MONROVIA — Senior Female Professional Football Club President Emmett Stages Glassco has responded to former Liberia Football Association (LFA) President Musa Hassan Bility’s latest Facebook statement, cautioning that Africa’s football liberation must not become another struggle centered around personalities.
By Christopher C. Walker | [email protected] | 0777898224/0886723075
Bility, a former LFA president and former Confederation of African Football (CAF) Executive Committee member, recently declared that he feels “vindicated” over his long-standing criticism of FIFA President Gianni Infantino and what he describes as the growing influence of world football’s governing body over African football.
In a lengthy statement, Bility revisited the events surrounding the 2016 FIFA presidential election, the 2017 CAF leadership change, his fallout with FIFA, and his subsequent disciplinary case.
He argued that the reform movement that helped bring Ahmad Ahmad to the CAF presidency was eventually hijacked, accusing FIFA of using money, dependency, and institutional influence to consolidate control over African football.
Responding to Bility on Facebook, Glassco noted that while the former LFA president raises issues that deserve serious discussion, the conversation must extend beyond Infantino, FIFA, or Bility himself.
‘African Football Cannot Be Liberated by Replacing One Powerful Individual With Another’
Glassco said he agrees with the call for greater independence, transparency, and accountability in African football, but warned against treating Bility’s version of events as the complete picture.
“African football cannot be liberated simply by replacing one powerful individual or institution with another,” Glassco argued.
He emphasized that genuine liberation requires institutions where “no president, executive committee, federation, political authority, or international body is above the rules.” He added that this same principle must apply universally to FIFA, CAF, and national associations, including the LFA.
Glassco Shifts Focus From Infantino to Institutional Power
While Bility’s statement strongly criticizes Infantino and CAF’s relationship with FIFA, Glassco argued that the deeper issue is institutional dependency.
He pointed out that many African football associations remain heavily dependent on FIFA and CAF funding while domestic leagues struggle to generate sustainable commercial revenues.
“If African football associations depend heavily on FIFA and CAF funding, if national associations lack strong domestic commercial revenues, if leagues remain financially weak, and if many football administrators fear losing access to resources when they disagree with those in power, then the problem is much bigger than one FIFA president,” Glassco said, stressing that Africa’s football crisis is structural and demands structural solutions.
‘Independence Does Not Mean Immunity From Accountability’
Highlighting accountability, Glassco noted that Bility has every right to tell his story and demand transparency if he believes he was treated unfairly.
However, he insisted that the same standard must apply to all African football administrators.
“We cannot demand transparency from FIFA while refusing to demand transparency from our own football associations,” Glassco stated, warning against condemning the concentration of power at FIFA while tolerating it within national associations.
“The liberation of African football must begin at home,” he added.
‘Africa Must Stop Being Used as a Block of Votes’
Despite challenging aspects of Bility’s narrative, Glassco agreed that African football associations deserve a stronger voice in major global decisions.
He stressed that CAF should not speak on behalf of the continent without properly consulting its 54 member associations.
“CAF should coordinate African football, not speak over African football,” Glassco said, drawing a firm line between continental coordination and continental control.
He warned African leaders against turning the continent’s collective votes into political currency.
Money Should Not Buy Political Silence
Addressing FIFA and CAF development funding, Glassco acknowledged its contributions to the game across Africa, but warned against allowing financial aid to become a mechanism for political obedience.
“A football association receiving development money must still have the courage to ask questions,” he said. “A federation receiving grants must still be able to disagree.”
According to Glassco, development funds should build robust, self-sustaining institutions rather than foster reliance on donor bodies.
‘African Football Must Look in the Mirror’
While Bility places much of the blame for African football’s problems on FIFA’s influence, Glassco urged African administrators to take responsibility for domestic governance failures.
He questioned the absence of strong domestic leagues, sustainable club ownership models, independent commercial structures, transparent financial systems, modern academies, and properly developed women’s football across the continent.
He also questioned whether African football has built institutions capable of surviving the departure of individual leadership.
“Africa cannot achieve football independence while remaining financially and institutionally dependent on personalities,” Glassco stated.
Glassco Points to the LFA
Turning to the domestic scene, Glassco cited Liberia as a prime example of why reform must begin locally.
He argued that the country’s football challenges cannot be solved by backing individual factions, calling instead for an LFA that operates strictly within its statutes.
He advocated for transparent financial management, meaningful consultation with Congress and stakeholders, independent committees, and rigorous auditing of development funds.
“If we are serious about liberating African football, then Liberia must demonstrate that principle at home,” Glassco said.
‘Do Not Build Reform Around Personalities’
Reflecting on Bility’s account of the reform movement that preceded Ahmad Ahmad’s presidency and its subsequent collapse, Glassco noted that while history will judge those events, a key lesson stands out.
“Never build a reform movement around personalities. Build it around institutions,” he said, emphasizing that while presidents and political alliances change, respected statutes, empowered congresses, transparent finances, and independent disciplinary procedures must endure.
Calls for Independent Investigation
Glassco rejected both the automatic dismissal and blind acceptance of Bility’s allegations.
He stated that Bility’s past controversial record should not preclude his claims from being examined, but insisted that all allegations must be backed by evidence and subjected to independent inquiry.
“If there were improper attempts to influence African football leaders, investigate them,” Glassco said. “If there were financial or governance abuses, investigate them.”
He similarly called for full transparency regarding whether CAF decisions were made without proper consultation or if FIFA exerted undue influence over the continental body.
‘Africa Does Not Need to Be Anyone’s Firewall’
Concluding his response, Glassco reiterated that the game belongs to member associations, clubs, players, coaches, referees, supporters, and the African public—not exclusively to FIFA, CAF, wealthy individuals, or political blocs.
“Musa Bility is right about one thing: African football must never again surrender its independence out of fear,” Glassco said. “But African football must also never confuse independence with impunity.”
He added that the future of African football will not be secured by defending or attacking Infantino or Bility, but by constructing institutions where “statutes become stronger than personalities, and accountability becomes stronger than political loyalty.”
“Africa does not need to be anyone’s firewall,” Glassco wrote. “Africa needs to become its own house transparent, democratic, financially accountable, and free.”
