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Life in SIERRA LEONE, West Africa, can never be what it was more than 10 years ago. The country underwent a decade of civil war which left an estimated 50,000 people killed, thousands with limbs amputated and lots of properties destroyed. Many had no option but to leave the country in fear of their lives. Fans’ Perspective “International media houses described the carnage unleashed on innocent civilians by the AFRC/RUF alliance as ‘primitive barbarity.’ Some of the other atrocities committed by them like hacking off limbs and arms of civilians were gruesome.” It is always distressing to leave home as a result of war. Many people who left Sierra Leone found not only happiness in football, but also used the sport as a form of rehabilitation. “Those/some of us who were fortunate to relocate and reunite with family members in The Gambia, took football as a form of counseling and social rehabilitation,” said Deensie. “The sport became a tool of unity among Sierra Leoneans. Football fields where our teams played became a meeting point to get news about what was happening back home. For once, football united Sierra Leoneans and helped preserved hope in us as in a fortress.” Players’ Perspective Many experienced as well as aspiring footballers who fled the war in Sierra Leone knew they had to keep playing the game – especially as many depended on the game for a living. In The Gambia, some were fortune to play in the national league while other aspiring footballers featured in teams that were set up for mini-tournaments. “It was not that easy,” Sheriff Suma told African Talking Point. Suma had left Sierra Leone as a result of the war and was fortunate to complete high school while in The Gambia. Nevertheless, he had to face the challenge, knowing his aspiration was to play professional football. “Firstly, you had to know someone to recommend you as a footballer and to have a better team that will help you through your needs as a refugee. Football was the only way to survive,” added the 20-year-old. Friends also mean a lot during such challenging times, and, Suma was no exception. “Making new friends and having fun with new people helped me forget about the past. It took a while to get over it but words of courage and hope were very helpful so everything worked for me,” said Suma. Asked about whether football is important to victims of war, especially footballers, Suma was quick to respond saying: “Yes, because when they make it to a professional level, they will know where they are from and take the game very seriously and to try to achieve their goals.” Suma was eventually able to move on and he now has a three-year contract with Swedish top division club, GAIS. Many Gambians are known to be very friendly people and when it comes to football, they always want to see their game improve. However, it was a different feeling for many Gambian footballers when they had to play alongside other players seeking refuge in their country. “There were a bunch of Sierra Leonean stars whom I faced in the Gambian National first division league with my then club Sait Matty,” Ismaila Badjie told African Talking Point. “The likes of Alpha Sillah, Edward Sesay, Zappa Koroma, John Coker, Mustapha Koroma and Bembe. These were all very talented players who played in the Sierra Leonean league and some of them even represented their nation in national duties both in the junior and senior level.” Badjie, a 24-year-old Gambian striker who now plays in Sweden for Karlslund IF HFK told African Talking Point that he was touched by the way many lived up in their game based on the fact that they had to deal with bitter memories from war. “I could remember those days how I felt
playing against those guys, although I was a small lad who just started playing
in the first division. I could have never pictured myself in their position;
fleeing my country, leaving everything behind – and even some of them lost
everything including parents. And with all that pain, they could be able to play
a game that needs hundred percent concentration. In LIBERIA, over 200,000 lives were estimated to have been lost during a bloody civil war while a million others became displaced and had to seek refuge in neighbouring countries. There are sixteen ethnic groups in the country and the First Liberian Civil War lasted from 1989 to 1999 while the Second lasted from 1999-2003. Fans’ Perspective For many, hope was lost by the end of the First Liberian Civil War but football was about to create something different.Liberia, which means “Land of the Free”, qualified for their first ever African Nations Cup finals in 1996 and that achievement was enough to inspire many combatants to lay down their arms. “The appearance of Liberia for the first time in the African Nations Cup in 1996 marked a significant milestone in the history of the nation, especially as the nation was going through civil crisis,” Methuselah Doe, a football enthusiast from Liberia told African Talking Point. “It actually assisted the nation to some extent by unifying the division that was evident. It also accelerated the desires glaringly of young people who were eager to be sports professionals. Lastly, it made people who were bearing arms to voluntarily put their weapons down and make the society gun free,” added Doe. Doe also highlighted that football contributes remarkably to the growth of the country through the valuable contributions of the country’s professionals. “Liberian football professionals that are playing around the world are contributing significantly to the economic growth of the nation. Generally, sport to Liberians is a very fast moving industry that speedily addresses the developmental needs of the nation in many respects,” said Doe. Players’ Perspective Liberian international midfielder, Dulee Johnson, was very young when the Lone Star qualified for the Nations Cup but he still recalls the mood in the country in 1996. The 22-year-old talented midfielder currently plays for AIK in Sweden’s division 1 and said his country’s achievement in 1996 really made a difference. “It was a very big that happened in Liberia [after the team qualified] and if I’m not mistaken, my father was the technical director at that time,” recalls Johnson. “It was a very big moment in Liberia and even kids watching their country and professional players playing on television - and they had the courage that one day things will be better. “I think it helped in a way to bring people together and know there is hope somewhere. It helped people forget about all the guns and the things that happened in the past and celebrate,” Johnson said. |
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This
Thursday’s edition of African Talking Point also covers a Special Report - The
Power Of Football In Africa. The sport is seen as a means for restoration of
hope where there seems none and has played a dynamic role in the lives of many
Africans who have suffered severely from war. Goal.com creates more awareness
about how much impact the game can have on victims of war and in this feature,
we cover exclusive interviews with fans and footballers who just cannot live
without football.