MONROVIA – Former Minister of Youth and Sports, D. Zeogar Wilson, has thrown his full weight behind the re-election bid of Mustapha Raji, describing his leadership as the most transformative chapter in the modern history of the Liberia Football Association (LFA).
By: Julius Konton, contributing writer
In a widely circulated video interview, Wilson, who worked closely with Raji for six years during his cabinet tenure, portrayed the incumbent football boss as a reformer whose vision has re-anchored Liberian football where it matters most at the grassroots.
“I worked with him long enough to know his passion is genuine,” Wilson said. “His dreams are not just words; they are on display. You can see them clearly in youth football: the Under-15, Under-17, and Under-20 programs.”
Rebuilding from the Foundation
Wilson emphasized that sustainable football development begins at the grassroots a principle he says Liberia had long ignored due to years of institutional fragility and underinvestment.
According to the former Minister, Raji’s administration reversed that trajectory by prioritizing youth competitions, structured leagues, and talent identification pipelines.
Historically, Liberia’s football system leaned heavily on raw talent rather than organized development.
While the country famously produced a Ballon d’Or winner in George Weah, structured youth systems lagged behind regional peers for decades.
Wilson argued that Raji’s tenure marked a decisive break from that stagnant past.
“For a long time, grassroots football disappeared from our national focus. Today, it is back and visibly so,” he noted.
Women’s Football: From Struggle to Surge
One of the most notable shifts under Raji’s leadership, Wilson noted, has been the resurgence of women’s football.
He recalled earlier struggles to institutionalize the women’s game, even during the era of pioneering advocates such as the late Geraldine Doe-Sheriff, affectionately known as “Lady Zico,” and trailblazer Kiadiatu Daran.
“Those women were champions of the game, but the system was not ready,” Wilson reflected.
Today, the landscape is markedly different.
Female leagues and clubs have proliferated across Liberia, participation numbers are rising, and women’s football now features prominently in national planning mirroring a broader continental trend where women’s participation has grown significantly over the past decade.
Capacity Building and International Recognition
Beyond the pitch, Wilson highlighted sustained investment in human capital. Liberian coaches and referees now routinely participate in certification courses and seminars at home and abroad, many supported through international football development programs.
A landmark achievement came when a Liberian referee officiated at a FIFA youth tournament, a milestone Wilson attributes to improved governance and technical training under Raji’s leadership in collaboration with FIFA.
“For the first time in our history, one of our referees officiated at a youth World Cup. That did not happen by accident,” Wilson said.
Wilson urged stakeholders to consider endorsements from across the football divide, noting that former LFA presidents, including Edwin Melvin Snowe Jr. and Musa Bility, have praised Raji’s developmental strides despite past political rivalries.
With the elections approaching, Wilson framed the decision as one of continuity versus disruption.
“Stakeholders, you know Mustapha Raji. You work with him. His success is your success. Don’t throw that away,” he urged. “You are the voters. Give him a third term.”
He concluded by pointing to the growing prestige of the LFA league’s closing ceremonies, where players now receive vehicles, cash prizes, and formal awards incentives he says were unheard of in earlier eras.
“This encouragement, this vision, this momentum these are real, tangible changes,” Wilson said. “Let him finish the mission.”
