The President of The Gambia Football Federation (GFF) today announced plans to honour the late Peter Bonu Johnson in an international football friendly between The Gambia Women’s U-20 team and their Liberian counterparts. The match will be played today, Tuesday, 6th August, 2019 at the Independence Stadium in Bakau.
Bonu, 56, who died on 28th July was finally laid to rest yesterday. Been a former National Team player himself and later a Coach, Football House will use the first international match after his death to remember him with a series of activities in today’s game in Bakau, Mr. Lamin Kaba Bajo, said.
“Bonu paid the ultimate price while representing The Gambia which left a permanent scar on his eyes. Thus, he would be remembered on a stage that he has graced on so many occasions [international football] and represented The Gambia with distinction. There will be a minute’s silence observed in his honour before the match,” Mr. Bajo told www.gambiaff.org.
Though he never had a permanent number during his playing days, he added, Bonu as a center back alternated between number 5 and 2 and as a result, a National Team jersey with the number 5 would be printed with his name at the back of it and to be hoisted by the Captain of The Gambia during the pre-match ceremonies. By the time the match reaches five minutes, the whole stadium would also be asked to stand up and clap for his honour.
Peter Bonu Johnson represented The Gambia National Team for more than a decade between 1983 and 1994. Even after the devastating blow of a forced retirement, Peter never stayed away from football and he ventured into coaching. In 2004, he guided The Gambia U-17 Team to gold medal in the eight-nation Peace Football Tournament and third place at the African U-20 Cup of Nations in 2007 as well as a last 16 finish at the World Cup later that year. Having worked as an assistant coach for various years, he was appointed Head Coach of The Gambia National Football Team in 2011 and in 2013 as well as the Coach of the CHAN Team in 2015. But even after his departure from Football House in June 2015, he never stayed away from football and was heavily involved in the development of the other aspects of the game.