By Foday Moriba Conteh
One of Serra Leone’s leading mobile telecommunications companies in the country, Africell, has been announced by the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) as the official Sponsor for Leone Stars in the AFCON Competition and Premier League during a signing sponsorship agreement between the company and the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) which took place at the Africell Headquarters at Wilberforce Village in Freetown on the 1st October 2021.
This partnership agreement will see Africell as the official sponsor for the Leone Stars AFCON finals with a total sponsorship package worth 700 Million Leones. They also announced a yearly sponsorship package of 1.2 Billion Leones for the Sierra Leone Premier League, which will last for a period of four years.
In his statement, President of the Sierra Leone Football Association, Thomas Daddy Brima expressed delight over the partnership with Africell of which he described the moment as a beginning of a new football era in the country.
He revealed that they did not handpicked Africell to be the official sponsor of Leone Stars but rather they passed their exams, adding that the Association sent out letters to Sierra Leoneans and institutions in order for them to come forward and give back to society stating that they are still looking ahead for support adding that while they are waiting Africell has offered Seven Hundred Million Leones (Le700, 000,000) as their support.
He however informed the gathering that Africell told them that they will buy their jerseys and reproduce replicas which they will market in order to get more money and further promised to give the SLFA more support in order to be successful in their ventures.
With regards the Sierra Leone Premier League, he disclosed that Africell decided to give $120,000, as sponsorship, for five years but said since his tenure will last for only four years so he appealed to Africell to give that amount of money as sponsorship for four years to which, he said, the company consented. He stated that the signing ceremony looked like an MOU but for him it is a relationship between SLFA and Africell.
On his part, the Chief Corporate Affairs Officer of Africell, Joe Abass Bangura, stated that his company’s commitment to support football in the country is incomparable of which he said the signing of the sponsorship agreement means that Africell is the official sponsor of Leone Stars and the Sierra Leone Premier League.
He maintained that during the launch of the Leone Stars African Cup of Nations Supporters Tour to Cameroon Project on the 14th September 2021 at the Bintumani Conference Centre, the Managing Director of Africell, Shadi Gerjawi, committed to His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio that Africell Mobile Company will continue to give its unflinching support to football, adding that the signing of the sponsorship agreement between Africell Sierra Leone and the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) is a fulfillment of that commitment.
Underscoring the sponsorship package, he revealed that Africell will give a direct cash component of Seven Hundred Million Leones (Le700, 000,000) and indirect support which includes the printing of promotional materials, the production and broadcasting of materials, Content and event planning, production and sales of merchandise etc. He also informed the gathering that Africell will also designate a short code for any raffle or event that will give supporters the opportunity to win packages to be eligible to attend the AFCON in Cameroon.
In another development, during a Press Briefing held on Saturday 2nd October, 2021 at the Africell American Corner on Bathurst Street in Freetown, the Head Coach of Leone Stars, John Keister informed pressmen that the Leone Stars will be leaving the shores of Freetown on Saturday 2ndOctober, 2021 to Morocco with some home based and foreign players where they will be playing three friendly matches against The Gambia, South Sudan and Morocco.
He said that after 25 years Sierra Leone was fortunate to qualify for the Africa Nations Cup and in that regard the Leone Stars will be embarking on these three friendly in Morocco to test the fitness of the team and identification of personnel which will give them an idea towards preparation as they head for the Africa Nations Cup in Cameroon.
John Keister said that the Technical Team has been able to get both home and foreign based players that will report for the friendly matches in Morocco.
Other speakers present at the ceremony, which includes the Chief Corporate Affairs Officer of Africell, Joe Abass Bangura, the Vice President of the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) Harold Nat-Johnson, and the Deputy Executive Director of National Sports Authority (NSA), Dr. Abdul Rahman Swaray, also made a statement.
