From Migrant Returnee to Football Triumph: A Tale of Love and Glory in Juffureh Village

Lamin K. Janneh talking to his players before a football match.

By Landing Ceesay & Fatou B. Camara

Lamin K. Janneh, widely known as Alhagie Janneh, hails from Juffureh Village in the Upper Niumi District of the North Bank Region (NBR) and has a compelling story to tell. Initially engaged in amateur Nawettan football in Juffureh, Lamin took a perilous back way journey to Libya in 2016, only to return to his village and bring newfound glory through football.

Juffureh, renowned for its historical significance tied to the colonial era, particularly the Kunta Kinteh slave trade narrative, is a designated tourism hub attracting thousands of visitors yearly. Despite its rich footballing history and producing talents like Bora Taal, Bakary Nano Njie, Yusupha Njie, Abdou Keita, and Basainey Njie in the past, the village struggled to secure a trophy until Lamin K. Janneh assumed the role of head coach in 2019.

Lamin said that his journey to Italy in 2016 was fueled by the quest for greener pastures amid limited opportunities for Gambian youths.

“The reason for me to embark on the back way journey is to search for greener pasture. Looking at our country’s situation, there are no or limited job opportunities for we the youths, which is discouraging us and encouraging us to embark on the back way journey. We have this belief that when we left for Italy, at least we can be able to do better for our families by changing their living conditions. That is why we left to embark on the back way journey. We also believed that life in Italy is easier and better than the Gambia. We also believe that getting a job in Italy is easier than in the Gambia, because the Italian currency has more value than the Gambia. In the Gambia, even if you have a job, the salary would not be enough to sustain you,” Lamin said.

Similar to numerous migrants, Lamin and his companions were apprehended in the Mediterranean Sea during their journey from Libya to Italy and subsequently repatriated to the Gambia in 2017.

Detailing his odyssey to Libya, Lamin recounted being arrested and confined for several months, only securing his release by making a monetary payment.

“My journey from the Gambia to Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso up to Niger, I am lucky that I did not face any difficulty in those countries. From Niger to Libya, I did not have any problems on the way, even in the desert up to Libya. But in Libya, from one city to another while trying to reach Tripoli, that is where I got a delay. We had a slight breakdown on our way to Tripoli, then we were captured and taken to prison for months. Then we were asked to pay some amount of money, which we did. From there again we did not have any problems until we decided to cross the Mediterranean Sea to Italy where we were captured and deported,” he said.

Upon returning to the Gambia, Lamin played a pivotal role in founding the Juffureh Youth Association, dedicated to enhancing the well-being of local youth, with a particular focus on sports, especially football.

Within the association, the Juffureh Sports Committee was established to coordinate football tournaments within the community and facilitate Juffureh’s participation in broader football competitions.

In 2019, Lamin assumed the role of Head Coach for Juffureh, leading the team to victory in two tournaments for their hometown. Since his appointment, Lamin has guided Juffureh through five competitions from 2019 to the present.

In 2021, under Lamin’s leadership, Juffureh triumphed in the Busumbala Football Tournament, securing the championship without conceding a single goal throughout the competition.

In 2022, Lamin led his young team to the final of a football competition organized by Sikka Village in Upper Niumi District. Despite losing in penalty shoot-outs to Jurunku Village, Juffureh displayed an impressive record of not conceding a goal in any match except the final.

The same year, Juffureh secured victory against Sikka Village, claiming the Super Cup organized by Sikka Sports Committee.

In 2023, Juffureh qualified for another final in Tubakolong Village, where they remain unbeaten, having won all matches without conceding a single goal. The outcomes of the Tubakolong Sports Committee’s tournament final and its Super Cup are pending, offering Lamin and his team the potential to clinch two more trophies.

Since assuming the role of Juffureh’s Head Coach, Lamin has led his team in over 25 matches, scoring more than 35 goals while maintaining a clean sheet.

Notably, Lamin’s team has suffered only one defeat since his appointment, which occurred in the final against Jurunku Village in Sikka.

Reintegrating into Gambian society poses significant challenges for migrant returnees, particularly those who couldn’t reach Europe. However, Lamin stands out as an exception. When questioned about his seamless integration and accomplishments, Lamin acknowledged that while some may harbour negative sentiments about his return, he has not experienced any such negativity from the community.

“My return to the Gambia is something I never planned, because we were captured in the Mediterranean Sea while going to Italy and deported without our consent.  This is through IOM.  So that is why I never thought about how I would be reintegrated into society.  I never find it difficult to settle in the community. I was never worried about my reintegration into the society, because I never regretted my Journey to the back way.  The only regret I have is going back way without any skill. If I had been there with a skill, that would have made a big difference for me. Because I have seen people that went there with skills what they have achieved there,” Lamin responded.  

Lamin emphasized that the majority of players and members in the Juffureh Youth Association were individuals he was familiar with long before undertaking the back way journey. This pre-existing connection has streamlined his efforts in the role.

He highlighted that Juffureh consistently produces talented players, yet the team has struggled to progress to finals or qualify for significant tournaments due to issues like inadequate management and a lack of confidence.

Gratefully reflecting on his coaching tenure, Lamin noted that, upon assuming the role, he took immediate action by establishing a committee and assigning specific roles to individuals. He identified this as a crucial missing element that had contributed to the team’s subpar performance. Under his coaching, the team only suffered one defeat, and even that match went to penalty shoot-outs. Remarkably, in all other games, they did not concede a single goal—an achievement he attributed to the dedication and skill of his players.

“But thank God that when I became the coach, I observed things and because I know the village very well, the first thing I did was to set up a committee. In this committee, positions were given to individuals. I think that is what was lacking which led to the poor performance of the players. But thank God that when I became the coach, I only lost a game except one which even ended on penalty shoot-outs. In all other games we never conceded a goal, which am grateful for and kudos to my players,” he said. 

Lamin shared that his decision to assume the role of Head Coach in Juffureh stems from his deep affection for the community and his desire to guide young players in achieving their aspirations of becoming professional footballers.

Highlighting a lack of proper management for many young individuals in the villages, Lamin emphasized that this deficiency often hinders their footballing careers from progressing.

Expressing his love for his village despite past challenges, Lamin explained, “I am doing this because I love my village. Even though it did not favour me, I love my village, that is why I accepted the appointment.  I also want to help the youngsters so that they can realize their dreams and represent the Gambia one day,” he said.

Lamin asserted that he personally finances his attendance at matches and training sessions for his team, regardless of their location. He clarifies that he has not received payment for the services he provides to Juffureh.

Notably, despite his considerable achievements, Lamin has never undergone any formal coaching training or enrolled in a coaching course. It is his aspiration to undergo an intensive coaching program.

“I don’t have the opportunity yet, but I want to have an intensive coaching course so that one day I can coach a first-division team. My dream is to even coach the Gambia National Team in the future. Honestly, I am looking for the opportunity to take part in coaching training.  I don’t want two or three days of coaching training. I want months of coaching training,” Lamin stated. 

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