Monrovia – Liberia’s First Lady Clar Marie Weah has openly apologized to players of the female national team for her delay in fulfilling her promise to them.
Madam Weah in February prior to the team’s departure for the maiden edition of the West African Football Union (WAFU Zone A) women’s nations cup in Sierra Leone told the players they will get a winning bonus of US$5,000 per game.
The promise which served as extra motivation for the players saw the Lone Star female team winning three games in the tournament and finished the tournament by winning third place prize which took the bonus for the players to $15,000.
“Like I said when you guys were here on St. Valentine’s Day, I want to be more involved. How I wish I could travel with you, to be with you and motivate you. You know what I mean. Be with you from practice to game but I got some schedules coming-up.
“So, while I will be with you in spirit, I am promising a bonus of US$5,000 for every game you win in Sierra Leone. And who knows, it could get bigger and bigger after the first and second victory.
“I wish you all the best. Safe travels and enjoy the tournament,” said Clar, who was flanked by President Weah, Liberia Football Association (LFA) executive committee member Quiwu Pepci Yeke, Sports Minister Zeogar Wilson and Information Minister Lenn Eugene Nagbe.
But six months after the tournament, the players felt they had been abandoned by Madam Weah, complaining that she had made an empty promise to them. She told FrontPageAfrica that life was getting unbearable for them and it would be a great rescue should the First Lady fulfill her promise to them. They also wondered why the First Lady was carrying out various COVID-19 donations without fulfilling her promise.
In reaction to their assertions, the First Lady apologized to the team for the delay in fulfilling her promise and explained that it was unfortunate that she had to travel out of Liberia for six months.
She explained: “It was brought to my attention by an article in FrontPageAfrica implicating me that I refuse to fulfill my promise to the women football team of Liberia.
“I want to sincerely apologize for that. I just want to explain that one of the reasons why the payment got delayed was because when I made the promise to them, I believed it was sometime in February, and I traveled out of the country on February 22, and think they had a game on March 3rd which I apologized, I would had love to be a part of it but because I had to travel – my son got injured and had surgery and had to do rehabilitation.
“In the article, it is stated that the girls felt I lied to them or deceived them. I am very very sorry for that,” Madam Weah said.
According to her, she left for France and had to go to the USA where her son’s rehabilitation took place but due to the outbreak of COVID 19 she could not travel back to Liberia for six months, something that delayed the payment.
The CAF women football ambassador for Africa said upon her return to the country she spoke with LFA executive committee member Pepci Yekeh to meet with the LFA because he approached her about seeing the LFA something she disclosed she is open to do.
In her words, she wants the donation to the girls to be special and to give them words of encouragement but has not been able to planned the meeting.
“For them it’s disheartening to think that the girls will think that for $15,000 I will deceive them or lie to them and I am going around Liberia helping other people and ignoring them. It is not like that, I apologize that I am sorry that they feel this way because they are women like myself and I believe in women empowerment and I just wanted to do a donation to them just to make them feel that I am a part of them since I was appointed FIFA/CAF ambassador for football I want to have an impact on the ladies of Liberia,” First lady Weah explained
The Liberian First Lady also recounted her previous meeting with the female team where she made a cash presentation to the girls on the spot.
“I sincerely apologize for the way they feel and I will meet with Mr. Yekeh or the LFA and I will turn over the $15,000 over to them and I wish all the best for LFA and the Women’s national team that they continue to succeed and make Liberia proud,” she added.
