ball possession rated 55% to 45%.

Montserrado and Bassa goalies Andrew Dunah and Sekou Bayoh were exceptional, though both conceded a goal.

In the dying minutes, Dunah was replaced by Koffa Nimely, while Bayoh went out for Daniel Davies.

Bassa’s goalie Davies again stirred the crowd as he saved two penalty shots and Lizue Kollie struck the winning goal.

Over 5,000 Bassoians, including the President’s Press Secretary Jeremileck Piah, Senators Nyonblee Lawrence and Jonathan Kaipay as well as Gender Minister Julia Duncan Cassell led the wide celebration.

In the semi-finals, Bassa narrowly whipped Bong County 1-0, courtesy to Ralph George’s kick in a scramble ball.

Lofa County was medalled as the 3rd winner owing to a forfeit to Bong County, with a penalty of US$2,500.

In the kickball edition, Nimba County was crowned champion, after she beat Margibi County 4-0. This marked Nimba’s 2nd trophy in six years.

Bassa whipped Montserrado 6-5 points for the 3rd place.

In the basketball version over the weekend defending basketball champions Bassa whipped Grand Kru 57-54 points at the Sports Commission on Broad Street in Monrovia.

Grand Kru County took an early 11-6 point lead in the first quarter, but Grand Bassa came back strongly to win the second quarter 21-20 points.

Grand Bassa continued their splendid performance in the third quarter and what was expected to be the final quarter by taking an eight point lead (46-38 points), but Grand Kru bounced back to level the scores.

Grand Bassa again took a three-point lead in the dying minutes of the fourth quarter, but a three-point strike from the South Easterners leveled the scores once again.

And into the final two seconds, Grand Kru grabbed the greatest opportunity that they had longed wished for, with the award of two free throws.

In basketball, free throws, otherwise known as foul shots, are unopposed attempts to score points from a restricted area on the court (the free throw line; informally known as the foul line or the charity stripe), and are generally awarded after a foul on the shooter by the opposing team. Each successful free throw is worth one point.

A player of Grand Kru wearing jersey #10, who was fouled took up the responsibility, but miserably missed all two.

Had he gotten at least one of them, the game would have automatically been off, and Grand Kru was going to emerge as champions, because one or two seconds were not going to be enough for Bassa to come on level.

Following the double misses by Grand Kru, the game’s commissioners (match commissioners) immediately timed the match out, and allocated additional five minutes to find a winner.

It was then that Grand Bassa once again doubled up by going all out to reclaim the trophy they won in the 2013/2014 edition.

Elsewhere in volleyball, Bomi County won three straight sets against Montserrado County to claim the volleyball trophy.

Bomi won the match 25-22, 25-22 and 27-25 to obtain an over 77-69 point victory against Montserrado County in the grand final, which was also played at the Sports Commission on Saturday, January 16.

The United Nation Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) last Sunday continued its campaign against mob violence when its Community Outreach Unit gave out nonviolence wristbands to hundreds of soccer fans at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium (ATS).

Over 10,000 white and blue wristbands were handed out to players, match officials and spectators from the preliminary rounds to the finals of basketball and volleyball at the Sports Commission on Broad Street.

The wristbands have the message: “Stop Mob Violence and Use the Rule of Law – Mob Violence is a Crime.”

The UNMIL Community Outreach Unit of the Public Information Section kicked-off the distribution on Sunday, January 3 at the crowded Sports Commission during the preliminary rounds of the basketball and volleyball games and throughout the games on Saturday, January 16.

The wristbands were also distributed at the ATS up to the finals on Sunday, January 17.

Mr. Sabato Neufville, team leader of the UNMIL’s Community Outreach Unit, told the Daily Observer in an interview: “Taking into consideration the UNMIL drawdown on June 23 whereby Liberia will be taking care of her security, we are faced with mob violence, and being that sport is a motivating factor, we deemed it necessary to send a message of nonviolence to everyone.”

The Unit distributed similar wristbands and T-shirts in Ganta, Nimba County, following a situation that escalated into mob violence in that city last year.

There is a growing concern over the upward trend in mob violence incidents in 2015. From January to September 2013, there were 46 reported mob-violence related situations, up from 32 for the same period in 2012. This 44% increase is particularly disturbing as the recorded activities were more violent, with the tendency to kill victims and turn against security forces who attempt to intervene.

