By James T. Brooks
Rev. Luther Tarpeh, Chairman of the Lonestar Mobilization Team, has appealed to members of the House of Representatives to back an aggressive national movement aimed at reviving the Lone Star, Liberia’s national football team, on both the continental and international stages.
Addressing the Plenary on Thursday, Rev. Tarpeh emphasized that sports serve as a unique, unifying force capable of transcending deep political divides. He noted with regret that Liberia has failed to make a significant impact on the global football stage for approximately 25 years, arguing that a collective, non-partisan effort is urgently required to restore the nation’s international athletic standing.
“There is one sector that naturally binds this nation together, and that is sports,” Tarpeh stated, advocating for a comprehensive grassroots development pipeline that integrates the Under-17, Under-18, Under-21, and senior national teams into a unified sports curriculum. He recalled that past administrations, specifically under former Presidents Samuel K. Doe and Charles Taylor, heavily prioritized sports development, which directly enabled the Lone Star to qualify for and compete in prestigious tournaments such as the Africa Cup of Nations.
Tarpeh drew comparisons to other West African nations like Ghana and Nigeria, attributing their global football success to sustained state investment. He also expressed frustration that Cape Verde—a nation with a significantly smaller population than Liberia—has qualified for the upcoming FIFA World Cup, while Liberia, a country globally renowned for producing football legends, continues to lag behind.
To rectify this, the Mobilization Team is seeking a dedicated legislative budget allocation of between $5 million and $10 million USD for nationwide sports development to discover and cultivate raw talent.
Following the presentation, lawmakers expressed their unequivocal support for the initiative, urging the mobilization committee to strictly insulate the process from political interference. In a decisive move, the House established a seven-member legislative committee to collaborate with the Mobilization Team. The committee is chaired by Representative Steve Tequah and co-chaired by Representative Dixon Seboe, with Representatives Abu Kamara, P. Mike Jurry, Julie Wiah, Jacob Debee, and Sumo Mulbah serving as members.
Additionally, the House officially instructed the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning to immediately disburse initial funding to support the national team’s upcoming international match against Sierra Leone.