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The Executive chairman of Bo Rangers Football Club has expresses concerns as the organisers of the 2022 Insignia Awards snubbed the sporting sector.
In his famous statement, he started by indicating that the curtains have been drawn on this year’s Insignia Awards hosted at the precinct of the most important building in our Republic. He beleives this annual ceremony, witnessed by the creme de la creme in our society, is supposedly held to recognise, inter alia, persons who have made outstanding contributions to Sierra Leone. As the pomp and glitz subsided following the departure of the Presidential motorcade, he found time to go through the list of those award.
He started by congratulating all recipients at this year’s award ceremony. He believes their recognition is no mean feat. It demonstrates, or should demonstrate their hard work, dedication and exemplary service to national development, thus worthy of recognition. Babadi is sure that picture with the President will be framed and kept forever, to be seen by generations to come. He Congratulated them once again for this achievement.
As he went through the list, unsurprisingly though, he noticed there was no name from our sporting industry. He believes this omission reinforces the stereotype that permeates the sports industry in our country. He pointed out that For many, sports is the exclusive reserve for the never-do-wells in our society and therefore undeserving of any national recognition. ”So, why do the public berate national players, coaches and teams when they underperform if their very best pales in the eyes of those who decide on who should be recognised?.”he stated
He emphasized that It is time to change this trajectory. Those who decide should have recognised our exploits at the just-concluded AFCON 2021. He beleives certainly, for all his adult life, and perhaps all his life, it was the only time that he saw a nation united with one aim and one destiny, transcending all vices that continue to plague us as a nation. From Krubola in the North to Gendema in the South, from Bomaru in the East to River No.2 in the West, the whole country was brought to a standstill on match days as we all watched our darling Leone Stars play in the biggest continental competition after 25 years. He highlighted Coach John Keister, a national, qualified us, Goalkeeper Mohamed Kamara’s extraordinary displays earned him a spot in the competition’s group stage team, and Musa Kamara’s (Musa Tombo) stunner against Ivory Coast got the goal a place among the top 10 goals of the tournament. Yet, those in the decision-making Committee did not think about recognising the architects of the ecstasy that gripped the nation, making us forget, even if temporarily, our daily worries. What a travesty!
He concluded by stating that National award ceremonies should not be about celebrating only the high and mighty in our society. It should not be about cherry picking what areas that ought to be recognised. It should be about those who have made etched their names in history in their various disciplines. It should be about those who have made positive impact, irrespective of the discipline, including those in sports.
He referenced MO Farah, the Somali-born British long-distance runner was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire and later knighted because of his contribution to sports. He beleives we can emulate this as sports play an integral part in nation building and must be recognised, like all other occupations.