At least 12 victims were confirmed to have been killed by angry mobs, while many others sustained serious injuries requiring hospitalization.

The recent mob violence in Ganta, officials say, indicated an unusual occurrence for an alleged criminal to be literally lynched, sometimes to death, by an angry mob, including bystanders who simply have no inkling about the issue or the person involved.

UNMIL, in its message, announced that the law says that any person accused of committing a crime is presumed ‘innocent until proven guilty’ in a competent court which exercises appropriate jurisdiction on such matters, and that an accused person is entitled to bail as a constitutional right, unless in capital offence cases or if the offence does not qualify for bail.

“So people must understand this, and be patient to allow the system of law to play itself out,” Mr. Neufville said.

Grand Bassa County claimed victory in the football section of the National County Meet finals on Sunday, January 17, 2016. Victory celebrations since Sunday continue, particularly in Grand Bassa County.

But there has been a strange occurrence, which many people suggest has a deeper meaning than it appears.

The day after the victory, the weather in Monrovia changed for this time of the year – it rained, bringing along with it a chilling cold. Who is responsible for this? Man or nature?

Many Liberians say that such a drastic change in the weather may mean that someone outside our world is responsible and maybe it could mean nature celebrating Grand Bassa County’s Sunday victory, something to teach and warn the rest of Liberians about Grand Bassonians.

Though they are not directly blaming Grand Bassa County’s victory for the abrupt change in the weather to the works of forces beyond our control, they are nonetheless saying that, for example, when Bassa and Nimba met, the first and second time there was a lot of rain, accompanying cold weather, the latter they attributed to Nimbaians, who they say come from the cold. They assigned blame on Bassa for the rain “to increase the volumes of dwindling rivers that no longer served the ‘Nengee.’”

Nengee in Bassa refers to water entity, and it is widely believed in Liberia that many Bassa people are spiritually related to it.

“When Bassa and Nimba met, Nimba people brought the cold to create discomfort for Bassa people not to win while Bassa people on the other hand overcame it with rain.

“When Montserrado and Bassa met on Sunday, the sky became cloudy and there were droplets of rain. On Monday, yesterday, there was heavy rain, and it is unusual in this dry season for rain to fall like that,” some Grand Bassa supporters said on the streets of Monrovia.

“Bassa people please stop the rain, you have won already and don’t stop us from going out,” a young woman and Nimba supporter said.

November is the beginning of Liberia’s yearly dry season, while the interior parts of the country is characterized by severe cold and mist.

But with the unusual rain that started since the beginning of the game up to last night, some people’s mythological beliefs were broadened to the degree that Bassa people were associated with Nengee.

Though no one could be sure of the abovementioned events, and with many Bassa people neither confirming it, since Nengee is actually practiced in Rivercess, many will continue to make references to unusual events that remain unexplained to Liberians, thereby adding to their ambiguity.

The National Scrabble Association will host a three-day scrabble awareness tournament from February 11-13 at the campus of the J.L. Gibson Memorial School on Gurley Street, Phillip Gibson, a member of the association told the Daily Observer yesterday in Monrovia.

Quoting the association’s president Fomba Swaray, Gibson said the three-day tournament will bring 32 scrabble players from Monrovia together for the competition.

“The awareness tournament will launch the association’s future activities,” Gibson said.

He said like any other sport, Scrabble has a fair number of followers who want to see the game improved.

He explained that scrabble players have been meeting informally and engaging each other and testing their strength.

“We have had series of friendly games recently,” Gibson said, “We played in New Kru Town and on Duport Road.” He said it is time for the association, which association is recognized as a national body by the Ministry of Youth & Sports, to take its rightful place.

“This is a word game that shows how smart an individual can be to conjure up words for the fun of it,” Gibson said. “We hope that with the forthcoming games, those who are interested can join us.”

He said like other sporting bodies with international affiliations, scrabble also has its international association and it is about time Liberian players make their presence felt in the international or continental scrabble community.

Gibson said scrabble is a fun game that can bring the family together.

“It does not have an age-limit because everyone who is able to spell can play and, of course, scrabble has its own words for the game,” Gibson said.

He appealed to interested scrabble players to visit the venue of the forthcoming challenge for further details.

