The Third Vice President of The Gambia Football Federation (GFF), Rtd. General Langtombong Tamba, has remarked that football has the power to bring people together, regardless of their age, race, gender, culture, or nationality. He added that through football, Africa can attain its much-craved unity as a continent.
He was speaking at a Royal Dinner in honour of Gambia’s greatest footballer of all time, Biri Biri, organised by the Djibonket Foundation under the leadership of Binta Goudiaby, at the Complexe Hôtelier Kabekel de Oussouye, Casamance, Senegal over the weekend. General Tamba added that through football, he was able to dine with powerful authorities in both The Gambia and Senegal.
“When I saw Alhaji Faye hugging and puffing with the likes of Roger Mendy and Ibrahima Ba, it was a very emotional moment for me. When these people played together, it is more than four decades ago but when they met here it seems as if they’re just knowing each other,” General Tamba, who led a delegation comprising of Gambian football officials and the family of the late Biri to the event, said.
“Let us all unite behind football so that the unity of Africa that we all crave for vcan be attained. But that African unity must start here between The Gambia and Senegal first.”
Speaking further, he described Binta Goudiaby, a United States based Senegalese model, as a real pan-Africanist whose sole intention is to ensure the unification of our two countries. Many of her in our region, we would’ve attained Senegambia integration.
Noting that Senegal and Gambia almost share everything in common, General Tamba challenged both countries to support Binta Guodiaby and her Foundation for the great initiative they started. He added that if Binta had the powers today, she’d remove the barriers between the borders of the two countries.
“I brought you greetings from the family of Biri. When the family got your message, the whole Gambia was happy. This is the first time that I remember Biri to be remembered in such a manner for his great work. The GFF and all Gambians are saying thank you [Binta Goudiaby] and wish you good health and long life,” he added.
“The President of the GFF Lamin Kaba Bajo wanted to attend the event himself but due to other issues beyond his control, he assigned me to lead a delegation to represent him here. Thus, we thanked you for inviting the Gambia and celebrating Biri who has done a tremendous job in both countries.”
As part of the events marking the weekend programme, the GFF and Senegalese delegations both paid a courtesy call on the King of the Region of Oussouye, Sibulumbai Diedhiou. King Diedhiou, who until his enthronement was known as Olivier Diedhiou, is the royalty that oversees 17 villages within the Oussouye region.
He is the religious, spiritual and traditional ruler of the region who is responsible for ensuring peace and social cohesion. In case of conflict, he is consulted and his role is to reconcile the parties. The enthronement of the current King Sibulumbai in 2000 brought peace in parts of Oussouye Department which was engulfed in violence due to the Casamance conflict.
The King also ensures that each of his people has food, distributing the rice from the royal fields, cultivated by the surrounding villagers. This rice is also used for the meal of the big annual festival called Houmabeul. This festival is held at the end of the winter, in September or early October.
Speaking through an interpreter at the Royal Palace, General Tamba said: “I’ve been to many countries and show Kings but I never knew that Gambia and Senegal had such a culture existing now. So, seeing a King here I’m very happy and I enjoin you all to help the King because we need to safeguard our culture.”