Togolese national soccer team is pulled out of the Africa Cup of Nations after rebels fire on its team bus in Angola’s Cabinda province, killing three and injuring several others
By Tunde Oyedele/ Benguela
Almost everywhere you go in Angola, the country hosting the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations, fear is the norm. Journalists covering the tournament, participating teams and visitors are constantly watching their backs. But fear of attack is not their only concern. They are also bothered about the very high cost of living in Africa’s most expensive nation.
The Togolese national football team bus was machine-gunned by Angolan rebels on 9 January on the way to the northern province of Cabinda, to honour their group matches with Ghana, Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso. Assistant coach, Amalete Abalo, media officer of the team, Stanislas Ocloo and their driver died on the spot. Goalkeeper Kodjovi Obilale and defender Serge Akakpo were among the nine people injured in the attack. The unfortunate incident forced the Togolese government to recall the Hawks from the competition. Manchester City and reigning GLO/CAF African Footballer of the Year, Emmanuel Adebayor, who led the Togolese side to Angola, where they were scheduled to play Ghana in their opening match on Monday 11 January, is yet to recover from what he described as a rude shock.
“I’m really sad about the way our brothers lost their lives in Angola. We were caught unawares, the fire was too much for us. We were not expecting it. It was as if we were trapped in a war situation, and t-r-a-t-a-t-a-t-a! The gunshots were coming from all directions,” recalled Adebayor. Another Togolese player, Thomas Dossevi described the attack as an act of the devil. “We were fired at like dogs. There was no sympathy. One of our guys was hit on his back and Obilale had his kidney damaged,” Dossevi said. Reports say some of the players escaped being hit by bullets because they hid under the seats of the bus throughout the attack. Before the Nations Cup began on Sunday, there were calls by some participants to have the tournament cancelled. Such calls, according to an Angolan minister, Antonio Bento Bembe, were unfair to the government of Angola, which had spent over $1billion on organisation of the tournament. Bembe told TheNEWS that his country had sent her condolences to the government of Togo and families of the affected persons in the attack, but he blamed the Togolese contingent for travelling to Angola by road.
“What happened to Togo was unfortunate and we feel bad about it. However, the team could have travelled to our country by air instead of crossing the border by road from Pointe Noire, Congo,” he posited. The Togolese squad, however, argued that they had their pre-Nations Cup training in Congo, with their officials maintaining it was easier for them to get to their Nations Cup venue by road, rather than going through the very busy airport in Luanda.
Sulleyman Habouba, CAF Media Director, said the continental football body in conjunction with Angolan government officials have had successful talks with the security operatives to ensure that the remaining teams and visitors to the country were safe throughout the competition. Habouba’s assurance came as succour to the Nigerian Super Eagles and other teams playing their preliminary matches in Benguela. President of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, Alhaji Sani Lulu, who condemned the attack, urged the Local Organising Committee, LOC, to step up security for the participating teams. Coach Hasan Shehata told this magazine that his Egyptian team were about to withdraw from Angola 2010 when they heard about the attack. “We were afraid and wanted to return home, but the government officials promised our country that all would be well. But, I think the attack is bad for football in Africa,” said Shehata, whose team pipped Nigeria 3-1 in the opening match.
Nigerian-born Rasak Omotoyossi, a key player in Benin Republic squad, believes the attack on Togo actually got the hosts to improve security. Omotoyossi does not, however, believe that the development affected the top-ranking teams who lost their opening matches.
It would be recalled that separatist groups had, for decades, been seeking independence for the oil-rich Cabinda Province from Angola. The Angolan government chose to use the province as one of the venues for the African Cup of Nations to improve the province’s image and possibly attract huge investment. But things did not go according to script, with the gruesome attack on the Togolese squad.
Though Angola is rated as the second fastest growing economy in the world, everything, including water, is costly in the country. An average plate of food goes for about N1,850, while visitors need at least $10, about N1,555 for daily transportation in Angola. Journalists covering the tournament are facing tough times, as they have to pay 1,800 Kansas, about N3,000, to send stories via telephone. The Internet operators are very few, and are minded to charge exorbitant fees. Worse still, journalists have to queue up to gain access.
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