By: Abdulrahman Barrie
Loving Madam Isha Johansen was not much of a choice. It was something that came naturally, because of how she carried herself.
She resembles us and is moving in spaces were, as a footballing nation weren’t exactly meant to be, she seemed so powerful.
When you watch Madam Isha in action for the game she loves (soccer), it’s easy to see why she is performing at such an extraordinary level.
And she continues to add so much confidence and variety to the game. It should also excite us to know that she lives and breath football, I feel great about the future of football because of Madam Johansen is leading the way.
When I first met her, I was embraced by a warm, regal, confident woman who possesses a reassuring calm. The way she looked, walk and spoke, in that warm but authoritative tone, I saw a leader. She is strong and ambitious and spoke her mind without sacrificing honesty or empathy. That takes a lot of courage and discipline.
She would have been impactful simply by being at FC JOHANSEN, the football club she founded in 2004 with the objective of giving guidance and opportunities to children whose life had been disrupted by the civil war in Sierra Leone. Madam Johansen ambition is not to become a household name or to do business as usual in football.
She had a good life and a successful career. But she also used her position to improve the state of football in the country.
Her initiatives reached higher, for example, she launched Powerplay, an initiative to encourage women and girls to play football.
She also started the annual African International Youth Tournament in 2009. She empowers all of us to interrogate our fears and surpass greatness.
I’m honored to know such a brilliant woman who’s spoken about the sacrifice it takes to balance her passions for football and remaining a supportive partner and mother.
She has continued to open herself up, even if it meant to be criticized. Her courage, in the face of those who wished to silence her, strengthened her. She has continued to be a portrait of grace.
Madam Isha can’t be described in a single word. I might struggle to do it in 200. I’m incredibly grateful that the future of our game is in such good hands, her commitment to set a positive example is unmatched and for the young boys and girls who see her as a beacon of hope that inspires all of us to do better and to be better.
Emial: barrieabdulrahman106@gmail.com
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