Horrific end to ‘Dear Leader’ football match
A fixture staged in honour of the president ended like the 2009 protest against Dadis Camara: in tragedy.
Damilola Adeyera
Aboubacar Kéita’s dream was to play for Real Madrid football club in Europe. That dream died with him last Sunday. Kéita, who had just completed high school, joined thousands of football fans at Stade du 3 Avril stadium in N’Zérékoré, Guinea’s second-largest city. They were gathered to watch the final of a tournament honouring the country’s military leader, Mamady Doumbouya.
The crowd erupted in anger when the referee gave out a red card. Security forces responded with tear gas in the stadium, which had just one exit. In the panicked chaos that followed, at least 56 died, including Kéita. “It haunts me,” said his friend, Kalil. “I’m broken.”
Mamadou Maladho Diallo, another young man who spoke to The Continent, blamed the state, saying its irresponsibility led to the death of his guardian, Aladji Telemele, at the stadium. Human rights activists and Guineans in the diaspora dispute the official tally of 56 dead, saying it could be as high as 300.
Doumbouya has promised to set up an investigative commission. Prime Minister Mamadou Oury Bah announced a three-day period of national mourning for the victims. And Yaya Kaïraba Kaba, the minister of justice, instructed the attorney general to initiate criminal proceedings against the alleged perpetrators.
According to Siaka Barry, a former sports minister who served in Alpha Condé’s civilian government, the tragedy evokes memories of another wound on Guinea’s national memory: 28 September 2009. On that day, over 150 people were gunned down at the Conakry stadium where tens of thousands had gathered to demonstrate against the military government of the day, led by Moussa Dadis Camara.