Freetown, SIERRA LEONE – Abu Bakar Sillah, popularly known as Ivorian Sillas and co-founder of the Say No to Drugs campaign, has confirmed plans to host a football tournament in Conakry, Guinea, aimed at raising awareness among Sierra Leoneans living there.
Sillah revealed that during a visit to Guinea a few months ago, he engaged with Sierra Leonean communities in some of Conakry’s most vulnerable areas. He observed firsthand the devastating impact of drug abuse, particularly the growing menace of kush and other illegal substances, which have ravaged the youth.
“Drug abuse is a serious crisis affecting our young people, and our Sierra Leonean brothers in Guinea are not exempt. If we don’t take action now, kush and other dangerous drugs will destroy their future,” Sillah warned.
Motivated by this urgent need, Sillah collaborated with his longtime friend Mamadu Borbor Barrie to launch a football tournament that will bring the Say No to Drugs message directly to the Sierra Leonean community in Conakry.
“Some of these young men are my Kroo Town Road brothers. They embraced the initiative wholeheartedly, and we agreed that a football tournament would be an effective way to spread awareness,” he explained.
Sillah stressed the importance of extending the campaign beyond Sierra Leone’s borders.
“Many of our brothers in Guinea have fallen into addiction, living in deplorable conditions in the wharfs and other vulnerable areas. Through this tournament, we hope to educate them about the dangers of drug abuse, particularly the devastating effects of kush and tramadol,” he added.
With sports as a unifying force, Sillah and his team are determined to use football as a platform for change—one that will inspire young Sierra Leoneans in Guinea to reject drugs and reclaim their futures. BT/30/3/2025
