This is from the BBC.
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Does President Jammeh have a point, or is this politics gone mad?
Before one is tempted to criticise the President,
one needs to find out whether the tournament
actually attracts the entirely rural population.
Often, it is the youths who are involved who should
normally be helping their parents in raising crops.
Agriculture is the main-stay of Gambia's economy.
All work and no play is not good for the health.
I think the President would have been correct if he
had urged the tournament organisers to limit matches
to the weekend. But banning football for the entire
rainy season is absurb. All work and no play is not
good for the health.
Benedict Akeh, Cameroon
Ignorance is a disease that is destroying Africa.
Jammeh is indeed a leader without vision. Do him
know football can unify a country? Ask Liberia's
George Weah and Preisdent Taylor. What does football
have to do with agriculture? Jammeh should be
concerned about educating the masses and developing
the country instead of banning football.
Seltue Karweaye, Liberian living in the USA
Without being disrespectful, I think the President
has lost focus and is just trying to cook up
excuses. Football is a catalyst that could be used
to stimulate the youth in contributing more to the
agricultural sector. Jammeh is trying to tow the
infamous path laid by the late Ivorien strongman
Gen. Robert Guei who sent the Elephants into a
detention camp after their dismal 2000 Nations Cup.
Opeyemi Ajala, Nigeria
Gambia's President is typical of African leaders:
self-centered and clueless in their daily actions in
serving the people. What has football got to do with
agricultural production? Why is it that Africa
continues to produce clueless leaders?
If this man is serious about increasing food
production in his country, he should invest in
equipment, provide fertilizers and create incentives
to farmers i.e. interest-free loans, free medical
treatment, free expertise and free education for
farmer's children. Why is it that year-in year-out
Africa continues to produce clueless leaders?
Derick Agbontaen, USA
That is just so dumb. To me it's like a barrier to
development of any sort.
Bola, USA
The president is not trying to ban football or
discourage it as some may think. He is just trying
to help the youth as agriculture is the back-bone of
the economy. Only the youth can help their aging
parents to farm, and in turn help them pay their
school fees. As a matter of fact the president has
provided tractors and promised to provide more for
the agricultural sector in order to self-sufficient.
So people, especially those who are anti-government,
want to use this forum to be negative and politicize
the whole issue. The president is a lover of
football and donates huge sums of money to football.
So please let this forum die here.
Seedia N. Bojang, The Gambia
I don't think football games last a whole day. Being
a typical African man, I know that in the rural
areas, people go to the farm in the morning and come
back to play football in the afternoon. So I do not
agree with the Gambia president who wants to ban a
rural competition or tournament because of farming.
If he is so keen on developing agriculture he should
make fertilizer available.
Dovi Charles, Nigeria
Rather if he is so much interested in developing the
agricultural sector he should finance it by buying
state-of-the-art equipment and support the process
by making fertilizer available at cheaper rates for
those involved. That way, there will big crops at
the end the season.
Dovi Charles, Nigeria
I want you to help me ask the Gambian President. Is
football the only recreational activity or the only
sporting activity in Gambia? He should as well stop
the youths from watching T.V. during the farming
season.
Iboro Esiet, Nigeria
Since 1994, Gambian football hasn't progressed at
all. Rather, its gone backwards. The government of
today doesn't contribute to the development of
football and the president can only open his big
mouth to say no football in the rainy season. Shame
on you! We Gambian's are aware that you don't want
to embrace the game.
Ballack, Banjul
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