“We will host regional and national tournaments in the country,” he said.

The Chinese Language Institute at the University of Liberia drew 1-1 with the Science College recently at the UL sports pitch at Fendall Campus.

Science College got the opener in the first half through a scramble.

After a series of see-saw battles, a Confucius Institute that seemed inferior to their opponents found the equalizer through a penalty kick.

The friendly match, according to Dr. Huang, was to promote China-Liberia friendship.

He encouraged Liberians to learn the Chinese language and culture to better understand each other.

Mr. Konneh Boakai Zinnah of the Science College said the game will promote togetherness. According to him, the match was another way of encouraging those who have not realized the significance of bilingual learning.

CI’s Coach Charles Quaye expressed his happiness over the game and said it was a good encounter for them to de-stress and interact with one another through sport.

The excitement in the game resulted in the exchanges of conversations in Chinese by students of the Confucius Institute.

Liberia Football Association President Musa Bility may have been prevented from contesting the February 26 FIFA presidency, but he is not at a loss of ideas that could change the face of Liberian soccer.

But what is the value of ideas if they are not examined and at least tried?

Liberian football has had several competing challenges. It started from the loss to the Black Stars of Ghana in 2002 when there was a clear chance of Liberia qualifying for the Korea/Japan World Cup.

Liberia had humbled the Black Stars in Accra 3-1 and for the first time in history the gods of football had prepared the way for Liberia to appear in the World Cup.

Sadly, the return leg at home exposed Liberia’s unpreparedness; fate decided otherwise, and Ghana won 2-1.

“It was the end of the progress of Liberian football,” admitted journalist William Q. Harmon, a community soccer coach. “Liberians lost interest and that defeat affected their passion for the local game.”

Liberian football was set for a dangerous course, and thereafter successive presidents of the Liberia Football Association were set to face the most difficult problems imaginable.

Mr. Edwin Melvin Snowe (now Senator) was president of the LFA at the time and Mr. Musa Bility took over from him. Bility is a businessman and despite the challenges, he was convinced that he could turn things around for the best.

But aware of the mess at the time, he told the whole world that Liberian football was dead, and promised to revive it. Though he knew that the easy access to European football would make the job difficult, he held on to the belief that he would make some progress.
Commercialization

Bility has not been successful to get the Senate to appropriate more funds to develop football. His trump card was to use the business community to change things around.

The idea of commercialization is the result, but there were not many foreign businesses interested in putting money behind local football. Previously, Lonestar Cell MTN put its weight behind the national team but later withdrew and Bility managed to get Cellcom GSM to now put money behind the national team and the regular league. Can we honestly say that Bility has failed to commercialize football?

Youth Football
Since 2010 the Liberia Football Association has waited for the implementation of the Club Licensing System (CLS) to develop youth soccer. The CLS is different from the five-year youth program developed by Henry Browne’s Technical Department at the LFA. The CLS requires first division teams to have youth teams.
Browne’s Technical Department successfully carried out for the first time a regional 3rd Division Championship throughout the country. The finals were held in 2013 in Monrovia.

National County League
It is this part of the development that I am convinced Bility recently made a passionate appeal to the Ministry of Youth & Sports to turn the National County Soccer Meet to a National County League that the LFA, not the government, would manage.
If we are serious about developing talents, if we are serious about moving our youth football to another level, it would make sense to reconsider Bility’s recommendation.

Over 200 volunteers, who worked to ensure the success of the 2015 Liberia Marathon held on November 8, will on this Saturday be honored for their “immeasurable contributions” by the organizers.

The Volunteers Appreciation Event is expected to bring together volunteers, partners and friends of the Liberia Marathon.

According to Ms. Eunice Dahn, the program will be held at the San Zokie Beach on 19th Street at 4:00p.m. She stated that 56 of the over 200 volunteers, comprising of Liberians and foreign residents, would be certificated as outstanding volunteers.

“These are mostly volunteers who have worked with the Liberia Marathon since 2014. As volunteers, their commitment, sacrifice and dedication to the marathon cannot be overemphasized. These hard working men and women made the 2015 Liberia Marathon possible,” Ms. Dahn said.

