Where In Barrolle is “Union Strong”?
 

By Omari Jackson

   The recent annual conference of Barrolle/Ameweh Union (USA) in Trenton, New Jersey, paraded memorable names of the bygone years of Liberia’s soccer glory but a closer look at the spirit of friendship pronounced at the end of it, demonstrated the nagging feeling that all was not well.

      The list of the former stars was remarkable, for some of us were in diapers when they were entertaining the Liberian people:

     Read them here: Charles Babe Ray Woelful, Patrick Arthur, Solomon Sipply, Philip Klah, Forkay Nepay, Roland Brown, George Sackor, Emmet Trinity, Jerry Verdier, Christopher Nippy, Matthew Brown, Frank Rambo, Henry “VC10” Bernard, Sarkpa Nyanseor, Lamphrey James, G. Blanca Bowman, James Monyoukaye and James Morgan.

   Like when I was a teenager and the news about the ever-present conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians was reported, I could not believe it, because I had long thought that Israel was a nation in the heavens.

    So names like Sarkpa Nyanseor, (Rock of Gibraltar), Solomon Sipply, Forkay Nippay and Patrick Arthur, just to mention a few, were all present in flesh and blood at the recent conference, is something to imagine and relish over.

    Those former stars were always mentioned whenever Lone Star met a misfortune in many of its competitions, and thanks to Liberian musician Robert Toe, the airwaves did not deny us the exploits of those former stars.

    But here I must request a moment of silence for the memory of Robert Toe, for Robert was killed at the end of the first round of the war in Monrovia when soldiers of Prince Johnson’s INPFL arrested him, when he sought food on Bushrod Island for his children.

   Meanwhile on the Jersey convention the good old Max Willie, (of ELBC fame), reporting on the conference, among others, mentioned a dissenting group of the association, and even branding one of Liberia’s ever-green goalkeepers, Zeogar Wilson, as an instigator.

   It reminded me of the years of civil-war in Liberia where several Liberians did not want their compatriots to win over them in the race to organize rebel groups. This is an unfortunate reminder of the horrible years we are fighting hard to leave behind, and my readers should forgive me for that.

    But when, for whatever reason, a man like Zeogar Wilson who sacrificed limb and his youth to entertain thousands in those glorious days, is branded as an instigator, then there is a need for concern.

   How many of us did not rejoice over the exciting performance of Mr. Wilson, when he manned the post for Mighty Barrolle and Lone Star? Those personal sacrifices should not be overlooked.

   But in all human affairs, many of us don’t agree to what others think is the necessity. And I am aware of Mr. Wilson’s recent scathing attack against a section of the movement. In that brief spar for attention, I could imagine Mr. Wilson shouting himself hoarse on what he, apparently observed as what was wrong in the board of directors. However he might have handled it, the fact, as far I am concerned, bothered on the need to do some things right.

    Reporting on the issue, Max Willie wrote: “The then issue of the withdrawal of the Trenton Chapter under the control of Mr. Zeogar Wilson resurrected and overwhelmed the Conference, as well as the debate to admit to Union membership a group of Barrolle in Trenton under the leadership of Mr. Lafayette Cooper who arrived out of the three-year vacuum to apply for membership.”

   Though it is debatable, Liberians pride ourselves, always emphasizing that, “In Union Strong Success Is Certain,” and therefore with the current canker in the union, it is easy to insist that all is not well. The Board and Zeogar must iron out their differences, and give peace a chance!

      Another issue that caught my attention is the honor done to Mass Saar Jr, when he was honored with the “Alhaji Kromah Dedication Award.” As a sports writer during his active days in Liberia, Mass Sarr, Jr demonstrated his lack of respect to journalists. Drowning in what he thought was money that no one had ever made, Mass Saar, Jr did not realize the role the media and in particular certain sports writers played in his life.

       At the 1996 African Nations Cup in South Africa, Mass Saar, Jr felt that his association in the inner-circle of George Weah entitled him to insult me, for an alleged story about Weah that he believed I had reported to Liberia.

    Since George Weah could not do any wrong, Mass Saar, Jr, dancing to his boss’ sentiments, else he would not be allowed to feature for the Lone Star, accosted me during the team’s lunch time at our hotel.

   Though George Weah was present, Mass Saar felt it was his duty to throw me a derogatory remark, the moment they (George Weah and co) returned from an inner-circle meeting, that I had no knowledge of.

   The alleged report on Weah, published in Monrovia after Lone Star’s unimpressive performance against Gabon, though Liberia won 2-1, quoted Weah explaining the uncooperative efforts of certain Lone Star players on the field of play.

   Though I had no knowledge of the report, it then surfaced later that it was Mr. Weah who had called his home in Monrovia complaining to one of his hangers on there, who in turn contacted a journalist in Monrovia who then published the report.

    The newspaper report was faxed to Mr. Weah while we were still in South Africa, and Mr. Weah claimed innocence of how the report got to Liberia, though he did not explain how he was quoted verbatim, and whether he had mentioned such complaints elsewhere. Since I was the only journalist with the team in South Africa, I became the culprit, and it was giving a dog a bad name and hanging it to death.

    It was the late Wilfred Lardner (Tijani), (May God bless his soul) who, when he heard the report insisted, though he had not even talked to me at the time, that I could not have done a thing like that without doing the actual interview.

   And to show that he was loyal to Mr. Weah, Mass Saar, Jr threw insults at me, though Mr. Weah could not give me the benefit of the doubt.

    There are other incidents involving certain sports writers that Mass Saar, Jr disrespected because, as far as the world was concerned, he was a professional soccer player, and therefore he was not accountable to anyone.

    Mr. Alhaji Kromah, ex president of the Barrolle Sports Association, did a lot for the BSA, and to honor a former player with his award is all good, but for Mass Saar, Jr to earn that award, to me, is an unfortunate incident. I used the expression an “unfortunate incident” because the honor was done as an appreciation for his association for Barrolle.

   The world over, stars are role models for others, but for Mass Saar, Jr, he has a dent in his career, for the disrespect that he dished out to those who helped to make him realize his dream as a soccer star, and so I can assure him that when the history of Liberian soccer comes to be written, he will be mentioned for what he failed to take cognizance of.

About the author: Omari Jackson is a journalist and a writer.