Lamin Conteh

During the early 1990s, Sierra Leone Football witnessed a surge in popularity with Playground Icons like Junior Tumbu and Junior Parade. Despite the remarkable talents on the senior national team, the Leone Stars, such as the late Brima Attouga Kamara, the spotlight often shifted to the up-and-coming 'Juniors' who gained widespread recognition across the city and the nation.

Hailing from Freetown, Lamin Conteh, known as Junior Tumbu, perfected his skills on the dusty red dirt football fields of Freetown at a young age. He made a name for himself playing for Ahmadiyya Secondary School and participating in local community leagues at Approve School in Wellington and beyond. Junior Tumbu made his professional debut as a teenager with Belgian team Beerschot VAC in 1992. His exceptional midfield control drew comparisons to Jay Jay Okocha of Nigeria and Abedi Pele of Ghana due to his mesmerizing performances.

Junior Tumbu showcased his talents across Europe, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia, earning admiration from fans of the clubs he represented in the UAE, Belgium and Malaysia.

He debuted for the Leone Stars national team as a teenager during the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations Tournament in Tunisia and continued to play for the national team until 2000. Following his retirement, Tumbu remained active in football-related endeavors and was appointed to the Leone Stars Technical Staff in 2021.

Tragically, Tumbu passed away in Kenema in 2022 in his mid-40s. His legacy as a playground legend who rose to become a national and international star will endure.