“This is our way to thank the volunteers, because we don’t have money to pay them for their services. We have regular volunteers, stewards, medical volunteers, as well as volunteers from the Armed Forces of Liberia, the
Liberia National Police, the Liberia Red Cross amongst others, who worked together to make history.”

Accordingly, partners, sponsors and other stakeholders who have continued to contribute to the success of the marathon each year will be in attendance. Volunteers will also be able to share their experiences and a special motivational statement will be made by Mr. Daniel Dean, Assistant Minister at the Ministry of Commerce, and long time Liberia Marathon volunteer.

Over 2,000 runners participated in the 2015 Liberia Marathon, under the theme, ‘A New Beginning’. Originally slated to take place in August 2014, the race was postponed that year due to the outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in Liberia. The Liberia Marathon intended to be an annual event, was staged only twice before then – in 2011 and 2013. The marathon is the only long distance road race in Liberia and it is organized almost entirely by local and international volunteers. This event fosters the spirit of volunteerism, and showing appreciation for the wonderful work carried out by the volunteers cannot be over-emphasized, Ms. Dahn said.

The success of the recent county sports meet was hurt by protests and counter protests, procedural errors and poor lighting that alienated at least two counties and resulted in the refusal of Bong County to play against Lofa County for the 3rd place.

In an interview with the Daily Observer last Saturday in Monrovia, Coach Kasumu Sillah of Bong County said it was the first time for a County Meet to suffer multiple problems that he blamed on the Ministry of Youth & Sports and the Liberia Football Association.

“How can anyone be happy about the conclusion of the County Meet when Nimba and Bong were unhappy with procedural errors by officials?” Sillah said.

He said Bong County players received some of the worst treatment during the tournament.

“The players slept at a school auditorium in Soul Clinic,” he said. “This affected the team’s moral.” He indicated that promises made to the players were not fulfilled, which gave room for discontentment.

“How can 25 players sleep in one room like what happened to Bong County? And in fact, the food was not that good,” he said.

“With all due respect to everyone, it was the worst County Meet that I can remember.”

Sillah, who played three seasons for Bong County before moving on to the national scene, said the Ministry of Youth & Sports must coordinate properly with the Liberia Football Association to ensure that glaring mistakes in the just ended meet would not be repeated in the future.

He recalled that not too long ago, a County Meet edition was held with professional groups that provided and made available the rules of the games to all counties.

Sillah said rules about players’ eligibility must be made available ahead of the tournament and the LFA must show more than a passing interest to check and weed out its registered players to avoid unnecessary protests.

He said players’ welfare should also claim the attention of county officials so that they are not left frustrated due to poor handling of finances by team officials.

LISCR FC president Mustapha Raji could not believe what was happening. His boys had begun their 2-2 encounter against Wataga FC last Saturday on an impressive note.

Striker Chris Jackson scored the first goal for his side in the 10th minute and everything looked good for LISCR FC.

They kept the pressure on Watanga and earned three successive corner kicks that kept Watanga FC’s defense working overtime.

And truly the first 30 minutes seemed to have gone how LISCR FC decided it to go. But when an unmarked Watanga FC attacker headed a ball inside the 6-yard box directly into the goal, goalkeeper Tommy Songo was caught unawares.

He just stood there like an ordinary spectator, as the ball hit the back of his net.

He was flatfooted. With the game at 1-1 LISCR FC, unperturbed, resumed their attack as Watanga struggled to rise above their game.

Though LISCR FC increased the tally 2-1, goalkeeper Tommy Songo made a bad ball distribution that caused the goal against him.

Watanta FC had launched an offensive and goalkeeper Songo rushed out to bring the ball under control.

In the process, he sadly punched the ball onto the path of an opposing player who had the easy job of tapping the ball beyond his reach.

Songo, according to Coach Kasumu Silla, committed a similar poor ball distribution several months ago when LISCR FC played against a Diaspora Team in a friendly match.

Commenting on the game, Coach Silla, former national team goalkeeper, said it is time attention on goalkeeping becomes a concern to coaches and sports administrators.

He wants to help teams’ goalkeepers to get over “foolish mistakes.”

CAF Education Officer Francis Tamba admitted it is necessary to help goalkeepers.

He revealed that the LFA has applied to CAF for a training course for Liberian goalkeepers.

