2024-07-23 00:36:13
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During a symposium in the congress hall of the Palais du Peuple in Conakry, parents, friends, colleagues and biological family responded massively to testify about the former president of the Guinean Football Federation before accompanying him to his final resting place.
In the front row, political figures, economic operators and sports figures were all gathered to share these solemn moments with the family of the man who died in France at the age of 66.
Ben Daouda Nansoko, president of the Guinean Olympic and Sports Committee, first wanted to apologize on behalf of the entire Guinean sporting family.
“Mr. Super V, I ask you to forgive us, I ask you to forgive for all the blows you have received in this sport. He has received more than he has given,” he said.
He also did not fail to point out the place left by his old friend: “The life of this man was a school for us who had the opportunity to meet him for a time. He was an exemplary man. His frankness, his competence, his availability and his commitment distinguished him from his behavior. Dear brothers, sisters and relatives of Salif, we celebrate an enormous loss. The void that our dear departed leaves and will leave is not about to be filled. Because, he was indeed unique, I say of course unique and no one could have imitated him during his lifetime. This is why, by our attitude, our words and our writings, we must maintain his memory and refer to it often. May he inspire us from wherever he is.”
Ibrahima Blasco Barry, Secretary General of the Guinean Football Federation, very moved, gave the funeral oration for the man he calls his boss and mentor.
“The rigor in perseverance, his career as a rigorous businessman and an emeritus sports manager prove it eloquently. (…). In the field of football, the man was a fine strategist; which allowed him to carve out a path of honor in this environment made up of fierce adversaries, bordering on animosity.”
The president of the Guinean Professional Football League (LGFP), Lucien Bendou Guilao, testified in these terms: “I would like to point out that President Salif Super V is the one who, on November 4, 2015, took the thoughtful and well-considered decision to create the Guinean Professional Football League under his authority. Therefore, he has the merit of having ensured that there is professional football in Guinea. He leaves me with the memory of a loyal, honest, reserved and pugnacious person.”
On behalf of the transitional authorities, the Minister of Youth and Sports, Keamou Bogola Haba, presented condolences to the biological and professional family of Super V. Before highlighting the transversal quality that this actor of Guinean football embodied. “As an economic actor and great creator of jobs, he created enough jobs for the youth of this country. He obviously deserves the recognition of the nation. He also invested in sport. As you know, Salif was also a great unifier. Today, the common challenge of the country is reconciliation and unity. And we are looking for solutions. And one of the solutions that the president found is to use sport to bring our people together. And the investment that Salifou made through the most popular sport in our country, which is football, speaks for itself. All we want is that his predecessors and as President Baba Sacko said, can learn from our journey and use these moments to use sport as an instrument of unity and reconciliation of our people,” he said.
On behalf of the Camara family of Katako, to which the former president of the Guinean Football Federation, Alpha Seny Camara belongs, thanked all the people of Guinea for the compassion. In return, he also presented his condolences to all the people of Guinea for this huge loss.
The customary blessings given by Saliou Conté, Imam of the Gbessia Mosque, brought the symposium to a close.
Finally, the body was taken to the Grand Faisal Mosque for the funeral prayer before burial at his home in Ratoma.
May Cissé