By Barrie Alpha
Cenegal Foundation, a non-profit making institution has been officially launched on Sunday September 23, 2023 at the Parade playing field.
The foundation which consists of former players and officials of the then popular football club, Cenegal FC which started from non-division level to division one and premier league club before it was sold and named Central Parade FC which has now changed to Wilberforce strikers.
Making his brief statement, the acting Chairman, Sheka Kargbo aka Manager Jeffu who was the manager of the Cenegal FC expressed his appreciation to the entire membership for coming up with such idea to bring old players and members of the Cenegal FC together starting with the Cenegal Veterans Football Club onto the foundation.
He underscored that he was the founder of the Cenegal FC, wherein they played in the non-division, division one and the premier league before they sold the club.
“After the club was sold, I served as manager of Central Parade FC. I appreciate the effort of my colleagues for keeping the dream alive because they started with the Cenegal Veterans and now the Cenegal Foundation of which I was called upon to be part of it so I want thank you all. I am with you people in good faith so that we can take this foundation to another level,” he said.
The Cenegal Veterans Foundation was formed by ex-footballers who played for the club in the COFA league during the late 80s at Fire Force and Parade fields.
In his brief statement, Peter Conteh aka Blacker said their brothers in the diaspora called upon them to set up the foundation so that they could help membership through the foundation instead of helping individuals.
He also disclosed that the Central One Football Association (COFA) supported them by providing them with a field, PA system and other logistics to organise the two-day gala among three teams including Central Veterans FC, COFA 87 and them (Cenegal Veterans Foundation).
Speaking, Ibrahim Mann Turay, former player of Cenegal FC now based in Turkey said it was a stepping stone towards the reunion of former players of the Cenegal FC.
“We want to reunite ourselves; this is a big project in the country as they want to make sure that they give back not only to their colleagues but also assist the upcoming kids to be educated and play football, he said.
Most of them, he went on, were in the diaspora and this is just half of our membership.
With the reunion, it is hoped that Cenegal Foundation would be a big project geared towards giving back to their membership and the younger ones.
“We want to assist the kids in the area of education and football. We are also looking at so many areas where we can assist in the area of development,” he assured.
The launching was climaxed by a football match final which started on Saturday at the Parade field where Central Veterans Defeated COFA 87 Veterans.
The final was played between Cenegal Veterans and Central Veterans FCs.
