Also, Bright Okpocha popularly known as Basket Mouth and Nollywood star Bimbo Manuel are among the 100 celebrities across Africa who will take part in the walk and charity football match.
The project is the brain child of Next2None support initiative, an NGO dedicated to fighting human trafficking across Africa.
Weah, who is now a lawmaker in Liberia pledged his support for the initiative. The Next2None Ambassador, in a statement endorsing the project said: “Today, I George Manneh Weah, courageously endorse this initiative. I stand to support this endeavour (fight against human trafficking) through my participation in the football match which seeks to promote humanity and eradicate child trafficking football legends of Africa. This game (football) that has always been a unifying factor will serve to amass support around this campaign against human trafficking and abuse.
I hope that this will shine the light on this practice, especially in Africa. It will send the message that we in the continent are no longer willing to bury our heads in the sand, look the other way or standby, and allow this hateful thing that diminish humanity, to diminish us all. This novelty match is planned to draw the attention of the world, especially those of us in Africa to see the depression that exist in the battle against this condemnable act. It takes everyone playing their part, making their voices heard, lending their support in the way that they can. Today, I stand, I support, I will be part of the change.”
Next2None however released the concluding list of 100 celebrities made up of football, music, comedy and movie greats who will take part in the charity football match at the Accra Stadium after the morning walk in solidarity against the social menace of human trafficking.
Basket Mouth, Bimbo Manuel, Razak Omotoyosi as well as Mark Fish, former South African national team captain made the list.
Others are, Robert Song, Ntap Geremy, Marcel Desailly, Anthony Yeboah, Stephen Appiah, Alain Gouamene, Sully Muntari, Micheal Essien, Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu, Jude Osagie, Henry Crystal Suites, Kwame Ayew, Jay Jay Okocha, Stephen Keshi, Abdou Razak Traore, Mohammed Sissako, Baffoe Gyang, and John Mensah.
Kanu Nwankwo, Mohammed Amed Polo, Karim Abdul Rasak, Wilberforce Nfoum, Kwadwo Asamoah, Emmanuel Adebayor, Emmanuel Amunike, Lotanna Odukwe, Hon Daniel Effiong Asuquo, Rev Ini Ukpoho, Barr Chijoke Isiolu, Peter Rufai, AAA & A Consult Limited, Mide F Martins, Nyong Bassey Inyang, Halima Abubakar, Rita Dominic, Gideon Okeke, Barr Maxwell Mgbudem, Adesuwa Etomi, Joycelyn Dumas, Zara Udofia, Akpororo, Barr Anderson Kalu, Ebere Okolie, Shola Shobowale, Audysys Consult Limited and Bruno Iwuoha.
Ndukwe Sam Obu, Founder/Chairman BoT of Next2None revealed plans for the charity game.
“We intend to have for the very first time, a convergence of African celebrities in Accra, Ghana, to have a celebrity walk against human trafficking.
Each celebrity will carry the flag of his country to showcase the solidarity of that nation against human trafficking. We have the cooperation of Ghana police, the Ghana MTU (Ghana’s version of Nigeria’s federal Road Safety Corps); have mapped out a 15 kilometre road network for this celebrity walk.
The Ghana government has given us the Independence Square for all the stars to converge before the walk against human trafficking will commence. The walk is to show the world that Africa is ready to fight human trafficking,” Obu said.
Obu, an Abuja based lawyer, had described Africa My Africa project as more than just a novelty match and a walk: “It is a project geared towards resuscitating the dreams of our founding fathers, the dreams of our Pan Africanists who have made Africa what it should be, but has refused to be by the present day situation. We remember the likes of Kwame Nkrumah, Nelson Mandela, Chinua Achebe, Koffi Annan, Jomo Kenyatta. These are people who have laid a solid foundation upon which Africa is built. But sorry to say, Africa has departed from this very foundation and has embarked on a journey to oblivion; a journey where Africans are the ones who are trafficking themselves,” he added.
Obu was full of appreciation for the role UNODC, AU, ECOWAS and NAPTIP are playing in this regard and “for their enormous efforts in prevention, protection and prosecution of human traffickers over the years. We are also glad to announce to you that we have one of the most credible churches in Nigeria, one of the most distinguished pastors of our time, Rev Biodun Fatoyinbo, the senior pastor of, Commonwealth of Zion Assembly (COZA), have decided, because of the cause Next2None is fighting, to go into partnership with us, to bring to an end this notorious activity.”
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