By Amin Kef (Ranger)
Madam Tuma Jabbie Gento Kamara, the indomitable and very supportive spouse of one of Sierra Leone’s highly acclaimed and most celebrated philanthropists, Mohamed Gento Kamara, the endorsed SLPP Aspirant for the Mayoral position in the Freetown City Council ,whose kind and countless selfless gestures have and continues to positively touch lives and communities countrywide, stepped into the shoes of her husband, who was unavoidably engaged in a very important assignment, as she graced the Quarter Finals Kick-Off Ceremony of the ongoing, “Friends of Ibrahim Nyelenkeh Hands Off Our Girls Female Inter-Community Football Competition” at the Carlton Carew Community on Wilkinson Road in Freetown, on the 18th April, 2023, before the Kola Tree and Cole Farm Community Female Football Teams locked horns in a well attended football match.
Welcoming Madam Tuma Gento Kamara was the Minister of Sports, Ibrahim Nyelenkeh, who said he was overwhelmed and pleased to heartily receive such an influential and result-oriented woman in their midst and thanked her for coming. He informed Madam Tuma Gento Kamara that he has been very supportive to the advancement of female football in the country maintaining how such is one of the singular reasons why he is supporting the “Friends of Ibrahim Nyelenkeh Hands Off Our Girls Female Inter-Community Football Competition” which has now reached the Quarter Finals stage.
The Minister assured the athletes that Her Excellency Dr. Fatima Bio will hopefully grace the Grand Final to also demonstrate her commitment and support to female football as well as female empowerment, an information that was greeted with a thunderous applause from all the corners of the football pitch.
He went forward to establish the fact that the competition was organized in order to identify talented women and to also encourage them to play football and secondly to complement the “Hands Off Our Girls” Campaign.
Prior to her taking the kick-off, for the commencement of the match, she informed the organizers, players and spectators of how she highly attaches importance to the game of football highlighting how it has the magnetic force of uniting people from different backgrounds, further underscoring that when she noticed that the competition is couched within the ambit of the “Hands Off Our Girls” campaign, which according to her, is a very good initiative geared towards combating Sexual and Gender Based Violence, she told herself that it should be a must for her to be there in the place of her husband.
In a highly charged mood, she encouraged the competing female footballers to do their best in enhancing their potentials underpinning that through the application of dedicated efforts some might end up becoming great stars.
“I am so excited to see women play football and at the same time it gives me so much joy to fully support women empowerment and I am optimistic that one day you will realize your potentials and dreams,” Mrs. Tuma Gento Kamara expressed goodwill.
Madam Gento Kamara commended the First Lady, Dr Fatima Bio for her tremendous strides taken so far in sensitizing communities right across the country through the “Hands Off Our Girls” campaign about the dangers of Sexual and Gender Violence and the affirmative actions so far taken in dealing with violators. She admonished the girls to speak against any form of violence and to come forward to report cases of violation.
As it is usually the case, the atmosphere was very lively as supporters and community residents were chanting and singing songs in support of their teams as well as in support of her husband, Mohamed Gento Kamara’s bid to contest in the forthcoming June 24th Multi-Tier Elections as Mayor for the Freetown City Council.
In another event, Madam Tuma Gento Kamara who has proved that by the side of any great man there is a woman instead of behind any successful man there is a woman, joined worshippers at the Faith U.B.C Church on Regent Road in Lumley as they celebrate their Women’s Day and Thanksgiving Service on the 16th April, 2023 during a well attended service.
One of the preachers during the service was the mother of the Mayoral Aspirant, Mohamed Gento Kamara, an ordained Reverend, who admonished the congregation that it is not only enough in the sight of God to be professing that one is a born again Christian but rather one’s faith must be reflective in one’s actions. She preached of the importance of parents showing love for the kids of other families and not to nurture hatred against them highlighting how destinies are not the same further underpinning that God wants us to live in unity, peace and harmony.
“To all the women of Faith U.B.C Church I implore you to embrace God and one another because if you are committed and dedicated to the things of God you could move mountains,” she further enjoined.
In her capacity as the Grand Chief Patron, Madam Tuma Gento Kamara, told the congregation how she was prevailed upon by her husband to fly back home just to be in attendance of the service and came the previous night.
She informed the congregation about the endorsement of the aspiration of her husband to be the next Mayor of the Freetown City Council and of her support in making it real, saying she alone and her mother-in-law could not do the campaigning to translate her spouse’s intention which is why she is using the opportunity to reach out to all the women, particularly those in the Western Area, to join her in supporting him in his bid.
She stated that when she landed at the Freetown International Airport she felt that she was still in New York or Dubai further expressing the view that it would not really tell well for visitors to leave the Airport and see the capital city in a rundown state which is why all must join forces to make him the next Mayor of the Freetown Municipality in order to join forces together in revolutionizing things in the Municipality and make it befitting.
She expressed hope and optimism that her husband will be the Saviour to deliver Freetown from its present dilapidated state further praying for God presence to be with him and give him the will and wherewithal to deliver on his promises. Madam Gento Kamara said there are three basic things that are to be urgently addressed in the Western Area or City of Freetown which are water, electricity and healthcare.
She pleaded with the women to join hands in support of her husband’s candidature and concluded by donating Le 40 Million Leones to the women of the church on behalf of her husband after which the Women’s Leader and Reverend profusely showed appreciation and gratitude forming the climax of the thanksgiving service.
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