By: Kebba Ansu Manneh
The Gambian capital is buzzing with excitement as it hosts a week-long sports camping event uniting young football talent from The Gambia and Senegal. More than 120 players, coaches, and officials from Giraffe De Banjul Football Academy and Le Lamane De Bargny Football Academy in Dakar, Senegal, have converged for the initiative, which aims to strengthen cross-border relations through sport.
The event kicked off with a welcome ceremony at St. Augustine’s Senior Secondary School on December 28, where dignitaries emphasized the camp’s role in promoting unity, skill-sharing, and cultural exchange between the neighboring nations.
Hon. Omar B.J. Touray, popularly known as Josy and president of Giraffe De Banjul Football Academy, highlighted the deep-rooted partnership between the two academies. “This visit by Le Lamane De Bargny is a reciprocal gesture following our academy’s trip to Dakar,” he said. “It is designed to cement ties that drive mutual growth and development.”
Touray, a former Deputy Mayor of Banjul from 2018 to 2022, outlined the camp’s packed agenda, including friendly football matches, sightseeing tours, and cultural activities. He noted that participants would have opportunities to forge new friendships, acquire new skills, and gain valuable knowledge. The camp features 60 young athletes, each from the two academies, along with officials and coaching staff.
He further stressed the broader significance: “This gathering will reinforce the brotherly and fraternal bonds between Gambians and Senegalese.” Touray expressed profound gratitude to the Senegalese delegation for selecting Banjul as their 2025 camping destination and urged Banjul residents to wholeheartedly support the event.
Hon. Modou Lamin Bah, National Assembly Member for Banjul South, echoed these sentiments, describing the camp as a landmark international youth event—the first of its kind hosted in Banjul during his tenure. “Such initiatives bring together future leaders from both countries,” he remarked, pledging full endorsement and support from his office.
Bah highlighted the camp’s potential to expose participants to new environments, foster friendships, and enhance their football prowess for future success. Drawing on personal experience, he recalled a past international festival in Senegal that he organized during his time as Information and Public Relations Officer at Banjul City Council, alongside Touray. “Some young athletes and musicians from that trip have risen to stardom today,” he said, urging campers to seize the opportunity as a launchpad toward professional careers and better livelihoods.
Representatives from the visiting academy also spoke warmly. Coach Ousainou Ndoye and Manager Yunus Maane of Le Lamane De Bargny praised the warm hospitality they have received since their arrival. “This visit will draw our peoples closer, facilitate idea-sharing, promote sportsmanship, and allow cultural learning,” they stated.
Pa Omar Bojang, an adviser to Giraffe De Banjul, advised participants to embrace patience, accommodation, and mutual support. “This is a rare chance to nurture talents and prepare for future opportunities and challenges,” he added.
The camp underscores the power of sports diplomacy in West Africa, building on longstanding Gambia-Senegal relations while investing in the next generation of football stars.
