Popular Sierra Leone Football Stakeholder and Chairman of Old Edwardian Football Club Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai has informed the Press of his “decision to resign effective immediately as Chair of the club After 11 yrs.

“time to seek a new venture- grassroots football. Grateful for the opportunity.” he revealed to the public said

Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai is a courageous human rights lawyer, the publisher of Sierra Leone’s News Watch newspaper, and one of the founders of the Renaissance Movement of Sierra Leone, made up of youth who want to improve their country.

He has served as one time chairman of the Sierra Leone Premir League. Under the astute and capable leadership of Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai, who was the Chairman of the Premier League Board, football has been elevated to another level after a long period that it was in coma due to wrangling among major stakeholders whose business it was to promote.

This dynamic young man had demonstrated the passion, courage and dogged determination to ensure that the game is properly restored and taken to a higher level.

Undoubtedly, the Premier League was going on very smoothly in different parts of the country and there has never been any major incidence of foul play or hitches that might have set it back albeit minor ones which is quite understandable

The premier league was taking place outside of the control of the Sierra Leone Football Association which was in turmoil with two of its top executives on trial for corruption and a ban from FIFA.

Saffa has vowed to bring local football back for the fans. The League he ran got financial support in the absence of FIFA.

Various matches were broadcasted on national TV, radio, and online. “Those who could not be in the stadium, fans in the diaspora are always tuned in online to watch AYV broadcast and stream on its website, mobile app and Facebook,” the PLB Chairman intimated.

The league he ran was a welcome respite from the political issues of the day. As of now the SLPP and APC politicians were supporting the same local teams intermittently taking their attention off politics.

“Indeed what makes football a beautiful game is less about what happens on the pitch but more about the bond it creates amongst people,” Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai  once mentioned with pride.