Musa Bility

Day -958. WorldCup2018.

In any election there is very often a candidate who is seen as either the maverick, easily dismissed as the non-serious addition to the list or as an interesting alternative to the candidates who promise the world but offer few tangible changes to the present administration or leadership of an organisation. For the next Fifa presidential election Musa Bility is that guy.

Bility is the President of the Liberian Football Assoiation. He is also a very successful businessman as CEO of Liberia's largest petroleum importer, Shrimex, and owner of the Renaissance Communications media conglomerate. Bility has been very active on the political scene in Liberia. He is a strong ally of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and was said to be the unseen force behind her campaign in 2011 which saw her return to power for a second term. He has also been assigned a number of positions of trust by the Liberian government: Chairman of the National Port Authority, Chairman of the Boards of the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporations and the Liberia Airport Authority.

When he announced his candidacy in early summer, he declared himself the favourite. This was before Michel Platini's current problems and when he was seen as the clear favourite to succeed Blatter.

Bility said, "I think that I am the favourite. I come from the most popular continent. I do represent the largest block in football where the underprivileged nations are." This was also before the second African candidate, Tokyo Sexwale, joined the race.

"I always ask the question: What is the difference if someone wants Blatter to go, why do you want to replace him with Platini? What message are you sending? Do we just want to get rid of Blatter and so that's it? If that's it then Platini is the candidate. But if not, if we're looking for an honest and a fair beginning, then we have to start fresh with people with new thinking - as the [English] FA have said."

With the benefit of what we (allegedly) know now about Platini, this seems even more true.  And all of the other candidates are seen as being part of the old Fifa network. Biliti presents himself as the ultimate reformer amongst a field of candidates using reform as the buzz word. Amongst the early revelations from his manifesto were:

• a "reduction in the power of the 24 person Executive Committee"
• a call for the current Fifa crisis to be "dealt with in a transparent fashion"
• a need for Fifa to re-establish it's relationship with Interpol (there was funding for an anti-match fixing programme)
• a request for officials to declare their assets before joining Fifa

As reported in the Daily Maverick, from South Africa in June of this year Bility faces opposition from with the African nations. And this was before there even was a second African candidate. In 2011 he did not go along with the rest of the popular support in Africa for Blatter and instead declared he would be voting for Mohammed Bin Hamman in the presidential election. And in 2013 he did not win a seat on the African Confederation's (CAF) executive committee. This may have been because he mounted a legal challenge to the manner in which the CAF President Issa Hayatou changed the rules pertaining to who could stand for president. This challenge led to a six month for Bility from all football related activity.

This ban was ended early when Bility "made up" with Hayatou. Nevertheless, it is still interesting that Bility said in June that he would step aside if Hayatou decided to join the Fifa presidential race.

Bility has had his share of controversy. He was found guilty of tax evasion in Liberia for not paying the government $368,000 in taxes. He was ordered to pay a lesser amount and a judge also ordered the seizure of his assets and closure of his businesses. But, unlike in other countries, "transgressors in Liberia avoid jail due to their political and or Presidential connection by repaying what they have gained illegally." (Front Page Africa, March 2014). He was also indicted for economic sabotage in relation to a $30m project to rehabilitate a runway at the Roberts International Airport in Liberia. He has these charges dismissed by a judge "for government’s failure to prosecute him during the succeeding term of court, after his indictment, as provided for under the law."

He also has his opponents within Liberia who question his ability to run football in Liberia, let alone Fifa. Danesius Marteh of FrontPageAfrica described Bility's announcement as a Fifa presidential candidate as a "publicity stunt". "He’s just a maverick character looking for publicity at any cost and any level to get it"

Hawa Wesseh, writing in The Liberian Dialogue, argues that Bility, as president of the Liberian Football Association is "bereft of ideas" and "has no direction".  Wesseh maintains that Liberian football has been in a downward trend under Bility's presidency and his appointment of a national coach who is more "interested in is politics and not football" has contributed to this.

Whether Bility, therefore, is indeed the "reform" candidate is unfortunately questionable. However, when it comes to a maverick businessman, politician and football administrator it is only fitting to showcase an example of his character. The Liberian FA's "President's Column" page gives a glowing endorsement of well, himself, the President. All written in the third person it lists his numerous business and political achievements, with a passing mention of football. It is the last item on the list which adds to the mystique of this individual and leaves much for our imagination:


"Bility is married to Denise and they are blessed with several children".

Bility is married to Denise and they are blessed with several children. - See more at: http://www.liberiafa.com/about/presidents-column/#sthash.4zupFY2J.dpuf

Bility is married to Denise and they are blessed with several children. - See more at: http://www.liberiafa.com/about/presidents-column/#sthash.4zupFY2J.dpuf

Bility is married to Denise and they are blessed with several children. - See more at: http://www.liberiafa.com/about/presidents-column/#sthash.4zupFY2J.dpuf

Bility is married to Denise and they are blessed with several children. - See more at: http://www.liberiafa.com/about/presidents-column/#sthash.4zupFY2J.dpuf