Lack of leadership:

As the under seventeen put the Gambia on the world stage of soccer, it was an opportune moment for a real leader to rally a whole nation under one tent. When our cousins, the Senegalese reached the world cup, this became a country’s success story.  As far as I know it was never a political affair. From the mouth of every Senegalese,  “LE Lion”, every musician in Senegal wrote a song for the team, and even mosques dedicated their prayers for the success of the team. As Gambians, as we celebrated their successes, we took ownership of and their success became our success, but down deep we would have love to see the Gambia enjoy those same accolades. This is the country that produced Bir Biri, one of the greatest soccer players in the world. We always have the belief that it will just be a matter of time. The success of the under seventeen was the beginning of the journey to assert the Gambia as one of the rising soccer nation in the African region, and the whole country was and will always be behind the team.

Unfortunately, our main cheerleader, President Jammeh demonstrated his tendency to make the whole episode about him. He cannot allow seeing Gambians to share in the successes of the country with all Gambians, and for once see it as a Gambian affair. When Gambia defeated Ghana to qualify for the junior world cup, in his narrow-minded way, this was a vindication and a defeat to his political enemies. He accused them of wishing that the Scorpions did not win the game, again it had to be about him. In New York, when he was told that the boys defeated Brazil, we were not disappointed; he went back to his narrow mindedness. “My enemies have already rushed to the internet saying that the scorpions has lost the game, but I have already told the Brazilian President that they were going to loose the game.” Frankly, the statement itself was false. The majority of Gambians, even his supposed political enemies were much more eager to see victory for the Gambia. It is absolutely ridiculous for President Jammeh to think that he loves Gambia more than any Gambian ever.

As for getting political capital for the success of the team, that would have happen anyway. He did not have to say anything or take ownership for the successes. A decent leader would have brought the whole country under the fold, and for once make it a Gambian affair, irrespective of our political differences. President Jammeh continues to demonstrate that the Gambia, and I mean the entire country is his property, and even our victories have to be about him. It is really sad. Well, for the Scorpions, we will only say, you made us proud, and do not let anyone tell you anything different. One day, the Gambia will be heard and be seen as one of the greatest soccer countries in the world, and hopefully we would have a mature and decent leader who will bring us all under the tent, and as Gambia we will share the successes of our nation.  Amen

Musa Jeng

¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface
at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html

To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/CGI/wa.exe?S1=gambia-l
To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to:
[log in to unmask]
¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