–It only takes grace to survive a war zone especially if you are trapped in a public facility which could be an easy target for factions from both sides. Gambian youngster Lamine Jarjou made it through the war in Sudan thanks to being an Al Hilal player.
Football is embedded in the DNA of Gambian talent Lamine Jarjou, the young soccer prodigy is arguably the best player in his generation in the Gambia.
Born in the Serekunda, southwest of the Gambian capital Banjul on February 19, 2002 Jarjou rose to stardom scoring goals for fun at Janta Bi FC.
Espanyol Academy in Mbour took the youngster and subsequent moves saw him at CasaSport before Al Hilal of Sudan paid $800,000 to sign him ahead of the 2021/22 season. IJarju had scored 9 goals and provided eight assists in 13 games before the unexpected happened in the 2022/23 season.
On April 15th, 2022, Jarju and others were trapped at the Al Hilal Stadium as war broke out in Sudan
” It was April 15, a day I will never forget. It was after a game against Al Shorta and I said let me sleep in the stadium and tomorrow I returned home. The morning, which was on the 16th of April, that’s when the war broke out, we couldn’t understand anything, we were just seeing it on status.
”The internet was okay and what followed next was a total blackout of internet and electricity. We were hearing gunshots and food became a problem. We ended up with Coca-Cola and biscuits just to hold our stomachs. It was very tough and disturbed me but my family consoled me, my mother was praying throughout the ordeal. It has taught me a lot in the world. Communication was a problem, I got worried about how to return to my family and I wasn’t hearing from them,” Lamine revealed to sportsworldGhana.com.
“The next days was very terrifying, From the outside of the stadium, you could hear gunshots, I was afraid, It was frustrating and terrifying, because there were lots of sounds of gunshots from left and right.”
Jarjou was worried about his close friend Sellou whom he had left in his apartment in Khartoum as the war became intense. He wanted to put his life at stake and go to Khartoum to see if his friend is safe but there was no means of transport as guns and bombs were flying over.
“There was a time I said I would go to Khartoum, because I left my friend Sellou in my apartment. I went out to look for a vehicle but couldn’t get any. Sellou luckily escape the war when the Gambia government facilitated their exit. The street was empty, shops were closed. Sometimes when you sit in the stadium, all you see is jet fighters flying across.”
With no dreams of an escape route for Jarju and his colleagues trapped at the stadium, luck finally smiled on them as they were miraculously evacuated
“We weren’t communicating on our exit plans because there was no hope. Food wasn’t even a necessity, because we ate once in a day and spare the rest for tomorrow. When our voices got louder, two pick-ups were sent, there were hesitation among us because we didn’t know who they were if they are rebels going to kill us or they are people going to save us. But we mustered courage and got on board the vehicle as we just wanted a way out. The journey was 8 hours to Dongola, we passed several checkpoints but they loved football and Al Hilal so we cruised through those horrors with no one harming us.”
“Dongola was safe, we sat for days waiting for our visa and not everyone got it at the same time. We left Dongola towards the border where we spent two days because there were lots of refugees, we were refugees at one point, and we slept in the camps, before going to Egypt which took ten hours by car and train as well as crossing the Nile river. “
Jarjou stayed in Egypt for some weeks before a flight came to pick him up. His parents who were worried were now relieved as their son was safely back.
However, the trauma Jarju went through in Libya during the war had an adverse effect on him. He developed a psychological problem and each time he hears a deep sound, he becomes afraid because of the bombs and gunshots he heard in Sudan.
“I was not a normal person as any sound I heard terrified and fear grips me because of the bombs and gunshots in Sudan. When I sleep at night I can hear the bombs and gunshots as if it is happening all over again. I had to seek the assistance of a psychologist before I could get better.”
Despite what he went through in Sudan, Jarjou still holds the country in high esteem as he maintains it is a great nation to play football.
” On the field of play, Sudan wasn’t a bad experience; Sudanese people love football. It was a nice experience to play the CAF Champions League, it’s one of the biggest levels in African football. Florent Ibenge the coach of Al Hilal didn’t know me, he asked Aliou Cisse who has coached me before for a reference, and he replied in the affirmative that I am a good product and he believes in what I can give to the team.”
Dreams of playing in Europe
Jarjou’s dream had always being to play in Europe and after the traumatic experience in Sudan, he thought it wise that the time had come for him to leave the shores of Africa.
He had a loan offer from Malmo FF in Sweden but an agreement couldn’t be reached. French Ligue 2 club Grenoble came knocking and he joined them.
“I had the aim to come to Europe, the only offer was Swedish champions Malmö and it was a loan but an agreement couldn’t be reached with my club Al A Hilal. Grenoble Foot brought an outright deal and I moved there.”
For Jarjou, France is a perfect destination for African players as majority of the greatest players Africa has produced all started their career in France which he wants to follow their footsteps.
“Abedi Pele, George Weah, Didier Drogba, Michael Essien, Yaya Toure and other great African players all started their career in France. Is a good country for African players and I want to follow suit.”
Jarjou is a great talent with football glued to his feet. After surviving the war in Sudan and moving to Europe, the world should watch out for him as the next biggest African talent in France.
By: Edmund Okai Gyimah/Baboucarr Fallaboweh
