Following the passing on former Gambia Football Association (GFA) President Alh Ousman B Conateh (Fisco) on Saturday 4th April 2020, avalanche of tributes continue to pour at the late football baron’s home at Cape Point through the family and at Football House in Kanifing. The President of Wallidan FC Mr Alieu Beye Ceesay in his tribute to the late OB, has appealed to the football family to keep the legacy of Fisco.
He was speaking to GFF in house medium during the period and eulogized the late founder of the club as the most successful football manager in the Gambia. “We must keep the legacy of OB not only by Wallidan but Gambia and Africa as a continent because the Dad was the most decorated Football Manager in our country and also among the best on the continent”, Ceesay said.
The “Blues” Manager said he came in contact with the Late philanthropist in the early 1980s through his sibling Pa Basiru Conateh whom he grew up together in Banjul. “At that time Wallidan FC was the best in the country. I basically grew up been a Blue Boy. We were always around the Old man as a kid sitting at the back of his car”, he recalled. He described the late OB as a genuine and trusted Man who spent all his life helping the needy and poor. “He was opened to everybody, humble and above all a philanthropist”.
Commenting on the team’s status on the National League after the passing on the founder of the club, Ceesay said ” keeping the memory of the Old Man would mean that the team will come back to its winning ways and nothing short of that. That is known by the boys and we will keep to that feat so that Dad will be happy in his grave”.
Other tributes to the late sports icon came from scores of Gambians and non Gambians including FIFA President Gianni Infantino and CAF where the late Fisco also served in different capacities.
Alh Ousman B Conateh 83 popularly known as Fisco was born in Banjul who later became President of the then Gambia Football Association from 1993-2001. He was later conferred Honorary Life President of the Gambia Football Federation and had also served in many distinguished positions at both CAF and WAFU.
The founding father of Gambia’s most successful football club, Wallidan, Fisco has won several awards in and outside of the country. In 1986, he was decorated with the prestigious honor of the Insignia of Member of the Republic of The Gambia (MRG); Officer of the National Order of the Republic of Cote d’ Ivoire in 1995; inducted into the Hall of Fame as National Cycling Champion, International Cricketer.
For the outstanding contribution to the development of youth and sport in 1999; he also won the Millennium Award for Excellence by The Gambia National Olympic Committee in 2000 and in 2001, he was honored with the Achievement Award for Excellence by The Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Insignia of the National Order of the Republic of The Gambia (ORG). In 2007, he was made Commander of the National Order of the Republic of Cote d’ Ivoire.
On January 4th 2020, the late Alh OB was decorated by the Gambia Football Federation with a Life Time Achievement Award at its first ever Football Recognition Night. Credited for his selfless services to not only Football but lifes, livelihood and entrepreneurship, the late Fisco will ever be remembered by the Gambia, Africa and the world at large.
The former NPE Chief Executive was also in December 2019 decorated by the Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) with a Lifetime Achievement award reposed on him as one of the country’s eldest and respected men of repute and philanthropy in both social and entrepreneurship. The GCCI award will be the second for the Chamber to confer on the former GFA President . Until his death on April 4, the late OB Conateh was the Chairman of the GFF Legends Identification Committee.