NATION OF ISLAM CONTRIBUTES TO ROAD TO RIO CAMPAIGN Wednesday 25th July 2012
|
Bro. Thomas Carbon a member of the Nation of Islam, Everton Gonsalves, President of the ABFA and Khalid Shabazz, “The Antiguan Representative” for Minister Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam.
|
Nation of Islam Leader Louis Farrakhan has made good on a pledge to the Benna Boys, with a US $5,000 contribution to the World Cup Qualifier fund.
Minister Farrakhan made the promise on March 27, during an impromptu speech at the launch of the Road to Rio campaign.
A surprise guest of Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer, Minister Farrakhan told the Benna Boys that conviction and skill are key factors in the historic football battle, and he dared them to believe they can advance from this round.
You may be small but so is the atom, and when you crack the atom, it releases power,” Minister Farrakhan said at the launch.
The money was remitted to the Antigua & Barbuda Football Association this week, General Secretary Gordon Derrick confirmed.
“We are grateful to Minister Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam for honouring the commitment. The world knows that Antigua & Barbuda is embarking on our biggest-ever mission and that we are in the champagne realm with scarcely enough money for mauby. Every word of encouragement, every prayer and every dollar contributed to this cause is greatly appreciated,” Derrick said.
Khalid Shabbaz, the national representative for the Nation of Islam, said the contribution is in keeping with Minister Farrakhan’s commitment to sports, as well as his quest to see young people channel their energies into positive action
“The minister sees sports as being a vehicle towards the development of young people. He was not only interested in seeing the country move forward in football and achieve our quest to compete on a higher level, but he is also interested in the development of young people. This contribution is also in keeping with the new mandate Minister Farrakhan has given to all of us in the Nation of Islam, to leave the mosques and go out into the streets or wherever our young people are to reach them and to curb the violence and other issues plaguing them,” Shabbaz said.
Antigua & Barbuda’s Benna Boys go back into World Cup Qualifier action on September 9, with an away game to Guatemala. The return leg will be played on September 11, at Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Grounds.
The final two games will be in October. The Benna Boys will host the USA on October 12, before ending the Group A semifinals run away to Jamaica on October 16.
The Benna Boys, after two outings, are on one point. They lost their opener to the USA 3-1 in a creditable showing. They then held the Reggae Boys to a 0-0 draw.
Click here for all News and Specials for Sports, Trade, Industry and Commerce & Culture
|