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ADNews-Monrovia, Liberia: Recently, I have been tagged in several Facebook posts from a sentimental and biased exile activist, claiming that Ambassador Alioune Badra Kebe illegally took over USD 400,000 from his business partner, a French national, who was involved in mining activities in Liberia.
By Mohammed Yaya Bility, an experienced Liberian journalist, environmentalist, political commentator, and emerging diplomat.
To me, this story has no logic. If someone truly owed you such an amount as they say, why not go to court instead of running to a Facebook commentator? This is more than funny.
But here is what I know. As a media Consultant, I have had the opportunity to work with Ambassador Kebe and his ex-wife, MacDella Cooper, who many believe is behind these falsehoods. I believe it is now time to shed light on Kebe’s character and the nature of these accusations, which are clearly being made by someone with malicious motives who exploits young people for personal gain.
Ambassador Alioune Badra Kebe is a Pan-Africanist, a humble man, and a harmless figure. Since his appointment by President Joseph Boakai as Youth and Sports Advisor, he has been actively engaged in improving Liberia’s sports sector, though without pay or a budget from the national government.
From the very beginning, Kebe prioritized national teams, including Liberia’s Lone Star and the female team. During World Cup qualifiers and African Cup of Nations matches, he personally visited their training grounds and camps to ensure they lacked nothing. On one occasion, he even donated over $7,000 USD and huge medical consignments to the Liberia Football Association in support of the national team. He usually bought his own ticket to travel with the national team
Liberia’s Ambassador-At-Large for Youth and Sports Development contributions have extended beyond football. He has supported the Liberia Basketball Association, the Taekwondo sector and has held strategic meetings with their leadership. These engagements are not just hearsay; rather, they are documented in newspapers and on his official Facebook page.
One of his biggest achievements is establishing the Professional Sports Academy, the largest sports academy in Liberia. So far, it is the only multi-sport institution in the country, offering football (for boys and girls), basketball (boys and girls), and handball. The Academy trains over 350 Liberian children six days a week at Invincible Park in Congo Town, a rented facility. Players are recruited based on talent and have access to more than 1,000 footballs, 200 basketballs, handballs, and full practice jerseys.
Ambassador Kebe is a retired professional footballer who played in Europe, Asia, and Africa and represented the national team of Senegal. He has been financially stable for years. He is also a humanitarian, donating food to the needy and sports equipment to community teams.
This is why the recent Facebook attacks from a sponsored exile activist, Martin Kollie, a man with over 15 defamation lawsuits against him in Liberia, are laughable. We know the source of this propaganda. As Muslims, we do not aim to destroy anyone’s political career, but we will not sit idly by, moving forward, while a productive man, who is doing great work for Liberia’s youth, is torn down.
We are not begging, but we are telling the person behind this smear campaign to stop now. We know you, and we know how you have exploited many young people.
Ambassador Kebe’s appointment is a blessing for Liberia’s sports. Media investigations confirm he is honest, generous, and committed to uplifting the less fortunate.
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