Amb. Onanuga takes LFA Awards to another level -As innovation takes over LFA Prepares For 2024 Awards Ceremony
By H Matthew Turry
MONROVIA – The Liberia Football Association (LFA), with oversight responsibility to implement football activities in the country, has updated the public on the status of the LFA annual awards ceremony, which is scheduled for December 7, 2024, at the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Ministerial Complex in Congo Town. The ceremony is being implemented through the LFA 2024 Awards Committee whose Chairperson Ambassador Christopher Hayes Onanuga has been providing updates about the award, noting that his Committee is charged to evaluate and appreciate best performers in the football arena annually.
Speaking at a news conference yesterday November 26, 2024, at the LFA Headquarters in Congo Town, the Committee Chair Ambassador Onanuga spoke highly of the anticipation of the Committee to showcase its commitment to motivating players, coaches, amongst others in the sector.
He said the 2024 award is a bit different from the previous ceremonies, with additional awards being added to the process which include Best Disciplined Player, Best Young Player, and Best Foreign Player, amongst others.
According to Amb. Christopher Onanuga, this year’s awards ceremony will comprise Fair play team, Young Player of the year, Best Referees, Best coach, Best Defender, Foreign player of the Year, Most Valuable Player and Best Reporter including Photographer of Year, respectively.
“A lot of innovation has been crumpled into this year’s award. And to make this happen requires funding, and this funding has been made possible by both the LFA and Friends in the private sectors,” he said.
He also announced by saying, “During the event, there will be another kind of award for media people, which should be coming directly from me. The journalists that cover and produce the best stories for this award 2024 will receive personally from me Twenty Thousand Liberian dollars (20,000. 00LD), and the second person will receive Ten Thousand Liberian dollars (10,00.00 LD).
Shedding more light on some of the awards, the 2024 Awards Committee Chair said the Best Discipline Player award is extremely important.
“This allows players to begin to understand that their day-to-day activities are monitored and respect for the officials on the field are important,” he said.
The Chairman of the 2024 Awards Committee told journalists that the Fair play Team Award, Best Goalkeeper, Highest Goal Scorer will be based on statistics, while the Best Referee for the 2024 league season will be voted by the Liberia Referees Committee respectively.
He added that the Coach Award category requires votes distributed to stakeholders with coaches 40% votes, captains carry 40% votes and media with 20% votes.
According to Mr. Onanuga, the awards program will be done in two phases which include indoor and outdoor events beginning with entertainment and the main event.
The 2024 Award Nominees
Nominees for Best Coach Women’s category include Patience Gwah of Determined Girls; Monroe Winn of Shaita Angels; and Cecelia Alpha of Ravia Angels.
For the Best Coach 2nd Division Category, nominees include Abraham Sese from Blackman Warriors; Alphonso W.H.Moore from Shaita FC; and Stephen G. Tarr from Discoveries SA.
Under the Best Coach 1st Division Category, nominees include Cooper Sannah of Watanga FC; Dominic Savice of Paynesville FC; and Kelvin Segbwe of Invincible Eleven FC.
Highest Goal Scorer Category Women’s category nominees include Mabinty Camara of Determined Girls, while the Men’s 2nd Division highest goal scorer nominee is Matthew T. Williams of Gardnesville FC; and the Men’s 1st Division Highest goal scorer nominee is Clement Zubah of Mighty Barrolle.
For the Best Defenders women category, nominees include Ruggy Joof of Determined Girls FC; Faith C. Nwaigwe of Shaita Angels; and Hajar Kelleh of Soccer Ambassadors.
As for the 2nd Division Men Category Best Defenders, nominees include Jah R. Nyanforh of Blackman Warriors; Lawrence Taylor of Shaita FC; Augustine Mulbah of Discoveries SA; and Nathaniel V. Sebgbe of Blackman Warriors.
For the 1st Division Best Defenders, nominees include Alexander Curtis of Watanga FC; Eugene Swen of Paynesville FC; Santigie Koroma of LISCR FC; and Natus Swen of Watanga FC.
Within the Best Young Player Women’s category, nominees include Makasian Siryon of Ravia Angels; Jessica Quachie Real Muja; and Louise Brown of Determined Girls.
As for the Best Young Players Men’s category, nominees include Jonathan Freeman (17yrs) of Discoveries SA; Clement Zubah (18yrs) of Mighty Barrolle; and Emmanuel Sieh (18yrs) of Watanga FC.
For the Best Foreign Players Women’s category, nominees include Mabinty Camara (Guinea) of Determined Girls; Mbassey Darboe (Gambia) of Determined Girls; and Mary Nunoo (Ghana) of Shaita Angels.
Men Best Foreign player category nominees include Ishmael Dumuyah (S. Leone) of Bea Mountain; Yusifu Kargbo (S. Leone) of Heaven Eleven; and Santigie Koroma (S. Leone) of LISCR FC.
For the Most Valuable Player 2024 Women’s category, nominees include Mabinty Camara of Determined Girls; Makasian Siryon of Ravia Angels; Erica Parson of Shaita Angels; and Mbassey Darboe of Determined Girls.
As for the MVP 2nd Division category nominees include Matthew T. William of Gardnersville; Jonathan Freeman of Discoveries SA; Augustine Dayougar of Blackman Warriors; and Momo Blamo of Shaita FC.
Finally, for the MVP 1st Division category, nominees include Clement Zubah of Mighty Barrolle; Ishmael Dumuyah of Bea Mountain; Emmanuel Sieh of Watanga FC; Nuch Zohn of Mighty Barrolle; and Abdullah Yaya Bility of Heaven Eleven.