By Aja Beyai
The first thing you notice about him isn’t the limp. It’s the sunglasses.
Even on a cloudy afternoon at the mini-stadium in Sukuta, he keeps them on. Cap pulled low. Finding shade like his life depends on it. Because now, it kind of does.
His name is MAMAT NJIE. Two years ago he was the kid from Kanifing East that whole neighborhoods would leave work early to watch. The striker who came off the bench with 25 minutes left against DIBBA OIL, scored in 7, and assisted the second. MOTM. The boy who helped drag Kanifing from 3rd division to 2nd in the 2021-2022 season, then went on to wear the Wallidan shirt in the GFF First Division for two seasons after their 2021 FF Cup win. Number 9. Number 10. Winger. Supporting striker. Versatile. Dangerous.
“I’m a former player of KANIFING EAST FC, and now a former player of WALLIDAN FC,” he says. Football wasn’t just a game to him. “It was a way to teach, create and develop,” he says. “For myself and others, especially the young ones who would leave everything just to come support and watch me and my team play.”
That was the dream. In February 2024, the goal was simple: help Wallidan at all costs, get opportunities, trials, a professional contract.
Then came Brikama United. Box Bar Mini Stadium. One challenge. One moment.
The Injury & The Silence
February 24th, 2024. He was in the air challenging for a headed ball. A defender from the opposing team was behind him, turning to clear. In a split second the defender struck the ball for a safety play. It landed right on Mamat’s face straight into his left eye.
“I tried staying up after regaining a bit of ease but I couldn’t because I wasn’t seeing properly due to blurry vision,” he recalls. Water didn’t help. He had to come off and get subbed.
The next day, February 25th, 2024, he went to the hospital. The diagnosis came back in four words that ended a career overnight: TRAUMA. UVEITIS. RETINAL DETACHMENT.
He did what any professional would do. He took every medical paper to the Wallidan team manager at the training ground. He explained everything. The medication he needed. The appointments. What he got was D500. Enough for one eye drop.
“The rest was for myself so I took responsibility and bought it for myself and started using it,” he says.
Weeks later, the ophthalmologist delivered worse news. The uveitis was cured. The trauma was healing. But the retinal detachment was getting serious out of hand. The only option: surgery. Overseas. Turkey, India, Cyprus. Four days in hospital, plus flight, visa, hotel. He went back to the club, hoping.
“I got the worst response the team doesn’t have any money to finance that,” he says. “I was broken. I left furiously with nothing else to say but ‘okay’.”
The doctor’s temporary fix was a Depo-Medrol injection in his left eye, just to delay the retina from detaching faster.
The rest was paid by savings, by family, by friends who heard and showed up. Transport to appointments he couldn’t miss. Days spent indoors because sunlight now felt like fire on his eyes.
“I started thinking it would be okay,” he says. “Then the ultrasound came. The quote was huge. Too huge.”
“So I told myself, maybe this is destiny. Maybe it could have been worse. But knowing you can be treated and you can’t afford it… that hurts more than the injury.”
Life Now: Sunglasses and Hope
He’s not currently active in playing football due to his situation. He still goes to the fields. Nawettan games. Friends in the league. But he can’t just watch. He has to sit in shade. Sunglasses on. Cap on. Precaution first.
“A normal day is now an abnormal day,” he admits. “Constant pain. Severe headaches. Losing clear vision on things that used to be easy to see.”
The club that he gave two seasons to, that he bled for, has gone quiet. And he’s not angry as much as he is tired. Tired of a system where players are celebrated when fit, and forgotten when broken.
“GFF and the clubs need to step up,” he says. “Before fans cheer a player, he has to be in good shape. Ignoring players in times like this damages careers. Player wellbeing has to be priority. Help the player, and you help the league, and you help the country.”
He’s 100% sure of one thing: he’s not alone. “God, my Mum, sisters, friends, people who check on me. They make me believe I’ll get through this.”
The Fight Isn’t Over
He still hopes. Hopes for surgery. Hopes to return to the pitch. But he’s also realistic he has other qualifications, other options.
His message to other young players going through rough phases is the same energy he brought off the bench that day against DIBBA OIL: “Stay up. Believe. Stay strong. It’s not the end. Giving up makes you lose. One day we’ll smile while explaining these tough moments.”
From Kanifing East to Wallidan FC. From scoring goals to fighting for vision.
His career may be on pause, but his fight isn’t.