Meanwhile on Saturday, Pro Sisters drew 1-1 with NASKIDs and World Sisters defeated Island Queens 3-0.

Vice President Joseph N. Boakia has donated L$132,000 to each of the 15 counties, totaling L$1,980,000, in appreciation for their participation in the 2015/2016 County Meet.

The donation was done on Friday, January 23, in the offices of the vice president on Capitol Hill.

The vice president’s donation was owing to the “level of sportsmanship showed by counties” during the preliminary and finals of the Meet.

For instance, during the preliminary, Grand Cape Mount County almost boycotted the game owing to an alleged complaint from the match official and Gbarpolu dropped their protest against Lofa for fielding an alleged foreigner.

In Monrovia, Nimba County nearly went back to the mountains and hang their jerseys in the kickball version owing to their dissatisfaction over the Appeal Board ruling upholding the result between Nimba vs Bassa; and Lofa County dropped the protest against Montserrado County for allegedly fielding more than three players from a 3rd division team.

In a brief but heartfelt statement in expressing his appreciation Vice President Boakai said the funds was in fulfillment of his promise during the quarterfinals of the football and kickball categories in Monrovia.

Vice President Boakai stated that the “love of county” and the “oneness in spirit” showed that the country is moving forward. He added that the County Meet produces “good quality players” and if players who played for Nimba and Grand Gedeh in the 2012 finals were kept they would have represented the country in international tournaments.

An ardent fan of Arsenal, Vice President Boakai also said there are also some quality players from the just ended Meet.

Earlier, outgoing Youth and Sports Minister Eugene Nagbe thanked the vice president for his continued support to the Ministry and the county teams.

Bomi County Sports Coordinator, Rev. Stephen C. Kollie said “Vice President Boakai has filled our mouths with laughter” because of the donation.

On behalf of the Counties Rev. Kollie described the donation as a “worthy cause” and said the vice president helped them during the County Meet.

Deputy Sports Minister Henry B. Yonton, Jr. said besides uniting Liberians through sports, the games also provide temporary employment for the youthful players and technicians and develop sports infrastructure across the country with funding from the government.

He indicated that since 2006, the annual event has been decentralized and combined with other sports disciplines.

The Ministry of Youth and Sports has banned five players and three technicians, including officials from all sporting activities either directly or indirectly in Liberia for two years beginning January 25, 2016 to January 25, 2018.

The Ministry leveled the suspension owing to the “unwholesome conduct” exhibited during matches at the just ended 2015/2016 National County Sports Meet.

A release from the Ministry announced the affected players as Alex Doe (jersey #11), Alex Denessi (jersey #17), Mircus Weah (jersey #1), Kofie Brown (jersey #13) and Emmanuel Quoineh (jersey #24) all of Sinoe County football team.

Sinoe County’s Development Superintendent Sneh Johnson and Technical Director Dell Desmond were also banned.

The release said it was established that Sinoe County players and officials invaded the playing pitch and rained mayhem on the team of match officials and some personnel during the match between Grand Bassa County and Sinoe County at the Doris Williams Sports Stadium in Buchanan on December 15, 2015.

The Organizing Committee found the group guilty of Article XXI: Cautions and expulsion section Section 24.5, which states “Any player (s) and coach (es) caught fighting within the game vicinity before, during and immediately after the game shall be suspended and fined, as deem necessary,” it said.

The Ministry has also banished Bong County football team trainer Timothy Kromah for two years for an unwholesome conduct exhibited during the Bong County versus Grand Bassa County semi-finals played January 15, at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium.

It was further established that Kromah invaded the field while the game was in progress and smacked the referee in the face which constituted a violation of the rules and guideline governing the competition, precisely article XXII, section 24.5.

“This action becomes expedient as a way of deterring others who may harbor similar stance in the future to undermine the sanity of the competition which seeks to promote national peace and reconciliation; provide opportunities for small businesses to increase income; create temporary employment for young athletes to demonstrate their talents and provide additional opportunities for sports development.

Meanwhile, four counties have been fined US$8,500 for nonparticipation (forfeit).

The Youth and Sports Ministry said Sinoe, Lofa and Rivercess counties have each been fined US$2,000 for not participating in the volley game.

Bong County was fined US$2,500 for refusing to play the 3rd place match with Lofa County.